Grade 7: Ancient Rome EDCP 331 Ashley Clark, Laura Clark, Shelagh Curling, Ajay Martin, Marie McMillan & Ashley Turko
marie.a.mcmillan@gmail.com
Class Description:
Ashley Clark 7 Class
There are 26 students in my practicum class and the class is divided into 14 boy sand 12 girls. My students are a very warm and welcoming group
who enjoy interacting with each other and helping when needed. My school is based in a rapidly growing neighbourhood and is beginning to transition
out of a farm-based community to a heavily populated urban community. Of the 26 students in my class, there are 4 ELL students and one student who
have learning difficulties. All the ELL students have received support over their schooling years but are now beginning to transition out of having any
personal language support besides their teacher. There are 3 students (one ELL, one learning difficulties, and one aboriginal student) who often leave
the classroom and receive extra support from the school’s aboriginal educator. Most of my students enjoy physical activity and actively participate in
enactive lessons. The class is academically and culturally diverse, which allows for various discussions focused on the students funds of knowledge.
Ajay Martin 5/6 Class
My class is composed of thirty students, from grades five and six. The majority of the class is grade five with seven students in grade six. The
neighborhood is actually quite affluent and the income levels are generally quite high. In my class, there are two ELL students who are already quite
advanced in their comprehension and writing of the English language. These two require little to no adaptions. There are also two students who require
help to stay motivated during class. They work on the same curriculum as other students but just require a little extra encouragement to finish their
work. Lastly, there is a student in my class who reads quite poorly. He requires one-on-one assistance to read the instructions but can carry out the
work, if he knows what to do. He’s really great with art projects and has fantastic eye for artistic work. For the brochure, he’d require EA assistance to
record the research and just produce the picture instead.
Shelagh Curling 7 Class
My unit on Ancient Rome will be taught towards the end of the year. The class will have already learned about Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia,
Ancient Greece, Ancient India and Ancient China. The students will already have a grasp of knowledge about how the civilizations differed as well as
common characteristics across them. The students will already have had practiced identifying ways ancient cultures have influenced Canada today. They
specifically would have been learning about ways to critical think, identify relationships, and summarize. The Social Study PLO’s (A1-4, B1-2, D1-2, & E12) will have been addressed as well during prior units.
My class is comprised of 30 students who are energetic and very social. They particularly like group work and presenting to their class. There is
only one student requiring adaptations, and she has an IEP in which all subjects are adapted. Her adaptations involve adapting the amount of written
work required. There will be an EA to provide support, and her adaptations are indicated below. In the group presentation project she will be encouraged
and guided to participate in multi-modal ways. She can participate in the technology aspect, as well as in art and drama modalities that the group can
present in. Her group will be specifically chosen to include students that she works well with, and that compliment her strengths.
Ashley Turko 5/6 Class
For my practicum I am in a grade 5/6 class. However, it is not an even split as there are only five grades fives and the rest of the students are in
grade six. In total there are 26 students. In January, there will be a new student so there will be 27 students. Most of the class is on grade level, but about
six are lower than the rest of the students. These students struggle with Math and English. There is also a student who is autistic and non-verbal. This
child is working on a primary level, but he is on his own curriculum that has been formulated by his EA. Therefore, the teachers in my class (this class is
a job share) let the EA take care of his curriculum. Often this child leaves the classroom to work with Kindergarten and grade one classes.
Marie McMillan 6/7 Class
My practicum class is a grade 6/7 split made up of 28 students, with 11 in grade 6 and 17 in grade 7. The number of boys and girls is almost equal,
but there are many dominant and outgoing personalities amongst the boys and sometimes it seems like there are more of them. They are an extremely
social group of kids and love asking questions in a class discussion setting. They are helpful and energetic. They are also very athletic. Almost all students
in the class participate in numerous sports and will list a sport among their top three interests. The majority of the students are from an Indian heritage,
many of them were even born in India. Many languages other than English are spoken at home, including Punjabi, Mandarin, Farsi, and Portuguese.
Two of the students attend special ELL classes once a day and have been living in Canada for less than a year. While they are both still working on their
ability to communicate their ideas in English, they are both reading and writing at a grade 7 level, have many friends, and follow along well in
mainstream class. There are two students with medical Individualized Education Programs. One of them has hemi-facial seizures several times a day, but
these do not appear to interfere greatly with his learning. The other has microcephaly and has been given an Educational Assistant who is in our
classroom almost 100% of the time. She has impaired development and works and is assessed at a grade 4 level in Math and a grade 3 level in Language
Arts. Her fine and gross motor skills are also behind in development. This EA also works closely with two other students in the class who are also being
graded at lower than grade level in Math and LA. These students are usually paired with particular students who are helpful and patient and they are
given extra time to think and extra help from the EA throughout the day.
