Exploring Ancient Civilizations
Skeerat Sahota, Melissa Leifer, Kiera Boedeker, Micha Li – FLAGS/Intermediate Cohort GR 7
Grade Level:
Theme for the Year:
Grade 7
How have ancient civilizations and peoples impacted & shaped western society today?
How have their influences transformed our modern days?
Corresponding Textbook(s):
Outlooks 7
Unit Title & Sequence:
Ancient Rome
Corresponding Chapter(s):
Ch 9
Unit Critical Question(s)/ Challenges:
1. Why do we still study the Roman Empire?
2. What influences of the Roman Empire can we see in our government?
3. How did Roman life differ from now? How was it similar to now?
4. Why were the Romans so successful in building their empire? And from this, how
were they so successful in sustaining it for so long?
Unit Rationale:
Unit Objectives—
Students Will be Able To:
(i.e.: Content Knowledge;
Critical Thinking;
Information Gathering &
Reporting, Personal
& Social Values;
Individual &
Collective Action
It is important that students learn about several integral aspects of Roman society. By this they can develop an understanding of
the civilization's inner working such as their identity, society, culture, governance, economy, technology, and human and physical
environment. This will provide a means to produce an understanding of how our modern western society was created and
functions. The students will compare and contrast ancient Rome to the modern west, identify links between governance and law
through group work, understand civilian life through role-play, and finally understand the physical location and geography that
shaped the development of Rome. In carrying out these tasks, students will better understand how the past has effected and
shape our modern Western civilization; and by this how it could possibly effect and shape our future.
Our objectives for the unit are to engage and inspire the students ability to “compare and contrast [paired with] critical thinking
and identif[y] relationships” (A1) between the Roman empire and our modern state. This unit will also include “using graphs,
tables, timelines to obtain or communicate information” (A2). By this, students will demonstrate critical thinking processes that
effectively communicate information in a variety of ways. The students will also use “a body of information from a range of
resources” (A3) to formulate a broad understanding of concepts, and with this, they will “defend their own position on a point of
view” (A5). “Analyze social roles within one or more ancient civilizations” will be touched on when students are learning and
studying the various aspects of Roman life (B2). Most importantly, we will “identify influences and contributions of ancient
societies to present-day cultures” and “compare ancient and modern communications media” because part of our unit goal is to
encourage our students to compare and contrast the ancient Rome to the world they are currently living (B3, D3). Students will
“describe the evolution and purpose of rules, laws and government in ancient civilizations” (C1) by comparing the systems to
modern government, and understanding their function at that time. Student can role-play to enhance understanding, and also to
“assess how ancient systems of laws and government have contributed to current Canadian political and legal systems” (C2).
Following these skills, students will “describe various ways ancient peoples exchange goods and services” (D1) by doing a role-play
of a barter-based trade system. Finally, students will use their geographical skills to “assess how physical environments effected
ancient civilization” (E1), and to “identify the impact of human activity on physical environments in ancient civilizations” (E2).
Unit Assessment: How
will you assess
student learning?
AS: - K/W/L Students asses what they already know
- Group evaluations
FOR: - Gauge level of student understanding and participation with questions throughout lessons
- Student Journals
- Debate and debate research
- Pros and Cons lists
- Jeopardy review game
OF: -Timeline
-Unit test to evaluate what the student has learned in the unit.
- Student Journals
-“If you were the Ruler” paper
- Classroom Laws activity
- Presentation
Le
ss
o
n
1
UNIT LESSONS GRID:
Critical
Lesson- Specific
Question/
Objectives
Challenge
Who were the
Romans?
Critical Thinking:
Inferring
Teacher
Activities
Student
Activities
-HOOK: Read the story of
Romulus and Remus.
-Students listen to the story.
-Do a K/W/L. Have a big piece of
paper split into 3 sections on
the board.
-Students fill out (at least 2)
Post-Its with what they know
and wonder. Place them on
the paper at the front of the
class.
-Read out some K/W that show
up multiple times.
-Students listen.
-Show a map of Rome now. Ask
students to predict if Rome was
different before?
-Students predict differences.
Show map of Rome now.
Transition for next class:
Teacher explains the Romans
Were their predictions
correct?
Resources
Assessment
Strategies
http://www.m
ythencycloped
ia.com/PrSa/RomulusandRemus.html
Observe
student
participation:
do they fill out
required
number of
post-its
Google Earth
Do they take
part in
predictions.
2
3
Early
Beginnings of
Rome
Kingdom to an
Empire
The Empire
and
how it was
built
Look at causes of the
expansion of Rome
into an empire.
Create timelines of
events that led to
the rise of the
Roman Empire.
expanded their kingdom to an
empire
-Brief lecture on what an
empire is. Explain Rome started
as a kingdom. Explain difference
between a kingdom and an
empire.
Students listen.
-Students listen and ask
questions.
