A Return to Ancient Rome

JRDAssist
Middle School and High School Teacher

Students will research and create a brief power point program about a landmark of Ancient Rome.

Grade Level: 7 - 9th

Subject:

Length of Time: 3-4 Class Periods

Common Core Alignment

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 - Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.10 - By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Objectives & Outcomes

The students will be able to identify a landmark from ancient Rome, and using information from the Internet or other resources, “reconstruct” the landmark, and share information via a Power Point presentation.

Materials Needed

Internet access, other resources if necessary, and Power Point access

Prepare ahead of time:  List of landmarks from ancient Rome*, enough for students to work in pairs, map of Italy for display, sample ancient landmark photo/image, rubric for evaluation

Suggested videos for the teacher to show:

Khan Academy,  Reconstruction, https://www.khanacademy.org

Ancient Rome Today-Rome, Ancient Glory/ Rick Steve’s Europe TV Show

Procedure

Opening to Lesson

  • Teacher will display a map of Italy. (Use Power Point slide(s) if possible)
  • Ask students what famous city is in Italy
  • Allow a volunteer to show where Rome is located on the map
  • Ask students if they know of any famous landmarks or sites in Rome

Body of Lesson

Modeling

  • Tell students they will research the ancient city of Rome and an ancient landmark from the 4th century
  • Display the photo/image of the sample landmark
  • Ask students how they can “reconstruct” the landmark using computer tools

Guided Practice

  • Pair students
  • Assign or allow students to choose one of the landmarks from the prepared list
  • Remind students they must also do some research about ancient Rome
  • Tell students to search the Internet for information about their landmark and to recreate it using paint tools on the computer or other similar program
  • Explain to students to include as much information about the landmark to be presented in a Power Point display of at least 8 – 10 slides.
  • Once the research is completed and Power Point slides ready, each pair of students will make their presentation to the class
  • After presentation of the individual Power Point displays, the teacher will show from the Internet a video of the city and its landmarks to tie the whole project together.

Independent Practice

  • Have students research ancient Greece, or another ancient city, turning in a one-page report.

Closing

Discuss with the class their overall impressions of the buildings and landmarks of Ancient Rome. What did they learn about the culture and lifestyle? How does the style of Rome’s buildings compare with those of a modern American city? Would they have wanted to live there?

*Suggestions for sites to research:

  • Baths of Trajan
  • Campus Martius
  • Arch of Constantine
  • Colosseum
  • Theater of Pompey
  • Aqua Claudia
  • Pantheon
  • Circus Maximus
  • Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
  • Tiber Island
  • Senate House-Curia
  • CapitOnline Hill
  • Palatine Hill
  • Roman Forum
  • Arch of Septimius Severus
  • Basilica of Maxentius

Assessment & Evaluation

Students will share their Power Point presentation with peers.  The content plus the presentation of the information will be evaluated based on a rubric given ahead of time.  Short quiz related to information presented by each pair of students.

Modification & Differentiation

Do not use the Power Point, present using display boards or similar resources.  Students work alone or in larger groups.  Reconstruct a 3-D model of landmark.

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