Going into this unit the class will have previously studied Ancient cultures in South America as well as Ancient China and India. There was an
early emphasis on understanding how land and geography influences the way people live their lives. This theme was introduced by starting the Social
Studies year looking briefly at Canadian geography and the different industries and cultures that exist based on the local geography. My classroom
teacher has decided to concentrate on the grade 7 curriculum and reach the grade 6 PLOs through study of ancient cultures by often relating them to
each other, to modern day countries in those areas, and through connections to Canada. Grade 6 PLOs for dealt with in this unit include, but are not
limited to these social studies areas: A4 deliver a formal presentation D3 evaluate effects of technology on lifestyles and environments E1 assess the
relationship between cultures and their environments
Laura Clark 7 Class
My class has 26 students, 9 female and 17 male. The discrepancy between males and females is even more noticeable as many of the boys are very
outgoing with strong personalities, and the girls are quiet and often reluctant to participate in class discussion. I try to be aware of this, and call on the
girls as often as possible- otherwise the boys will dominate the classroom. At this stage in the year, the girls do not socialize with most of the boys, and
act more “mature”. I plan to teach this unit at the end of my practicum, so classroom dynamics may have changed by that time. When forming pairs and
groups for the unit, I will have to think carefully about which students to put together, and make sure that groups have at least 2 girls (which means that
one group will have only boys). In general the students in the class are very bright and eager to learn when subjects are taught in an engaging way.
My class has only one ELL student, but he is not receiving any extra support (he has been at the school for 6 years). Thus far, I’ve noticed he has
some trouble with writing, but his reading and communication skills are good. For assessment, he will not be graded on his grammar and sentence
structure, but on the ideas communicated. If he has trouble with independent research, I will help provide individual support. There are also two
students that receive LST support for math, but at this time I’m not sure if they receive support for any other subjects or if they have any modifications to
their curriculum.
In the beginning of November, our class received a new student. She is living with a foster family, and is very quiet and shy in the classroom. At
this time, I do not know whether she has an IEP, but I expect that she will have some sort of modification for assessment. In the few weeks I have met
her, I have not seen her produce any writing, and I believe she has struggled in math as well. She has been sitting next to another female student who has
been helping her adjust to the new classroom- for the group project these students should be paired together. I the new year I plan to talk to my SA about
her curriculum and plan for instruction.
Ashley Clark, Laura Clark, Shelagh Curling, Ajay Martin, Marie McMillan & Ashley Turko
Ancient Rome Unit Plan
Topic: Ancient Rome
Level: Grade 7
Objectives:
Skills And Processes of Social Studies:
A1 apply critical thinking skills – including comparing, classifying, inferring, imagining,
Rationale:
verifying, using analogies, identifying relationships, summarizing, and drawing conclusions – to
- To have students actively participate in learning about
a range of problems and issues
Ancient Rome content in a way that uses their own funds of A2 use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and maps to obtain or communicate
knowledge and expands their ways of thinking.
information
A3 compile a body of information from a range of sources
- To address the IRP’s for grade 7 Social Studies that deal
A4 deliver a formal presentation on a selected issue or inquiry using two or more forms of
with Ancient Civilizations and their impact on today’s
representation
society.
Identity, Society, and Culture
- To have students inquire into and discuss the 6 specific
B1 analyse the concept of civilization as it applies to selected ancient cultures
aspects of Ancient Roman life: Daily Life, Social Life, Class, B2 analyse social roles within one or more ancient civilizations
Politics, Technology, and Religion.
Economy and Technology
- Students will practice their Google Earth skills and be able
D2 assess ways technological innovations enabled ancient peoples to adapt to and modify their
to research and produce a Google Lit Trip based off of the
environments, satisfy their needs, increase exploration and trade, develop their cultures
different structures in Ancient Rome the students choose to
Human and Physical Environment
address (Inquiry)
E1 assess how physical environments affected ancient civilizations
-Students will gain practice with cooperative group work
E2 identify the impact of human activity on physical environments in ancient civilizations
skills and their ability to present in front of a group of people.
Integrated Subject Areas:
P.E
Art
Computers
Language Arts
Drama
Drama
Unit Plan:
Topic
Objectives (PLOs) Activities and Duration
1 Intro:
Identity, Society, and
Hook
Culture
Rome
B1 analyze the concept
Marathon,
of civilization as it
which
applies to selected
ones are
ancient cultures
from
Ancient
Rome
Materials
Assessment/
Adaptations for specific classroom
Criteria
Individual
Students requiring adaptations will
participation in class identify 3 famous landmarks.
discussion, contribute
to mind map
Introduce Topic: Ancient Projector
Rome
Map of Rome
Show Rome Marathon Map Marathon
Have students guess which Poster Paper
landmarks are from
Markers
Ancient Rome
Students will be able
Tell the class they are going
to identify 5 famous
to create their own trip
landmarks from
through Ancient Rome by
ancient Rome
the end of the unit using
Google Map
List the famous landmarks
the class will learn about
Class creates a mind map
of what they already know
about Ancient Rome, and
what they want to learn:
Keep posted on wall
throughout unit.