(A1) Critical Thinking: classify,
draw conclusions
(A2)-Use timelines to
communicate info
-Hand out laptops.
-Students research for
timeline.
(A3)-Compile info
from a range of
sources
-Assign remaining timeline as
homework due in 2 classes.
Technology
strategies used by
Romans to build and
control the empire
Example: Red Crests
and Celts to analyze
strategies and
technologies of two
armies.
(A1): Critical
thinking, compare,
identify
-Show picture and allow the
students to see the images and
create their own feelings.
Activity:
-Put the students into four
groups. The Roman Spears/the
Celtic Chariots/the Roman
Cavalry and the Formation of
the Roman foot soldiers. Each
group will do research and then
Observe
student
participation.
30 Laptops
-Introduce timeline activity.
Give assignment details. Show
example of timeline for a
different ancient civilization (ie
Ancient Egypt).
Transition for next class:
-“Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Think about for next class what
sorts of things contribute to the
conversion of a kingdom to an
empire.
-Read a story about the battle
aloud to the students
Outlooks 7
Textbook
http://www.ro
me.mrdonn.or
g/
Are students on
task? Using the
laptop for
research only?
Mark timeline
according to
criteria set out.
Students listen to the story.
Students listen.
Students research.
Students share information
then debate on what they
think is the best way.
Outlook 7
Textbook
Observe
students
participation/
discussion
Group work,
research and
the debate
between the 2
groups
relationships.
(A5): Defend a
position on a
contemporary or
historical issue,
demonstrate skill of
debate. Identify,
discuss, inquire,
conduct research.
4
Empire and its
keeping
The challenges of the
Romans as they tried
to maintain order
and control of
conquered land.
(D1) Describe various
ways ancient
peoples exchanged
goods and services.
(D2) asses ways
technologies,
innovations enable
ancient people to:
adapt to and modify
their relationships
satisfy their needs
develope their
culture.
(D3) Compare
ancient and modern
communication
media
(E1) Asses how
physical
environments
share it will the class. Each
group with then debate on what
they think is best.
The teacher will conclude with
questions about what they have
learnt.
Students answer questions
orallu
Example: What was the
technology used by the Romans.
Transition for next class:
-They built this great empire,
but how do you think they kept
power over all of it considering
it was so vast?
Collect timelines
Hand in timelines
-Ask the students how the rulers Students listen to the
would be able to maintain
information given.
peace, order and control of an
Empire.
-Teacher pairs up student to do
research activity.
-Teacher facilitates class
discussion about the Pros and
Cons about how Rome
defended its empire. Teacher
writes it in T-Chart form on the
board.
-Teacher assigns paper on ruling
their own Empire. Explains
contents of paper (ie laws,
rights and responsibilities)
Transition for next class:
-What were the effects of being
Outlooks 7
Textbook
The teacher will
assess their
work on being
an empire.
The students will get into pairs
and read a few pages in the
text book and create notes on
how the Roman Empire
maintained control.
Teacher review
of the students
when creating
the pros and
cons of running
an empire in a
certain way
As a class the students will
discuss the pros and cons as
the teacher writes it up on the
board.
Teacher
observations of
the students
discussion
The students will be asked to
be a ruler of their own Empire
and will outline their plan.
They will write on how they
would deal with broken laws,
tax collection and rights and
responsibilities.
affected ancient
civilizations.
5
How was life
in Rome?
-Participate in
brainstorming what
they already know
and what they wish
to know about life in
ancient Rome. (A1)
-Take part in a
discussion about
how the Romans
contributed to urban
environment (i.e.
mass housing,
Roman forum, public
monuments, and
public buildings).
(A1).
-Introduce Roman
social classes and
create a triangular
pyramid illustrating
each social group
and its
characteristics. (B2)
citizens of such a powerful and
large empire?
-Teacher organizes Popcorn
Activity and ask students
questions:

What do you already know
about life in ancient
Rome? What would you
love to learn?

What would make Rome a
desirable place to live?
What wouldn’t?

Do you think your social
class will determine the
kind of lifestyle you will
lead in Rome?
-Teacher facilitates discussion
about diagram on p. 188-189 of
Ancient Worlds.
-Introduce the social structure
and get students to draw a
social pyramid.
-Divide class into 4 groups and
assign each group to a social
class: patricians, plebeians,
slaves and woman. Get
students to do extensive
research on assigned social
Participate actively in popcorn
activity.
Ancient
Worlds:
Outlooks 7 by
Arnold &
Doyle, Susan
Ancient
Worlds:
Outlooks 7 by
Arnold &
Doyle, Susan
Teacher’s
Manual
30 ipads
Think critically about systems
of a city. ie Where is the
Colosseum, why is it there,
why is it important? Students
note different types of
buildings
Students guess which of the
following goes at the very tip
of the pyramid and which goes
at the very bottom: Gods,
patrician, plebsians, noncitizens, slaves, and women.
