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These social studies text sets attempt to represent not just a topic, but an issue within that topic,
and sides of that issue. The text sets present multiple perspectives on a social studies issue—as
well as multiple levels of texts and multiple modalities. The texts are arranged more or less from
easier to harder. Some articles may need to be adapted for lower level readers, and some website
text you may choose to move into Word and reformat so it is easier to read and has fewer
distractors/ads. Be sure to capture the whole URL, without spaces for line-breaks, when you seek
these online resources. Thanks to all the teachers who shared resources. If you have a
bibliography you‘d like to share with social studies teachers, please email us at:
contact@readingandwritingproject.com.
Please keep in mind that websites are temporal and so might no longer be posted.
Ancient Roman Gladiators: Heroes or Victims?
Video Clip, Colosseum Rome’s Arena of Death shows main event and ‘behind the scenes’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXMd8qiZnnw
An article about who became gladiators and what that meant for them
http://www.allabouthistory.org/ancient-roman-gladiators-faq.htm
This article is about the downfalls of being a gladiator
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/gladiators.htm
This interactive text asks students to step into the shoes of a gladiator
http://www.salariya.com/web_books/gladiator/index.html
This article is about who became gladiators, the various types that existed, where they
lived, how they trained, the rules of the fight, and what ancient people thought of them
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/gladiators_01.shtml
An article from the Women of Action Network on female gladiators and the necessity of
this choice --note the issue of slant/credibility
http://www.woa.tv/articles/hi_gladiators.html
‘Are You Not Entertained?’ clip from the movie, Gladiator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYr17Dvrldw
This article takes the stance that gladiator fights perpetuated violence
http://www.historytoday.com/keith-hopkins/murderous-games-gladiatorial-contestsancient-rome
For Further Research
This article looks at how a German archaeologist has deciphered the great stadium's
TEACHERS COLLEGE
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THE READING AND WRITING PROJECT
complex stagecraft for entertainment
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Secrets-of-theColosseum.html?c=y&page=1
This article presents the history of how gladiator fights came to be and how they are
different from what we see in modern day movies
http://www.unrv.com/culture/gladiator.php
This article shares the effects of the Colosseum, both positive and negative.
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/roman_entertainment.htm
This article compares football to gladiators
http://www.wired.com/geekmom/2011/02/the-nfl-is-our-modern-day-gladiatorsport-a-good-thing/
This recent news article discusses gladiator fights as part of the common thread that
linked ancient Rome together.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/09/110913-gladiator-school-austriaroman-ancient-walmarts-science/