2 Integrated A2 use various types of Students run around a
List of ancient Rome Students are expected For students with mobility issues,
Lesson
graphs, tables,
fitness circuit around the landmarks
to check off 80% of
check off 30-50% of landmarks
Plan with timelines, and maps to school (outside, weather
Pictures of landmarks landmarks that they
PE
obtain or communicate permitting)
posted around the
ran to.
information
Pictures of famous Ancient gym, or playground Students will now be
Rome landmarks will be
able to identify at least
posted
8 landmarks from
Students have to check off
Ancient Rome.
each landmark they visit
Assessment/
Adaptations for specific classroom
Criteria
3 Geography Human and Physical
Students will learn where Map of the World
Students will be able For students requiring adaptations,
/Landscap Environment
in the world Rome is, and (current)
to highlight, and the they only have to complete the map
e/Period E1 assess how physical when in time Ancient
Map of Italy
full area of the Roman with the ancient landmarks.
of time
environments affected Rome was.
Map of Rome
empire on a map of
ancient civilizations
Teacher will show a
(historical & current) Europe/Africa.
A2 use various types of historical map and current Pictures of famous
Students will also be
graphs, tables,
map, and teach the class
landmarks
able to highlight at
timelines, and maps to where Ancient Rome was,
least 8 ancient
obtain or communicate and where the empire
Worksheet with map landmarks, and the 7
information
extended to.
and questions
hills, the Tiber river on
Discuss the layout of Rome,
a map of the city of
and the geography of the
Rome.
Ancient city, the Tiber, the
seven hills, and location of
Questions from
famous landmarks.
worksheet marked.
Topic
4 Social
Classes
(Laura)
Objectives (PLOs) Activities and Duration
Social Structure
B2- Analyze social
roles within one or
more ancient
civilizations.
Materials
Students will be assigned to Social class labels
a certain social class from (taped Under desk)
Ancient Rome. Within
Ancient Worlds
Small class groups,
textbooks
students will research their iPads/computers with
social class, and complete a internet access
worksheet which will aid worksheet
them in their group
presentations.
By the end of the lesson,
students will be able to
identify the main social
classes in Ancient Rome
and know the social
structure and hierarchy.
Assessment based on
presentation (next
lesson) and worksheet
completion (also
collected next lesson)
Teacher will strategically form groups
so that students requiring support are
with peers who are willing/able to
provide it.
Topic
Objectives (PLOs) Activities and Duration
Materials
Assessment/
Criteria
Adaptations for specific classroom
5 Daily Life B3- Identify influences Students will have class
Students may bring Students will be
Students requiring adaptations will
(Laura)
time
to
work
on
a
and contributions of
their own materials assessed individually only complete one similarity or
presentation about their
ancient societies to
for the presentation if for the group project difference for each social class.
social
class.
Students
may
present-day cultures.
they choose
on their cooperation Students with performance anxiety can
choose to present as a
(costumes, props, etc) with classmates, and use the video option, or will take a
dramatic skit (video or live)
iPads for filming
information conveyed smaller role in the live presentation.
or a formal information
Projector/
Smartboard
within the
Teacher will adjust assessment rubric
based presentation.
for showing videos presentation/video.
for these students, putting more
Students watching the
emphasis on cooperation and the
presentations will draw
comparisons to their own
Students will also be worksheet.
lives by identifying 3
assessed on
similarities or differences
completion and quality
between the social class of
of comparisons drawn
Ancient Rome and present
from observing
day society.
classmates
Students will be able to
presentations, and on
convey the daily life their
completion of
social class to their peers,
worksheet from
and identify similarities
previous lesson.
and differences to their
own lives.
Topic
Objectives (PLOs) Activities and Duration
6 Entertain (A5) – Visual Arts:
ment
(Ajay)
Students will create 3D
image that will
incorporate style from a
different historical
context
(B1) – Visual Arts:
Students will analyze
and compare different
image sources
(B2) – Social Studies:
Students will analyze
social roles within the
Ancient Rome
civilization
7 Ajay Cont. Same as above
Materials
Gladiator movie clip
Students will be
Projector
introduced to different
kinds of social activities in Computer
Newspaper
Ancient Rome
Flour, salt, water
Students will make a plan
Paintbrushes,
for what kind of helmet
scissors, bowls, gold
they want to create
and silver paint,
Students will be divided feathers, cardboard
into partners
Students will make a
helmet out of paper mache
and balloons.
Students will be able to
identify different
entertainment activities
that Romans did,
specifically the role of the
gladiators. Students will be
able to discuss the
connection between the
Colosseum and the
gladiators.
Students will continue to Same as above
work on their helmet and
decorate it accordingly
Students will play a game
with their helmets on
Assessment/
Criteria
Students will be
marked on
participation in class
discussion and in
think-pair-shares.
Adaptations for specific classroom
Teacher will arrange pairs for optimal
think-pair-share productivity.
Marking rubric for helmet will be
When helmets are
completed, students modified for students requiring
will be marked on the adaptations.
basis of 4 point
grading rubric
Topic
8 Religion
(Ashley)
Objectives (PLOs) Activities and Duration
Materials
Assessment/
Adaptations for specific classroom
Criteria
Students will use
Students can make a poster with less
information from class features (2) instead of brochure, but
and from the internet there must be a picture.
to make brochures
using Word.
A3: Compile a body of -Students will gain an
Laptops
information from a
understanding of religion Brochures
range of sources.
in Ancient Rome, and be Paper
B2: Analyze social roles able to give a detailed
Pen
within one or more
description and analysis of Pencil Crayons
ancient civilization.
one of the Gods.
