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The
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Mini Unit Study
How many of the seven wonders of the ancient world can you name
right now, off the top of your head? If you can’t guess
all seven, you’re not alone. According to a survey done
in early 2004 by pollster ICM on behalf of Swan Hellenic (a cruise
line), only 1 out of 600 polled could accurately list all seven
wonders! Can you name at least three? If so, you are in the minority
– only 10% of those surveyed could list that many.
The Greek poet Antipater (quote below) may have been the first
to craft a list of the ancient wonders, but he wasn’t the
last. The canonical list of seven wasn’t firmly rooted in
the public's conscience until the early Renaissance, when Dutch
painter Maerten van Heemskerk immortalized all seven in a series
of engravings. Since then, coming up with new lists of seven has
been a source of endless fascination for adults and kids alike.
I have seen the walls of unbreachable Babylon, along which
chariots may race, and the statue of Zeus by the river Alphaeus,
the Hanging Gardens and the Colossus of the Sun, the great man-made
mountains of the lofty pyramids, and the gigantic tomb of Maussolos.
But when I saw the sacred house of Artemis reaching the clouds,
the others paled... –Antipater of Sidon, Greek
Anthology 9.58 (~110 B.C.)
In this mini unit study, you can: test your knowledge of the seven
wonders, take a tour through each, read an article about the history
behind them, see the sites on a map, listen to classical music
composed for the ancient wonders, view colorful drawings of each,
look at sites considered to be modern wonders and vote on them,
write postcards from each of the seven wonder sites you visit
and build your own ancient wonder – a model of a pyramid.
Reading
How many seven wonders can you name? Take this quiz before you
start reading any further to find out:
After you have visited all of the seven ancient wonders, write
a postcard to family and friends from each site. For more ideas
on this lesson, including great examples, see:
“... In this picture
book for older children, Curlee, an art historian, offers an informative,
richly descriptive text and artwork that enables readers to envision
the wonders for themselves. He begins with an introduction to
all seven wonders and then employs four-page spreads to discuss
each one individually, with a special eye to how each was built
and what each meant to the community that built it. The art, drawn
with geometric precision, captures the scope of the structure
(sometimes presenting it from a unique perspective) and makes
readers experience a bit of what the original observers must have
felt. ...”
-Excerpt of review from the American Library Association
