John Muir Middle School students learned about Greek, Asian and Egyptian cultures during the annual Muir Day of the Ancients held Friday, May 15. Sixth grade students participated in activities and workshops connected to the ancient culture they had studied during the school year.
Actors from the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum presented three short plays based on Greek myths focused around two characters, including Echo and Narcissus, Apollo and Daphne and Pyramis and Thisbe.
Students learned more about yoga, astronomy and constellations, drum circle percussion, origami, Greek art, drama, Chinese cooking, wreath making, abacus, tangrams and chess in the teacher-led workshops.
In the past, Day of the Ancients was called “Greek Day” at Muir Middle School and focused only on Greek culture, according to sixth-grade history teacher Eric Blinder.
This year, teachers expanded the event to “Day of the Ancients” to cover all of the ancient cultures studied in sixth grade history.
“Students were highly engaged throughout the entire day,” commented Blinder. “From costume contests, to teacher-led workshops, to sword fighting demonstrations, to Greek plays, students had a fun day that was educational and directly related to their history classes.”