A1: Apply critical
-Give students an
*see lesson plan
thinking skills
introduction lesson to
religion in Ancient Rome.
-Students will use this
information along with
sources from the internet
to make brochures.
9 Politics
Identity, Society, and Students will be able to
Venn Diagram
Students will create a Students can work in pairs if needed.
Culture: B2 analyze
compare and contrast the Handout
Venn Diagram
social roles within one political structures of
comparing and
Students can focus on 2-3 points for
or more ancient
Ancient Rome and Canada
contrasting the
each section.
civilizations
today.
political structures of
Students will learn about
Ancient Rome and
the political structure of
Canada
that time and how it relates
to current political
Students are expected
structures.
to have at least 5
The Forum will be
points under each
highlighted and discussed
heading.
10 Technolog Economy and
Students will learn about Computer
Students will draw 2 Students requiring adaptations will
y
Technology
technology used and
types of technology
choose one technology and write two
Projector
D2 assess ways
invented in Ancient Rome. Internet Connection used in Ancient Rome, sentences on it.
technological
Any similarities to modern http://www.bbc.co.uk and write at least 4
innovations enabled
technology will be
sentences describing
/schools/primaryhisto
ancient peoples to
highlighted.
the technology, and
adapt to and modify
Teacher will focus on the ry/romans/technology whether or not any
/
their environments,
aqueduct as a major
form of it is still used
http://www.crystalink today.
satisfy their needs,
Roman innovation.
s.com/romescience.ht
increase exploration
and trade, develop their Students will be able to
ml
cultures
draw and describe 2
technological advances of
Ancient Rome.
Topic
Objectives (PLOs) Activities and Duration
11 Famous A2 use various types of
landmarks graphs, tables,
timelines, and maps to
obtain or communicate
information
Review
Referring back to list of
landmarks from lesson 2,
any landmarks not
addressed by prior lessons
will be taught and
explained.
Students will now be able
to identify all famous
Roman landmarks
discussed during the unit.
Students will play game
show style quiz in teams
about Roman landmarks
and their significance.
Materials
Pictures of famous
landmarks
Map of Rome
Quiz questions
Assessment/
Adaptations for specific classroom
Criteria
Class and small group Teacher will construct specific
discussions about
questions for students requiring
landmarks
adaptations.
Participation in quiz
game, assessment
based on effort and
participation, not
correct answers.
Topic
Objectives (PLOs) Activities and Duration
Materials
Assessment/
Criteria
Adaptations for specific classroom
12 Project
A1 apply critical
Introducti thinking skills –
on
including comparing,
classifying, inferring,
imagining, verifying,
using analogies,
identifying
relationships,
summarizing, and
drawing conclusions –
to a range of problems
and issues
A2 use various types of
graphs, tables,
timelines, and maps to
obtain or communicate
information
A3 compile a body of
information from a
range of sources
A4 deliver a formal
presentation on a
selected issue or
inquiry using two or
more forms of
13 Group
Same as Above
- Project
18 Work time
Students will be taught
Resources
how to use Google Maps
Computers
Students will be given Final Internet
Project Assignment (see
Paper
below)
Art Materials
Teacher will demonstrate a
Final Project
N/A
Teacher will select the groups, to
benefit student’s strengths and
weaknesses.
EA will be available to assist.
Students will work in small Same as Above
groups on Google Maps
Final Project
19 Presentati Same as Above
ons
Students will present their Computer
Final Projects to class
Projectors
Students are expected Provide extra help as needed. Students
to work in their groups requiring support with technology will
and stay on topic.
be given extra time and support from
teacher.
Assessment rubic (see If students are too anxious to present
to class, they can present to teacher
below)
only during the break.
Google Lit Trip: Ancient Rome
Activity:
Students will work in small groups of 3-4. Teacher will assign the groups.
Students will create a Google Maps Project: Google Lit Trip.
• Each group will pick 5 famous Ancient landmarks from the class list and create a Google Lit Trip.
• At each stop on a famous landmark on the Google Map, students will have to present their own learning focusing on 1 of 7 characteristics
(i.e Geography/Landscape, Social Class, Daily Life, Entertainment, Religion, Politics & Technology)
•
• Each stop’s presentation will be 1-2 minutes
• Students can choose how they will present their information to the class ex. Skit, video, oral presentation, art project etc.
All group members are expected to speak at least once, and actively participate throughout the process
Assessment:
Students will be assessed using grading rubric: Not Yet Meeting, Meets Expectations, Fully Meeting & Exceeding Expectations.
