Lesson Plan # 4, The Legacy of RomeBono's Thinking Hats

Introduction:Rome was, and still is, considered one of the greatest, and longest lasting civilizations that the Earth has known. It's history is one of conquest, brutality, ingenuity, ideas, and lasting legacy. Many of the lessons learned from ancient Rome, are still in use today, and can be seen throughout the world. In this lesson, we will attempt to have the students compare ancient Rome, to the modern age.

Objectives:Content/Knowledge: 1. Students will understand ancient ideas, and juxtipose them against a modern framework. 2. Students will name ancient buildings, infrastructures, ideas, and mechanisms, and show

their new-world counterparts. 3. Students will be able to explain why ideas, frameworks and inventions that are 2,000 years

old, still hold value, and are utilized today.

Process/Skills: 1. Students will be able to explain the use of modern architecture, that comes from an ancient

blueprint. 2. Students will build a compare and contrast chart, to show the similarities between the past,

and the present. 3. Students will be able to show numerous ancient ideas, that have new, more modern

counterparts.

Values/Dispositions 1. Students will be able to understand, and appreciate the value of ancient technology, and

apply it to real-world situations. 2. Students will understand the political system of the ancients, it's benefits, and why it has

survived to this day. 3. Students will able to discuss, rationally, the benefits or drawbacks of specific ideas within

the framework of ancient Rome, and discourse on their modern-day use, or why they were discarded.

Standards:

Illinois State Learning Standards: 16.A.5a - Analyze historical and contemporary developments using methods of historical

inquiry (pose questions, collect and analyze data, make and support inferences with evidence, report findings). 17.C.3c - Analyze how human processes influence settlement patterns including migration and

population growth.

National Council for the Social Studies: Culture - Social studies programs should include experience that provide for the study of

culture and cultural diversity. Time, Continuity, & Change - Social Studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ways human beings view themselves in and over time.

People, Places, & Environments - Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, & environments.

Common Core: CCSS.ELA.Literacy.RH.6-8.7 - Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,

photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts. CCSS.ELA.Literacy.RH.6-8. Analyze among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in text.

Syntax - Procedures:

1. White Hat - Objective:a. Teacher Instructions 1. The teacher begins this lesson by imparting the information about the

civilization of Rome, utilizing a PowerPoint, called "Rome and Us."2. The teacher should let the students know they need to watch the PowerPoint, in order to gain necessary information for later.

b. Resources1. The PowerPoint presentation

c. Student Activity1. The students will need to watch the PowerPoint presentation, all the while,

taking down notes.

2. Red Hat - Intuitive:a. Teacher Instructions

1. The teacher will hand out photos of Rome, in the past, and in our modern world, in order to get students thinking critically about comparisons, along with giving them the handout, "Rome and Us."2. Students will look at the photos, read the handout, and then participate in a roundtable discussion on the benefits or negative impacts of Rome, on modern

civilization.3. Teacher will guide this discussion, working towards politics, architecture, mental attitudes, slavery, sports, city planning, and more.

b. Resource1. Handout titled, "Rome and Us."

c. Student Instruction1. Students should use the combination of text, the PowerPoint, and the handout, in order to provide input, and ideas to the discussion. They should also begin to think about comparisons or contrasts of ancient Rome, to modern civilization.

3. Black hat/Yellow Hat - Negative/Positive:a. Teacher Instructions

1. Teacher will pass around a "Compare and Contrast" paper. Students will use this to compare ancient Rome to the modern world, contrast it, and then list the benefits, or detriments of modern societies use of Roman principals and ideas.

b. Resources1. Powerpoint demonstration2. Class text3. The handout, "Rome and Us."4. Discussion

c. Student Instruction1. Students will use the discussion, along with the information gathered, in order to fill out the Compare and Contrast paper. They will also list the benefits and/ or the drawbacks that they feel Rome has left us, in modern society.

4. Green Hat - Creative:a. Teacher Instruction

1. Students break into four groups of six, with each group creating a poster, in which they will draw what they feel are Roman ideas that have been left to us. They will label the poster, and tag their personal drawing as something they feel is a positive, or a negative in modern society.

b. Resource1. Poster boards2. Markers3. Previous information

c. Student Instructions1. Students will group together in four groups of six, with each member of the group drawing a picture, representing what they feel is either a good, or a bad idea, that has been left us, by Rome. They will then write the name of their drawing, along with whether it was a good or bad idea, below it.

