Topic: Rome - from the foundation of the city to the establishment of the republic.

Target group

5th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

I. Ancient civilizations. Pupil:

2) locates in time and space (...) the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome;

3) characterizes the structure of society and the belief system in (...) Rome, explains the difference between polytheism and monotheism;

4) situates in time and knows various systems of governance and organization of society in (...) Rome;

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

General aim of education

The student will learn about the beginnings of the rise of ancient Rome.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• how, according to tradition, Rome came into being;

• to recognize the legends and symbols are associated with this city;

• to define what the Roman Republic;

• to recognize the offices that functioned in the Roman Republic.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

1. Students recall what the great Greek colonization was and read the excerpt „Latynowie i ich sąsiedzi” from the e‑textbook.

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher, referring to the homework task, asks that the students point out the Apennine Peninsula on the map and list the peoples who inhabited it. Students perform Exercise 1.

Realization

1. Next, the teacher introduces students to the history of ancient Italy and the tribes that inhabited them and the participation of Greek colonization in the establishment of urban centers on the Apennine Peninsula.

2. The teacher asks students to think about what they associate with Rome. Do they know any of its symbols? The students are likely to list the Colosseum, Julius Caesar, the republic, conquests, etc. The teacher should explain that these are much later times (1st century BC--1st century AD), and the ones they are about to discuss today concern the 8th--5th century BC.

3. Going to the legend of founding of Rome, the teacher emphasizes that, as in the case of other ancient cities and civilizations (eg Sparta, Israel), this is also an unconfirmed scientific tradition, stories and mythologies, and half‑real characters. Students perform Exercise 2 and Exercise 3. The teacher makes sure that the tasks have been correctly completed and gives feedback.

4. Then the teacher explains to the students what the republic is and how it was created. He should explain the meaning of * republic * and * civitas *. He also gives students the dates of functioning of the Roman republic: 509--27 BC. Noting that the date taken for its beginning (the overthrow of a monarchy) is a contractual date.

5. By explaining to the students the ideas of the republican system, the teacher asks pupils to find and write down the institutions of the Roman republic and the areas they managed. Then he asks students if everyone could become an official. Students perform Exercise 4.

Summary

1. By repeating the knowledge from the lesson, the teacher asks students to recall who ruled in ancient Rome. Students should list kings and senior republican offices (dictator, consul, praetor, censor).

2. Then, starting the debate, he asks the students whether the Roman republic can be called an athenian democracy.

Homework

1. The teacher tasks willing students with homework: One of the most important offices in ancient Rome was the Senate. What was its unique role and the authority that it was endowed with?.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Rome - from the foundation of the city to the establishment of the republic.

The history of ancient Rome is inextricably linked with the legend of two brothers miraculously saved by a she‑wolf - Remus and Romulus. Initially, Rome was one of the many centers of the Italic tribe - Latins - that settled in this area after arriving on the Apennine Peninsula. The reign of Romulus - „the first Roman” - opens a royal era in the history of Rome. Supposedly, he founded and populated the city, became its first leader and laid the foundations for the future greatness of the Roman Republic, creating the state's most important institution, the council of elders called the Senate. Already ancient historians tried to pinpoint the date of founding the city, usually assuming the year 753 BC. These assumptions were confirmed by archaeological excavations, thanks to which the remains of defensive walls from the 8th century BC were discovered. Initially, Rome was a small settlement, which thanks to its strategic location, copious natural resources (salt, grain, metal ores) and numerous conquests quickly became the most powerful political center on the Apennine Peninsula.

The reign of the Etruscan rulers in Rome, and thus the royal era, ended in the 6th century BC. After the expulsion of the last king, the Romans did not elect a new ruler, but as in ancient Greece they decided to rule together, creating a republic (res publica - a thing that is public, belongs to the public). The powers that earlier had been concentrated in the hand of the rulers were divided among numerous officials. The most important were the two consuls, elected annually, responsible for the conduct of politics and command of the army. They consulted with the Senate, in which eminent citizens sat. The Senate supervised and advised the people of Rome and the state officials. When Rome was in danger, the consuls were replaced by a dictator, who was appointed for 6 months. He had full power and his decisions could not be appealed. Adult men, because only such men had the right to vote, took part in assemblies, called comitia. The first one, the Centuriate Assembly, elected consuls and praetors The second one, the Tribal Assembly, passed laws and made the most important decisions concerning the state. In the ancient Rome there were also other offices: quaestors - they assisted the consuls in financial matters, censors - they were responsible for carrying out population and asset censuses and supervised the implementation of municipal projects, praetors - they dealt with judiciary matters, and finally tribunes of the plebs - they were responsible for protecting the people against those in power who would wish to abuse it.