Not Let Meeting:
- Purpose of project is unclear
- Few details, simple language
- Not working well as a group
- Not fully developed
- Does not contain 5 Ancient landmarks or discuss their characteristics
Meets Expectations:
- Straightforward
- Some descriptive language
- Contains 5 Ancient landmarks, variety of descriptiveness, and discusses 5 characteristics
- Effectiveness of Group work is varied
- Presents information in a meaningful way
Fully Meeting:
- Fully developed project
- Cooperative Group work
- Accurate details
- Contains 5 Ancient landmarks, descriptive, and discusses 5 characteristics
- Engages class in the presentation
Exceeding Expectations:
- Language is varied for effect
- Effective, cooperative Group work that communicates and listens well to each other
- Contains 5 Ancient landmarks, descriptive, discusses 5 characteristics, and contains images and notes that discusses further students understanding
- Engages class in presentation
- Presentation includes a variety of forms of illustrating the group’s knowledge and illustrates that the students full understand the unit
Google Lit Trip Examples:
Resource Critique:
Toutant, A & Doyle, S (2000). Ancient Worlds: Outlook 7. NewYork: Oxford University Press: This text is from 2000 and is only available in schools that
already have it. The material is somewhat dated. Secondly, it has a very narrow focus on Rome as it centers predominately on the social aspects of the
Roman Empire. However, the text is written at grade level and there are some short answer questions that will help develop a deeper understanding.
http://www.ancientweb.org/ This site has a lot of links to other civilizations not covered in regular textbooks. It is very text heavy, with not a lot pictures
so it may be targeted more to a high school audience. It would be great for students to use in their individual inquiry project but may be difficult to use
other parts of the curriculum.
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/16-educational/history/262-ancient-rome.html: This site has a list of facts and also has a lot of links to other
resources. It is a very good database for Ancient Rome, and a good starting point to find other resources.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/leisure/: It is very kid friendly with a lot of pictures. In addition, it has a lot of good video.
However, it is not academically informative as it does not have a lot of detail. For students looking for general information it is still the good resource.
http://www.ehow.com/how_10044303_make-roman-centurion-helmet.html This is the link used to make the helmets. It is great because it lays out the
instruction step by step, and it is very easy to follow.
http://rome.mrdonn.org/romangods/: This website is great because it gives a great description of all the gods. It also has a family tree of the gods,
which will be very beneficial for students when they are making their brochures. In addition, it is very easy to use.
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_rome/gods.htm: This website has an easy to read chart that will make it easy for students
to find information for their brochures. However, there isn’t information for all the gods. With this being said, it is still a good resource for students.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/religion/: This is an easy to use website for basic information about gods in Ancient Rome. It
also has pictures of gods. However, this is a basic website that would be good for a starting point but students would need to use other resources for their
brochure as well.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/technology/
This website is a great resource. It is student friendly, interactive with a lot of pictures. It has some information about technology but is not exhaustive. It
is a good starting off point.
http://www.crystalinks.com/romescience.html This website is text heavy, and may be above the reading level of some students. It can be utilized to
supplement the BBC website about technology to expand the definition of specific innovations.
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/order.html This site has good information about the social structure in ancient Rome. It is easy to read
with links and pictures. Also there is information about other aspects of Ancient Rome, as well as resources for teachers, videos, interactive games, etc.
http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/socialclass.html This is a webpage with a lot of text, probably above reading level for many students. Headings of
different social classes are in purple and should be easy for students to find the one they are looking for, however there is a lot of information about
senators and other social classes that will be irrelevant for the project.
Lesson 1
LESSON PLAN
Lesson Title:
Name:
Social Structure and Daily life in Ancient Rome
Ajay, Ashley C, Ashley T, Laura C,
Marie, Shelagh
Lessons #
Subject:
4&5
Ancient Rome
Date:
December 2013
Grade(s):
7
Rationale: Students will learn a lot about today’s social structure and current class systems by learning about and comparing to ancient civilizations. Learning about the social structure
in Ancient Rome will give students a deeper understanding about what life was like in those times, and how this is different or similar to their own lives.
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s): Social Studies B2: Analyze social roles within one or more ancient civilizations. Social Studies A4: Deliver a presentation on a selected issue or
inquiry using two or more forms of representation.
Drama A3: Demonstrate collaboration skills during drama, including respecting and encouraging others, contributing to a trusting environment, willingness to work with others in a
group.
Instructional Objective(s):
-Students will be able to identify the main social classes in Ancient Rome and order these in social hierarchy.
-Students will conduct research and be able to answer questions about their assigned social class group.
-Students will be able to clearly convey this information learned in a presentation to the rest of the class.
-Students will develop greater understanding of what social classes are, and be able to draw comparisons between the lives of Ancient Romans and their own lives.
Prerequisite Concepts and Skills:
-Basic understanding of what a social class is; knowledge that within society there are groups with more/less privilege than others
-Familiarity with where Rome is on a world map, and the fact that Rome was once a powerful and influential ancient civilization
Materials and Resources:
Teacher
Social class identity cards (taped under students desks
before lesson)
iPads/ Computers with internet access
Social class guiding questions and assignment rubric
Comparison and reflection worksheet
Projector/SMARTboard
Students
Ancient Worlds Textbook
Pens/pencils
Props/costumes (optional)
Lesson Activities:
Teacher Activities
Introduction (anticipatory set):
Teacher begins by asking students what they know about
social classes in both current or ancient civilizations.
Teacher then briefly frontloads the 5 social classes in
Student Activities
-Students find social class identity card under their
desk.
-Students find the other classmates who are in the same
social class as they are, without saying the name of said
Time
15
mins
Ancient Rome before commencing hook activity.