Use ipads to research on
characteristics of assigned
member of the society.
Listening to
responses
when students
share their
ideas in class
class. (Hint: might have to
present next class).
9
How was life
in Rome Part
Deux!
-Conduct group
research to learn
about a specific
social class in depth
and sharing
information to the
class (A3, A4).
Prepare class for role play
presentations.
Using research and notes
taken in class to collaborate in
a 5 min role play. Working in
a group, assign each role to
each student and make sure
each one understands what
they are doing.
-Comparing and
contrasting life in
ancient Rome to
modern day Canada.
This may include
government
structure, living
standards, and
religious ideas. (A1,
B3, D3)
Get students to create a t-chart.
On the left, write Ancient Rome
and on the right, Modern
Canada. Get students to
brainstorm main differences
between the two categories.
Could include differences in
schools, home, government,
religion and modes of
communication.
Brainstorm together as a class
of the main differences
between life in Ancient Rome
and Modern Canada.
t-chart
overhead.
Looking at their
research skills
by what they
present in class
for their short
presentation
-Ancient
Worlds:
Outlooks 7 by
Arnold and
Doyle, Susan.
-Assess journal
entries.
Transition to next Lesson:
Will look at government
structures in Ancient Rome.
What are the levels of
government and their legal
system? Comparing and
contrasting the Roman’s system
of democracy to the Canadians’.
6
The Roman
Republic
To let students
compare the Roman
government with the
current system of
government and to
make connections
between the two
(A1). Also for
students to
understand what a
-Teacher asks students, ‘what is
a democracy?’
-Students respond to
questioning.
-Teacher discusses how Rome
was one of the first
democracy’s.
-Students listen respectively.
-Teacher leads a powerpoint
presentation on the Roman
republic outlining how leaders
-Students watch the
powerpoint and ask questions
as they arise.
-Ancient
Worlds:
Outlooks 7
Teacher
7
8
Roman Laws
Unit Review:
Students
republic is and how
the Roman republic
elected its
leaders(C2).
-(A1) identi[y
relationships
between the Roman
empire and our
modern state.
-(C1) Students will
“describe the
evolution and
purpose of rules,
laws and
government in
ancient civilizations.
were elected.
To teach students
some of the laws
used in Ancient
Rome and how they
were created. Also to
get students to
compare modern
western laws to
Roman laws and
make connections
between the two,
(A1) identi[y
relationships
between the Roman
empire and our
modern state. (C1)
Students will
“describe the
evolution and
purpose of rules,
laws and
government in
ancient civilizations.
-Teacher shows overhead with
various Roman laws and how
they were created.
-Teacher introduces journal
activity.
-Students journal on the
similarities and difference
between the current system
of government and the Roman
Republic system.
Resource by
Arnold and
Doyle, Susan.
-Teacher made
powerpoint
presentation
Transition for next lesson:
-How does democracy affect
laws? Can you think of any
current examples for next class?
-Teacher introduces an activity
where students write their own
laws for the classroom.
-Teacher faciliates a class
discussion on how Roman laws
compare to current western
laws.
-Teacher introduces journal
activity.
Transition for next Lesson:
Teacher tells students that the
next class will be the review for
the unit.
-Students listen respectively
and ask questions as they
arise.
-Students get into groups of
four and write laws for the
classroom.
-Students discuss how Roman
Laws compare to current
western laws.
-Ancient
Worlds:
Outlooks 7 by
Arnold and
Doyle, Susan.
-Ancient
Worlds:
Outlooks 7
Teacher
Resource by
Arnold and
Doyle, Susan.
-Assess journal
entries.
-Assess
Classroom Laws
activity.
Laptop with
Jeopardy
Looking around
and making
-Students journal on how
Roman laws differ from
current laws and explain
which system they think is
better and why.
-Teacher will split class into 3
Get into assigned groups.
groups and get the first group to
participate in
Jeopardy
game and
using critical
thinking and
team work
effort to tackle
each problem.
choose from the following
category: Significant events,
Empire and how it was built,
Empire and Challenges, Life in
Rome and Government.
-Students are allowed 1 minute
to discuss possible answer with
team mates.
-As game goes along, teacher
notes questions that students
are having difficulty with.
-After the game, teacher
reviews questions students
have difficulty with.
9
Unit Test
To evaluate student
learning throughout
the unit.
Teacher will hand out and
invigilate test.
template and
game on it
-Projector
Looking back at notes and
discuss possible answers with
group.
Noting how
long students
take to answer
the question. If
they take
longer to
answer, it
shows that
they are still
unsure of the
topic. And if
they are quick
at their
answers, it
demonstrates
that they have
a good grasp on
the topic.
Takes notes on questions or
topics they are unclear of.
Students will write test
sure each
student is
participating in
the jeopardy
game.
Enough copies
of the test for
each student.
Unit test.