Act out the tale of Persephone and the pomegranate seeds via tableau and role play with this Ancient Greece KS2 drama lesson plan.
Drama provides children with a fun, practical and meaningful way of exploring the world, both in the present day and in times past. In this lesson plan, it’s used to explore the Ancient Greek myth of Persephone and the pomegranate seeds.
This is a story which the Greeks used to help them understand the changing nature of the four seasons. The story features Greek gods and goddesses Hades, Demeter and Persephone.
Pupils will undertake practical activities in small groups, demonstrating an awareness of story sequence, characters and themes via tableau, hot seating and role-play activities.
Curriculum links
- Identify key moments within a story/text
- Use drama techniques to explore a story/text
- How to create role-play that balances dialogue with action
- How to evaluate drama critically but empathetically
This Ancient Greece KS2 download contains:
- Full PDF lesson plan
Starter activity
Read the class the story of Persephone and the pomegranate seeds. This is freely available online. Choose a version to read in which the Greek god of the underworld, Hades, features rather than the Roman god Pluto. Alternatively, listen to a 15-minute audio version from the BBC.
Discuss the main sequence of events. How does your class feel about the actions of each of the main characters in the story? Ask the children how this myth would have helped the Ancient Greeks to make sense of the changing seasons.
Tom Kirkham is the publishing director of The School Musicals Company and a qualified teacher of English and drama. Follow him on Twitter @musicalsco. Browse drama games for primary children.