-Slaves: Performed manual labour to build great sites in
Rome. Often captured prisoners of war. Some people
even sold their children into slavery for money.
-Plebians: Free men, but average/poor citizens with bad
living conditions. No education, performed menial jobs.
-Equestrians: Business class. After being released from
army, some men held jobs like tax collectors. Many were
wealthy businessmen.
-Patricians: The very wealthy. From old families,
landowners. Did not work and held much power.
-Emperor (and family): Held the most power. Lived in
obscene luxury.
Teacher then instructs students to reach under desk
where they will find they have been assigned to a social
class. Students must find the others in the class who are
the same social class as them, and then arrange
themselves in order of the social hierarchy. Students
must do this without saying the name of the social class
on their cards.
(If students are incorrect this is ok, the activity is meant
only as an introduction and to gauge previous
knowledge).
Body:
-Students stay in their social class groups. Teacher
provides a little bit more background information on
each social class (correct any mistakes in the hierarchy,
clarify any confusion)
-Teacher hands out Guiding Questions sheet as well as
assignment criteria (see attached). Presentation
assignment criteria can also be posted on overhead.
-Teacher informs students that they will thoroughly
research their social class within their groups, using the
questions on the sheet as a guideline for what to find out.
Suggested websites and other sources are provided on
the sheet. Guiding questions sheet will be collected for
marks.
-Teacher then explains that following in-class time to
prepare, students will present a short skit to the rest of
their classmates that tells the viewers what a day in the
life of their social class would have been like. Students
may choose to make a video, or do a more formal
presentation outlining the facts (may use Powerpoint,
etc).
-Teacher explains that the information learned while
class.
-As a whole group, students then arrange themselves in
order of the social hierarchy
-Students research their social class identity using the
textbook or suggested websites (or other sources as
they wish. Teacher may need to help guide students to
better sources, and not just use Wikipedia)
-Students are encouraged to work collaboratively in
groups, but may work independently for this part if
they choose.
-Students answer guiding questions (to be collected
following presentation)
-After answering questions (next work period),
students work in their groups to plan/rehearse/film their
presentations.
2+
lessons
researching should be clearly conveyed to the audience.
Presentation will be on another day, so students are
encouraged to bring props/costumes if they wish.
-Students given in class time to work on the questions
(rest of class) and the presentation (next lesson, longer if
required). Students can complete the guiding questions
at home for homework following first lesson, but will be
given class time to work on group presentation.
Closure:
-Teacher organizes flow of student performances
(equipment to play videos may be required).
-Teacher hands out Audience Reflection sheets (see
attached). Teacher instructs students that they must think
of 3 things that are either the same, similar to, or
different from their own lives while watching each
presentation.
-Following last presentation, teacher collects Guiding
Question sheets and Audience reflections.
-Students perform their skits/presentations
-Students watch other groups’ performances and
complete Audience Reflection worksheet.
Organizational Strategies:
-The class is divided into 5 different social classes. Students work on their questions and presentation within these groups at any space in the classroom. Students may leave the
classroom to rehearse/film in other areas of the school or outside.
-Teacher circulates offering suggestions and help as needed to students
-Students may use iPads for research/filming, or use the computer lab for research
-Teacher will ask for student helpers to set up video equipment, distribute/collect iPads, etc.
Assessment and Evaluation:
-Students evaluated out of 25 on their presentations (see attached handout for grading rubric)
-Students Audience Reflection marked out of 4 (must have 3 comparisons for each of the 4 other social classes)
-Students guiding question sheet marked out of 8 (2 marks for question 7)
Extensions:
-Students should be working on their presentations right up until the time they perform them. If students have created a video and state they have finished filming, teacher should
encourage students to take their time and create the best video possible. Students can also use iMovie or other program to create interesting title effects, music, etc.
-Students who are finished with their presentation/video preparation can create a handout for classmates that highlights the important details of their social class.
Websites suggestions for students to use while researching:
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/order.html
http://www.ancientweb.org/
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/16-educational/history/262-ancient-rome.html
http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/socialclass.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/social_structure_01.shtml
Attachments:
Guiding Question Sheet
Audience Reflection
“Day in the life” assignment overview
Ancient Rome- Social Class “Day in the life” Assignment
You are to create a short presentation to be viewed by the rest of the class. Your group will assume the role of people from your social class, and create a
presentation for the rest of us to watch. This presentation will show the audience what a day in the life of a person in your social class would have been
like in Ancient Rome.
Use the information learned from the Guiding Questions sheet to form the basis of what you will include in the presentation.
You may choose to perform a drama skit, create a video using iMovie, or do a more formal presentation outlining the facts.
Please be as creative and entertaining as you want. Costumes and props are encouraged!
All members of your group must participate in the project. You will be graded individually, but your mark will be partly based on cooperation and
contribution of all members.
Grading Rubric:
/10 – Participation and cooperation with other group members
/10- Ideas and information about Ancient Rome and your social class clearly conveyed to the audience
/5- Entertainment factor (overall preparedness of group, as well as use of props, music, video effects, humour, etc.)
Audience Reflection
While you are watching the other presentations, think of at least 3 things that are either the same, similar to, or different from your own life.
