Topic: Rome – from settlement to empire

Lesson plan elaborated by: Katarzyna Kuczyńska

Target group

5th grade students of an elementary school

Core curriculum

I. Ancient civilizations. Student:

4) places in time and knows the various systems of governance and organization of society in Rome;

5) characterizes the most important achievements of material and spiritual culture of the ancient world in various fields: philosophy, science, law, architecture, art, literature.

The general aim of education

Students get to know the achievements of the ancient Rome.

Key competences

• communicating in the mother tongue;

• communicating in foreign languages;

• learning to learn;

• social and civic competences.

Lesson objectives

Student:

• talks about the legendary beginnings of Rome;

• gives what the founding legend is, he can recognize the example of the founding legend;

• tells us that the Roman army was one of the best organized and effective in the history of Europe;

• indicates examples of the organization of the Roman army;

• it distinguishes the stages in the history of Rome: the kingdom, the republic and the empire.

Methods/techniques

• programmed methods: using e‑textbook;

• problematic methods: activating methods: discussion accompanying the performance of specific tasks and exercises;

• practical method: exercises concerned;

• exposing methods: comments and explanations from the teacher.

Forms of work

• collective activity;

• activity in groups;

• individual activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook, notebook and crayons/ felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers;

• rope.

Before classes

The teacher may instruct the selected (e.g. talented) students to read several legends about Polish cities

The teacher may refresh or deepen his/her knowledge of the founding legends through reading: G. Kowal, Anatomia kulturowa legendy. Niżyński – Gründgens – Dönhoff – Piłsudski, Universitas 2014.

Lesson plan overview

Introduction

1. The teacher defines the subject and purpose of the class: students learn about the achievements of ancient Rome. He/she gives the students the success criteria.

2. The teacher tells the students the legend of the founders of Rome.

Realization

1. The teacher explains what “founding legends” are and asks students to recall examples of such legends, e.g. about Polish cities.

2. Students recall the legends (e.g. the legend of Gedymin – Białystok, of Krak – Kraków, of Wars and Sawa – Warszawa, etc.) and find the characteristic features of the founding legend in the legends cited (for example: the legend describes the beginning of a community, emphasizing its uniqueness, peculiarity, non‑contingency; it gives meaning to what happens later, is quoted and reconstructed in important moments, indicates values important for a given community, etc.).

3. The students are divided into three groups, each of which fulfills a certain instruction. Group A – Task 1; group B – Task 2. Each group prepares a two‑sentence description of the selected period, then the representatives of the groups place themselves on the timeline (the teacher can set it with a rope or draw it on the board) according to the order of the represented periods in the history of Rome and present the prepared descriptions. The teacher makes sure that the task has been correctly completed.

4. Students perform Exercise 1 and fulfill Task 3. The teacher makes sure that the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback.

5. Students fulfill Instruction 4 and then the teacher presents the elements of the Roman army on the board, and together with the students specifies their functions. Students set themselves up in a linear fashion – individual groups represent certain parts of the Roman army and, using pantomime, reflect the specifics of the imitated people and animals.

Summary

1. Students perform Exercise 2. The teacher makes sure that the task has been correctly completed.

2. As a summary students prepare notes individually in their notebooks using the method of mind map or sketchnoting.

Summary of the most important contents of the lesson

1. Discussion of the legendary beginnings of Rome.

2. Explanation of what founding legends are, discussion of selected examples.

3. Discussion of achievements and examples of organization of the Roman army.

4. Learning the three stages in the history of Rome.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Rome – from settlement to empire

The city of Rome lies on the banks of the Tiber River on the Apennine (Italian) Peninsula. Legend has it that the city was founded in 753 BC by Romulus, son of Mars, the war god, and a mortal woman. At a later time, the Romans expelled their kings and established a republic. Highest political authority was vested in two consuls elected for a period of one year. In the 1st century BC, the Roman Republic collapsed due to civil war. Gaius Julius Caesar, a great leader, rose to ultimate power. After Julius Caesar was murdered, leadership was passed on to his stepson, Augustus. Augustus became the first Roman emperors. Emperors ruled Rome for 500 years. For centuries, Roman conquests extended their rule over not only Italy, but also the Mediterranean coast. This great state was called the Roman Empire. Romans managed to conquer and secure vast swathes of land thanks to a perfectly organised army called the legions. Romans covered their whole empire with a network of paved roads. Roads were intended for troops, but they were also open to civilians.