Golden Age

What lessons can we learn from golden age civilizations and/or from their falls, and why do those lessons matter to us today?

Grade
6-8
Subjects
Social Studies
Key Content
world civilizations, history, argumentative writing
A young teenage girl looks up at the ceiling beneath the columns of the Athenian Academy in Athens, Greece.

Students learn the concept of a “golden age”—a time when a civilization flourished and there was peace, prosperity, and achievement. Students select a particular civilization, conduct research on its golden age and why it declined or ended, then communicate their learning to the public through a museum exhibit. Teams create an exhibit showcasing their civilization’s rise and fall; students individually write an argument essay about the lessons that can be learned from history and applied to the present day. Students host an event where they present their exhibits along with a companion guide of “lessons learned” essays and summarize their conclusions to visitors at the museum opening.