Name of Social Class
Similarities/Differences
Do social classes exist in our current society in Canada?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is the same or different from our current class system to that of Ancient Rome?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
___________________
GUIDING QUESTIONS
Suggested resources/websites for research:
http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/socialclass.html
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/special/index.html
http://www.ancientweb.org/
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/16-educational/history/262-ancient-rome.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/social_structure_01.shtml
Social Class:
1) What level in the social structure hierarchy are you part of? (What citizens are above or below you?)
2) What kind of job would you have held? Would you have earned a lot of money?
3) Where would you have lived? What were these living conditions like?
4) Did people in your social class have families? What was the role of women in this social class?
5) Were you a free citizen? Did men in your social class have to serve in the military?
6) What kind of clothing did you wear? What kind of food did you eat?
7) What do you think the daily life of a person with your social class would have been like? (consider food, clothing, entertainment, family, employment,
etc.)
Lesson 2
LESSON PLAN
Lesson Title:
Name:
Gladiators
Ajay, Ashley C, Ashley T, Laura C,
Marie, Shelagh
Lesson #
Subject:
6 and 7
Date:
Rome
Grade(s):
7
Rationale: Having already explored some other ideas concerning Rome, the class will explore one of the main social activities that the Romans engaged in, watching Gladiators battle.
The Romans didn’t have a T.V. to entertain them, so one of the way which they found entertainment was by putting warriors against almost impossible odds.
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
A5: Visual Arts: Students will create 3D image that will incorporate style from a different historical context
B1: Visual Arts: Students will analyze and compare different image sources
B2: Social Studies: Students will analyze social roles within the Ancient Rome civilization
Instructional Objective(s):
- Students will know more about the social activities that the ancient Romans engaged in
- Students will know how to make a helmet out of paper mache and a balloon
- Students will be able to differentiate a Roman centurion helmet from other ancient helmets
Materials and Resources:
Teacher
Gladiator Movie Clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1UmHfWCw-4
Balloons
Newspaper
Flour
Salt
Water
Paint brushes
Bowls
Extra scissors
Paint (Gold and Silver)
Feathers
Poster board
Students
Scissors
Cardboard
Lesson Activities:
Teacher Activities
Student Activities
Time
Introduction (anticipatory set):
- Teacher will preface art project by showing slides of
typical activities that the Romans did (baths, board
games, hunting). Teacher will indicate to students that
- Students will watch the movie clip and think-pairshare about what they noticed from the movie clip.
What kind of characteristics did the helmets have?
15
mins
all their activities culminated in going to the colosseum
to watch the gladiators fight. Since the colosseum was
such a popular venue, an Emperor’s popularity was often
determined by the crowd there. Teacher will direct
student’s attention to the movie clip and will ask kids to
take notes on their helmets
Body:
- Teacher will explain the helmet project with students.
After a quick discussion on key features of a war helmet
in Ancient Rome and writing them down on the board,
students will begin the process of making a helmet.
Teacher will leave a picture of different war helmets on
the overhead to give the students ideas.
Closure:
- After having all the helmets finished, teacher will teach
the class an adaption of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” but
instead calling it, “Emperor, Gladiator, Tiger.” Teacher
will indicate that students must stand back to back and
on the count of tree, jump and turn around with one of
the three poses.
- Students will take contribute to class discussion.
- Students will be broken up into pairs and will be
- Students will take a strip of cardboard and tie it
around their head. The strip of paper will be secured
with masking tape. Students will then blow up balloon
until it has the diameter of the strip of paper. The kids
will then paper mache half of this to make a helmet the
size of their head.
- Students will also paper mache other characteristics
of the helmet on at this point
- Next class students will pop the balloon and begin
painting the helmet
- Students will go around the room with their helmets
on, students who lose will stand on the outskirts of the
room facing towards the middle of the classroom.
When the last two face each other, the viewers will
cheer and act as the crowd in the colosseum. Repeat
the game as necessary.
Organizational Strategies:
- Students will work in pairs and help each other with applying the paper mache to each other’s helmets
- Teacher will circulate the room to ask students if they require help completing their helmet
Assessment and Evaluation:
- How accurate and creative the representation of the helmet is. Helmets will be marked on a rubric scale out of 4
- Participation in class discussions
- Participation in “Emperor, Gladiator, Tiger”
Extensions:
- Do other homework that is due or silently read
50
mins
15
mins
Gladiators Assessment
For this assignment, each student will make gladiator helmets out of paper maché. However to make the process of creating a helmet easier for each student, in the initial stage of
applying paper maché, students will work in pairs to help each other out. The teacher will select the groups for students.
After receiving a short lecture about the different social activities of ancient Romans, students will spend about 15 minutes researching different styles of helmets. Students can select
from an array of gladiator style helmets to Roman soldier helmets. The helmets are expected to be reminiscent of actual gladiator helmets. They are expected to be properly
accessorized if necessary and have the likeness of a real helmet. For students that feel that can’t finish the project by themselves, they can pair with another student to complete the
project.
