Books
Author: Simon James Grade: 4th and up
In general, I think that DK Eyewitness books are
a great supplement to any lesson. The text and images work really well together
to provide students with a comprehensive look at the particular subject. Most
students seem to really enjoy this series, but I think it can be a valuable
resource for teachers as well.
Greek & Roman Mythology, Grades 6-12Author: Frank Edgar Grades: 6th and up
This book really has a lot to offer! It covers mythology, geography, and history for both Ancient Rome and Greece. The mythology could be used for class read-alouds, which could help students engage in the topic. Another great aspect of this book is that it offers reproducible activities that develop higher-level thinking skills through mythological stories, maps, charts, crossword puzzles, quizzes, and worksheets.
The Thieves of Ostia (The Roman Mysteries)
Author: Caroline Lawrence Grades: 6th and up
Set in Rome in 79 AD, young detective Flavia Gemina goes on an adventure to solve a brutal crime in the Roman port city of Ostia. This historical mystery offers students an intriguing glimpse into the customs, attitudes and class systems of the Roman empire.
Author: Elizabeth George Speare Grades: 4th and up
This Newberry Award winning novel tells the story of an 18-year-old Jewish boy named Daniel, who is determined to revenge his father's death by forcing the Romans out of Israel. Although this book mainly focused on Jewish culture, I think it would be an interesting way to study the Roman empire from the perspective of those who were conquered.
Websites
A Glimpse of Teenage Life in Ancient Rome
Grades: 4th and upThis animated video introduces students to Lucius Popidius Secundus, a 17-year old living in Rome in 73 AD. His life is a typical one of arranged marriages, coming-of-age festivals, and communal baths. The animation is very well done and I think this would help students understand and relate to a culture that existed 2,000 years ago.
Primary: The Romans
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/
Grades: 4th and up
This BBC website provides an overview on Ancient Rome and is designed for kids. Some of the topics featured on the site include the layout of the city and invasion of Rome, as well as information on Roman technology and culture. There are articles, photos, maps, quizzes, activities, "fun facts,"and videos. The "Teacher Resources" area has worksheets for student-centered activities. Overall, this is an engaging entry into Ancient Rome for kids and a great resource for teachers.
Rome: Ancient Supercity Infographic
http://www.history.com/interactives/ancient-rome
Grades: 5th and up
This is a really cool graphic, called an "infographic," features illustrations of the city of Rome and includes interesting facts about Roman life and culture. I like how clean and modern looking the graphic is, while also offering quite a bit of factual information.
The Roman Report with Bob Hale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kRwJJwxGZE
Grades: 6th and up
Part of the "Horrible Histories" series, this 3 minute video explores the complete history of Rome in a comedy sketch show format. This is such a funny video and I really think students would get a kick out of it. However, I think it should be used after teaching about Ancient Rome, due to the fact that it breezes through the history so quickly.
Ancient Rome 3D
Grades: 6th and up
Use Google Earth to visit Rome under Emperor Constantine in AD 320. Visit hundreds of monuments and learn about each one by reading facts along the way. You can compare modern and ancient Rome with Google's layering feature. You do have to download the Google Earth plug-in, but it is completely free! I have included a tutorial for this cool new feature below:
The Roman Report with Bob Hale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kRwJJwxGZE
Grades: 6th and up
Part of the "Horrible Histories" series, this 3 minute video explores the complete history of Rome in a comedy sketch show format. This is such a funny video and I really think students would get a kick out of it. However, I think it should be used after teaching about Ancient Rome, due to the fact that it breezes through the history so quickly.
Ancient Rome 3D
Grades: 6th and up
Use Google Earth to visit Rome under Emperor Constantine in AD 320. Visit hundreds of monuments and learn about each one by reading facts along the way. You can compare modern and ancient Rome with Google's layering feature. You do have to download the Google Earth plug-in, but it is completely free! I have included a tutorial for this cool new feature below:
Activities
Roman Villa Floorplan
http://education.scholastic.co.uk/resources/44060
Grades: 4th and up
This pdf file contains a floor plan for a Roman villa. You can print out the floor plan and use it for a classroom discussion on Roman lifestyles. Questions that could be discussed include: Why is the courtyard so large? What kinds of things do you think Romans considered to be imporant, based on this floorplan? How does this Roman villa look different from your house?
http://education.scholastic.co.uk/resources/44060
Grades: 4th and up
This pdf file contains a floor plan for a Roman villa. You can print out the floor plan and use it for a classroom discussion on Roman lifestyles. Questions that could be discussed include: Why is the courtyard so large? What kinds of things do you think Romans considered to be imporant, based on this floorplan? How does this Roman villa look different from your house?
Laura, this is a really neat text set. Ancient Rome can be a complicated topic with rulers regularly changing and territories frequently taken over, but I think the resources that you included in this set will really give students a feel for what the culture was like.
ReplyDeleteLaura, I don't know a whole lot about Ancient Rome but after seeing your text set I wanted to read more about it! Really good text set! I thinks kids would enjoy watching what it was like living as a teenager in ancient Rome. I like the Eyewitness books also because of the pictures and tons of information. The Roman Villa Floorplan site and the questions you brought out would be an excellent cooperative group activity.
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