Students investigate the daily lives of ancient Romans in a variety of fields and contexts, including family life and the social class system. Then, they turn to the economy of ancient Rome, encountering its diversity of economic roles and the wide diffusion of Roman culture. Finally, they write a fictional dialogue imagining themselves as Roman youngsters talking to their older siblings.
Students are introduced to the focus of the experience—daily life and the economy in ancient Rome—through a brief narrative that compares a modern teenager’s day to that of a Roman teenager. They view an image of an ancient Roman apartment building and then post one or more predictions on a class wall about what they think life was like in ancient Rome. They are reminded to revisit these predictions as they move through the experience.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives. Encourage students to share thoughtful predictions about life in ancient Rome and, as the experience progresses, invite them to confirm or update their ideas. Refer back to student predictions at relevant points as discussion prompts.
Students examine an image of a Roman family feast, then read Ancient Rome: Food, Jobs, and Daily Life, focusing on the “Daily Life” section and its linked pages. Using a graphic organizer, they take notes on categories such as life in the city and country, food and cooking, clothing, family life, slaves and peasants, and plebeians and patricians to build a picture of everyday life in the Roman Republic.
Teacher MovesEnsure that students access and read all linked “Daily Life” pages and that their notes accurately reflect information from the site. Lead a discussion in which students share observations and conclusions about life in the Roman Republic, comparing how it was similar to and different from life today.
Students view an image of ancient Roman coins and read explanatory text about Rome’s expanding territory, trade networks, and the concept of cultural diffusion. They then read Roman Economy and Ancient Roman Economy to learn how Romans earned their livings, traded, and organized economic life. Using a graphic organizer, they take notes on jobs, trade, business and industry, and the government’s economic role. After viewing an image of making olive oil in ancient times, they respond to a prompt comparing the ancient Roman economy to the modern U.S. economy by posting evidence-based explanations of similarities on a class wall.
Teacher MovesGuide students to focus their reading on how Roman economic activities and trade supported cultural diffusion. Check that notes in the organizer capture key ideas about jobs, trade, industry, and government involvement. Highlight and share strong student comparisons between the Roman and U.S. economies, and, if time allows, enrich discussion with the provided anthropologist excerpt about Rome’s “gig economy” to deepen the compare-and-contrast conversation.
Students view an image of ancient Roman musicians and then watch a segment (0:29–5:49) of the video A Glimpse of Teenage Life in Ancient Rome to visualize the life of a Roman teenager named Lucius. Imagining themselves as Lucius’s younger sibling, they write a fictional dialogue in which they ask him at least two questions about his life and he responds honestly, showing what they have learned about Roman daily life. Students then read classmates’ dialogues and respond to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher MovesUse student dialogues to highlight accurate understandings of Roman daily life and social roles, and encourage constructive peer feedback that deepens perspective-taking and historical empathy.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.