MERRYLANDS

HIGH
SCHOOL

THE PARTHENON PROJECT

Name: __________________________________

My team members are: __________________

Our projects Edmodo group is Parthenon Architects

Group code: jr1w0n

[Type the document subtitle] | Alice

Project outline
The Parthenon was a temple to the Greek goddess, Athena, the patron goddess of
the ancient city of Athens. Today only remains of the temple remain. The Parthenon
is located on the Acropolis, a hill overlooking the city of Greece. The temple is 30.9
metres wide and 69.5 metres high. The Parthenon is also constructed according to the golden
ratio, which is a ratio that Ancient Greek architects and todays architects think it is pleasing to
look at.
Your task is to build a scaled model of the Parthenon. You can choose to make your Parthenon in
Minecraft or out of other materials like Lego. You will be working in a team of three or four people.
The project will be divided into four stages:
Stage 1 Research and project planning (2 to 3 hours)
Your team will research what the Parthenon is, what it looks like, its size and dimensions and other
details so you can build an accurate model of it. You will also watch some videos of Parthenons
that others have built in Minecraft.
Product A one-page fact sheet on the Parthenon that shows the information above

Stage 2 The golden ratio (2 to 3 hours)

Your team will explore the golden ratio, a ratio that architects from Ancient Greece and today still
use.
Product A plan for your Parthenon

Stage 3 Building the Parthenon (4 to 6 hours)

Your team will build the Parthenon. You can choose to build the Parthenon in Minecraft or out of
physical materials like Lego. Your team needs to negotiate this with the teacher.
Product Your Parthenon in Mineraft or a physical model Parthenon

Stage 4 Presenting the Parthenon (4 to 6 hours)

Your team will present your Parthenon to the world! You will make a video that allows the viewer
to take a tour of your Parthenon. In the video you will need to:

Describe what was the Parthenon

Describe what was the Parthenon used for?
Describe what the Parthenon looked like on the inside and outside.
Explain how the architecture of the Parthenon follows the golden ratio?
Explain why people like the golden ratio?

Your video will be 2 to 3 minutes long.

Product Video of your Parthenon

Stage 1 Research and project planning

Activities 1 and 2 must be completed by each team member. The fact sheet is to be completed
as a team.
Activity 1 Background research into the Parthenon
Follow the instructions on Edmodo to answer the following questions.
1. What is the Parthenon?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Where is the Parthenon located? ________________________________________________________
3. What kind of materials was the Parthenon made of?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What was inside the Parthenon?
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Why was the Parthenon built?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Outline what happened to the Parthenon throughout history.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Why do you think the Parthenon is historically significant?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Were the videos you have watched primary sources or secondary sources? Why?
________________________________________________________________________________________

Checkpoint Check your answers with another group. If any of the answers are different,
negotiate so both teams have similar answers.

Activity 2- What did the Parthenon look like?

Look at the floor plan of the Parthenon below.

A floor plan is a birds eye view of a building. What did the Parthenon look like? That is:
(a) How wide was it? _______________________________________________________________________
(b) How tall was it? _________________________________________________________________________
(c) How many columns did it have at the front and back? ___________________________________
(d) How many columns did it have on the sides? ____________________________________________
(e) How many columns did it have on the inside? ___________________________________________

Product Now make a one page fact sheet that combines all of the information above about the
Parthenon.

Project planning
Watch the videos on Edmodo about building a Parthenon on Minecraft or Lego.
After watching the videos, does your team want to build your Parthenon on Minecraft or with
Lego? ________________________________________________________________________________________
Post your answer onto Edmodo as well.

Progress check
Goals for Stage 1
(a) To know what the Parthenon is, what it looks like, its history and why it is important.
(b) To know how my team will build our Parthenon.
Criteria Fact sheet on the Parthenon
Did you describe in detail what the
Parthenon looks like?
Did you describe what the Parthenon
was used for throughout history?
Did you explain why the Parthenon is
important in Ancient times?
Did you explain why the Parthenon is
important today?
Did you use a picture of the Parthenon
that shows the audience the features
of the Parthenon clearly?
Is the written information in the
Parthenon fact sheet accurate in
spelling and grammar?
Criteria Project planning
Does your team know what they are
going to use to build the Parthenon
(eg. Minecraft, Lego, etc)

Self assessment

Teacher assessment

Self assessment

Teacher assessment

Medals
List the things you think you did well to achieve your goals.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Missions
List the things you need to keep working on to reach your goals.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Stage 2 The Golden Ratio

Activity 1

On Edmodo follow the instructions to watch a video of the Golden Ratio and the
Parthenon.
Describe the golden ratio in your own words and why architects from ancient Greece and
today like to use it.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Activity 2

Survey students and teachers on which of the following rectangles do they think looks the
best. Tally the results.

Rectangle
A
B
C
D
E

Number of people who found this rectangle to be the best looking

Activity 3
The diagram below shows the front of the Parthenon.

1. Draw a rectangle around the Parthenon, from the left most pillar to the right and from the
base of the pillars to the highest point.
2. Measure the length and the width of this rectangle. Now find the ratio of the length to the
width. Is the number close to the golden ratio?
Write the ratio here _____________________________________________________________________
3. Now look above the pillars. You should notice some rectangles on the face of the
Parthenon. Find the ratio of the length to the width of one of these rectangles. Is it close to
the golden ratio?
Write the ratio here _____________________________________________________________________

Activity 4
Draw a diagram of how your Parthenon will look. Indicate how you will make your Parthenon
follow the golden ratio.
Front view

Side view

Back view

Progress check
Goals for Stage 2
(a) To know what the golden ratio is
(b) To plan a model Parthenon based on the golden ratio
Criteria The golden ratio
Can you describe the golden ratio?
Can you describe the relationship
between the golden ratio and the
Fibonacci sequence?
Can you measure a diagram or object
and determine whether it follows the
golden ratio?
Can you show how the Parthenon
follows the golden ratio?
Criteria Parthenon plan
Does your team know what they need
to do to build the model Parthenon?
Does your plan of the Parthenon show
the front view, side view and back
view?
Does your plan of the Parthenon show
that it follows the golden ratio?

Self assessment

Teacher assessment

Self assessment

Teacher assessment