5. Blue Hat - Process:a. Teacher Instruction

1. Students will now enter a discussion on their feelings about the civilization of Rome, along with giving ideas about what they feel are the positive, negative, or long-lasting legacies that Rome has left us. The teacher may guide this dis- cussion along the lines of what he/she feels is representative for the lesson.

b. Resources1. Discussion, along with teacher-guided discourse, and insertion of ideas.

c. Student Instruction1. Students will enter into a full discussion on the ramifications of Romes legacy. They will debate, if willing, and bring up their own thoughts, and ideas about what Rome has left behind, in the way of inventions, architecture, politics, and ideas.

Resources

1.1 PowerPoint presentation, "Rome and Us".

1.2 Handout on "Rome and Us."

1.3 Photos and Drawings on Rome, and comparisons to today.

1.4 Venn Diagram

1.2 Rome and Us

Rome had a very long, and prosperous history. About 400AD, she began to fall apart. She'd gotten too large, and too hard to control. Her borders were huge, and it was just too expensive to pay the armies that were needed to keep her safe. Without new territories to conquer, and new money to be found, Rome could no longer afford the cost. Eventually, thousands of German tribes swept down from the north, and conquered Rome. She never regained her power and prestige, although she did stay an important city.

Rome now, is twice as large as it was in its glory. It is a wonderful place to visit, and the remains of her amazing buildings, arenas, and artworks are still there to see. St. Peters, in Vatican City, has the most beautiful statues and paintings in the world. They are owned and protected by the Catholic Church, and Vatican City is its own country, even though it is only 110 acres in size.

Rome, started out as a group of warlike tribes, and eventually, that is exactly what was her downfall. Still, she leaves us a legacy of many ideas, inventions, and items that we use to this day. I doubt that you could count the number of Roman things that you use, in a day. Things for measuring, tools, clothing (tunics, dresses and jewelry). They left us great artworks, and the ideas for military maneuvers that our generals are still using, even now.

Roman government was the same as ours, early on. They had three branches (which you will learn about in the next two years), consisting of the Executive (for us, the President and his cabinet), the Judicial (our Supreme Court, who decide if laws are legal or not), and the Legislative branch, which is made up of our Senate (a Roman word), and the House of Representatives. They elected people to make laws and take care of the country, just like we do.

Rome had policemen (the "Watchmen"), who would look for trouble, and try to spot fires. They had fire departments. Both police and fire were usually manned by slaves, who after six years were given their freedom, and citizenship. They could keep their jobs after that, if they wished.

The people in Rome spoke Latin, which they got from the Greeks. We no longer speak it, but we use it in everything from our medicines, to all of our sciences, and we even put it on our money ("E Pluribus Unum", which means, "Out of Many, One"). Latin has almost identical letters to our Roman alphabet, and so we still use Roman letters today. If you counted, in Latin, it would almost sound like Spanish.

Roman cities were built in such a way that they could be gotten around quickly, with buildings near the street, so people could go in and out, and take care of business. We do our system exactly the same way now. Romans had sewers, running water, parks, libraries and their streets were set up in grids, like modern streets are.

Their buildings looked very familiar, and if you go to any large city courthouse, you will most likely find the influence of Rome in the plans. Romans used concrete in a lot of their buildings, and you see that we do that in everything from our streets to our buildings and bridges.

Romans were the first to realize that the arch was strong, and got stronger with the more weight you placed on it. You will see arches in much of their architecture. We have learned to copy their style, because it is so good, and lasts for so long. There is so much more about Rome that we have yet to learn, and while they were warlike, and conquering, they brought their brilliance and intelligence to every country that they took. The world is a much better place, because of the Romans.

1.3 Photos and Drawings for Comparison

1.4 The Legacy of Rome

In the Venn Diagram below, you are to compare and contrast the ancient civilization ofRome, on the left, with modern civilization, on the right. Label the left and right circles, then write down items that you have read, seen, and been taught about, in class, like politics, architecture, attitudes, etc, on each side, marking if they are similar, or not. In the middle, place the items that are somewhat the same, and/or what you see as their similarities. Try to come up with at least ten items, and more, if possible. Extra points will be given if you can fill the circles.