Students explore the fundamentals of the Roman Republic: its government, military might, and slave system. They conclude by preparing a report comparing and contrasting the republican systems in ancient Rome and in the United States.
Students explore the fundamentals of the Roman Republic: its government, military might, and slave system. They conclude by preparing a report comparing and contrasting the republican systems in ancient Rome and in the United States.
Students are introduced to the historical connection between ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and the Roman Republic, and are reminded that the United States is also a republic. They complete a two-column table by listing what they already know about a republic and what they would like to know, using words or short phrases.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, highlighting that students will explore Roman government, slavery, and military power and later compare Rome’s republic to that of the United States. Discuss student responses in the table, drawing out associations with democracy and government and questions about the history of republics or links between Rome and the U.S., and use this conversation to frame the rest of the experience.
Students examine an image of the ancient Roman Senate building and read The Roman Republic (through the end of the “Twelve Tables” section) to learn how the Roman Republic functioned. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer by taking notes on the definition of a republic, the role and makeup of the aristocracy and plebeians, the organization of the government, and the Twelve Tables.
Teacher MovesSupport access to the reading by reading aloud, clarifying vocabulary and ideas, or having students work in pairs as needed. Ensure students understand the main ideas related to each part of the graphic organizer by inviting them to share notes or summarize specific topics. Let interested students know that the optional boxed sections “Citizen” and “The Roman Senate” provide additional detail they may read independently.
Students view an image of a Roman soldier with slaves and read Ancient Rome: Roman Slaves to learn who Roman slaves were, the work they did, and how they lived. They post to a discussion wall explaining how the economy of the Roman Republic depended on slavery, supporting their ideas with evidence from the reading, and then respond to at least two classmates with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesCheck that student posts accurately reflect information from the article, directing struggling students to key sections such as “Did they have a lot of slaves?”, “What work did slaves do?”, and “Were they treated well?” Use selected student responses to launch a class discussion with questions about why slaves were considered valuable, what a society would be like if 30% of its people were enslaved, and how Rome might have been different without slavery.
Students examine an image of Hannibal crossing the Alps and read selected sections from two resources: the “Caesar’s Civil War” section of Ancient Rome: Wars and Battles and the “Military Expansion” section of Ancient Rome Military Expansion. Using these readings, they post to a discussion wall identifying aspects of Rome’s military strength that helped the Republic and aspects that hurt it, giving at least one example for each and explaining their reasoning.
Teacher MovesReview student posts and share an interesting or exemplary answer with the class to prompt discussion about how Rome’s military successes both supported and destabilized the Republic. Prepare students for the next scene by organizing them into their small groups.
Working in small groups, students conduct a brief research project comparing and contrasting the republican governments of ancient Rome and the United States. Using online sources, they create a report that addresses branches of government, chief executives, elections, the roles of citizens and slaves, and how the Roman system influenced the American system. Groups post their report to a shared discussion wall or post a link to a digital product (such as a Prezi, timeline, presentation, or Glogster). They then review other groups’ presentations and discuss them within their own small group.
Teacher MovesMonitor group research and product creation, ensuring that students address all required comparison topics and use appropriate online tools. After groups have shared their reports, lead a whole-class discussion on the key similarities and differences between the Roman and U.S. republics, drawing on examples from student presentations.
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.
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