Objective: NYM 0-1 Approaching 2 Meeting-3 Exceeding- 4
Participation during Think-Pair-Share 0 1 2 3 4
Draft drawing/Planning of helmet 0 1 2 3 4
Painting of the helmet 0 1 2 3 4
Aesthetic of the helmet 0 1 2 3 4
-­‐ does it look real
-­‐ is it true to historic representations?
Creativity in helmet execution 0 1 2 3 4
Total: 20
Lesson 3
LESSON PLAN
Lesson Title:
Name:
The Gods of Ancient Rome
Ajay, Ashley C, Ashley T, Laura C,
Marie, Shelagh
Lesson #
Subject:
8
Social Studies
Date:
December 2013
Grade(s):
7
Rationale: To introduce students to religion in Ancient Rome, to build upon their greater understanding of Ancient Rome.
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
A3: Compile a body of information from a range of sources
B2: Analyze social roles within one or more ancient civilizations
A1: Apply critical thinking skills
Instructional Objective(s):
- Students will be able to conduct their own research to learn about religion in Ancient Rome
- Since students are guiding their own research, they will develop a deeper understanding as they have to find the information themselves to complete their brochure
Prerequisite Concepts and Skills:
- Students will need to be introduced to how to research information on the internet, and will know how to use Word to make a brochure
Materials and Resources:
Teacher
Laptops
Pre-made brochures
Blank Brochures for rough drafts
Students
Laptops
Paper
Pen
Pencil Crayons
Lesson Activities:
Teacher Activities
Introduction (anticipatory set):
Give a brief introduction to the importance of religion in
Ancient Rome. Explain that Romans worshipped many
gods. Tell students that they have heard from some gods
before like Hercules, Cupid and Apollo. Ask students
what they know about these gods, and if they know any
more gods. Also ask them why gods may have been
important to them.
Student Activities
During the introduction, students will answer class
discussion questions about religion and gods in Ancient
Rome.
Time
10
minutes
Body: Explain to students that they will be making a
brochure about one god. In the brochure they must have
a picture of a god and explain about several different
features. Features expected to be on the brochure are:
Family members/ friends, favourite things, what are they
god of, favourite things, origin and symbol. Explain that
they need to look on the internet for articles. Also, they
will be using some creativity when answering some of
the features. Once, they have all their information
students will make a brochure based on a brochure
template on Word. Students will be able to look at the
teacher’s brochure for help on what to do. In addition,
students can either draw or find a picture from the
Internet.
During the explanation of the brochure, students will
be asked to direct their attention to the teacher. Once,
instruction is over students can grab a laptop. Students
will have 30 minutes to start their research. After 30
minutes, students will have 10 minutes to write down
their notes. Next class, laptops will also be available
for students to continue their research and to start
assembling their brochures.
50
minutes
Gods: Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Venus, Neptune, Pegasus,
Pandora, Hercules, Cerberus, Mercury, Apollo, and
Cupid.
Closure: Ask students if they have any questions.
Students will have one week to complete their brochure
as they will have class time to work on their brochures.
During the closure, students can ask any more
questions they have about the assignment. Also,
students can share any interesting information they
learned during their first bit of research.
5
minutes
Organizational Strategies:
- Students will get a laptop to begin their research on gods
- This assignment is to be completed alone but if students want to share information they are learning that is allowed, especially if they are researching the same god
Adaptations:
- Students can make a poster with a picture and 2 of the features, instead of all the required for the brochure
Assessment and Evaluation:
- Students will be assessed on their brochure out of 30
- Students will be marked on their thoroughness of research, if they have addressed each feature, neatness and overall presentations of brochure
Extensions:
- Students that wanted to present more of their learning could put their information on a poster board
- Students could put more features on their poster and present their ideas to the class
Assessment for Brochure:
Name: __________________________________Date:______________________________
Brochure
For this assignment you will be making a brochure about one of the gods of Ancient Rome. In your brochure you must have a picture of a god and have a brief description of several
different features relating to your chosen god. Features expected to be on the brochure are: Family members/ friends, favourite things, what are they god of, origin and symbol. For this
assignment please look at the internet, and some of the listed websites for information. I encourage you to use creativity when answering some of the features. Once, you have all your
information students will make a brochure based on a brochure template on Word. You will be able to look at the sample brochure for help on what to do. In addition, you can either
draw or find a picture from the Internet.
Choices of gods: Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Venus, Neptune, Pegasus, Pandora, Hercules, Cerberus, Mercury, Apollo, and Cupid
Below is the marking assessment, make sure you look at it when you are completing your project.
Objective: NYM 0-1 Approaching 2 Meeting-3 Exceeding- 4
Is your brochure neat? 0 1 2 3 4
Does your brochure have a picture of a god? 0 1 2 3 4
Is there an explanation of family members/ friends? 0 1 2 3 4
Is there an explanation of the god’s favourite things? 0 1 2 3 4
Is there an explanation of what the god rules over? 0 1 2 3 4
Is there an explanation of the god’s origin and symbol? 0 1 2 3 4
Spelling and grammar 0 1 2 3 4
Name and title 0 1 2
Total: 30
Websites:
http://rome.mrdonn.org/romangods/
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_rome/gods.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/religion/