Gramma Games & Activities
PLUS: Anagrams and Ancient Greek Printables
Dear Classical KIDS,
Last week we looked at one of the building blocks of language itself: "γράμμα"
(If you missed it, you can catch up on it here)
In ancient Greek, "γράμμα" originally referred to a letter or a written character, meaning both the individual letters of the alphabet as well as the concept of writing!
That’s a lot for one little word to do...
We already saw “γράμμα” in grammar, program, diagram and telegraph, but actually there are more! Check out extra ways ancient Greek has influenced our language, along with questions, discussions, activities and worksheets below… including, Anagrams!
Other Words:
• Epigram: A short, clever poem or saying (ἐπί = upon + γράμμα).
• Cryptogram: A secret or coded message (κρυπτός = hidden + γράμμα).
• Anagram: A word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of another (ἀνά = back + γράμμα).
Questions:
1. What does the Greek word γράμμα mean?
2. How does "γράμμα" connect to modern words like grammar and diagram? 3. Can you think of other words that come from γράμμα?
4. Can you write an Epigram?
Activities:
1. Create a Secret Cryptogram! – Write a secret message using a cryptogram and challenge a friend to decode it.
Need Inspiration? Check out Aeneas’ Cryptographic Disc and write a secret message like the ancients here:
2. Design a Diagram! – Draw a diagram that explains something you love, like a favorite hobby or game. Try labeling it using neat and clear letters!
Let’s say you love playing soccer. You could draw a diagram of a soccer field to explain how the game works. Your diagram might include:
• The goalposts
• The penalty area
• The center circle
• Player positions, like goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. You can then label each part of the diagram neatly with clear letters to make it easy to understand. For example:
• Label the goal as "Goal"
• Label the center circle as "Center Circle"
• Use arrows to show how players move on the field
By combining creativity with learning how to use diagrams, we explain something in a visual, easy-to-understand way. In modern problem-solving and innovation, we do the same with design thinking, where diagrams and visual aids help us map out ideas, find solutions, and communicate complex concepts clearly.
Printables
Classical KIDS members can enjoy extra resources both for our Ancient Greek as well as for our myth, history, and philosophy stories.
Anagrams:
Anagrams are super fun linguistic games, perfect for exercising the brain. Here are some easier ones to get your kiddos started. Can you think of harder ones?
Write it Out:
Print the traceable to practice writing ancient Greek here:
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