Background

This WebQuest fulfills part of the Virginia Standard of Learning - History 3.1:

"The student will explain how the contributions of ancient Greece and Rome have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, government (direct and representative democracy), and sports. "

This webquest will lead your students on a journey through Ancient Rome. Your students will use teamwork and the Internet to explore this ancient civilization and learn about the Romans' daily life, myths, and government. In teams of four, your students will assume roles which are based on different aspects of Roman society. Each person on the team will learn one piece of the puzzle. At the end of their quest, your students will come together and combine their pieces to create their final project: A Travel Log about Ancient Rome!

Implementation Guidelines

Before introducing this WebQuest to your class, read over the steps students would be taking in order to familiarize yourself with the project and the information presented.

Although ideally this activity should be completed in groups of four, you may assign pairs if there is an odd number of students. The students are given instructions in the WebQuest to assign the roles by drawing the names out of a hat. Observe this process to ensure that each student is assigned a role.

The materials needed for this WebQuest include:

• Internet access
• Student writing tablets (pre-made: cardboard squares, painted grey, with paper attached on top for note-taking).
• Materials needed for creation of the Travel Logs (ie: markers, crayons, construction paper, binding supplies,...). The students have freedom for creativity when designing their final projects, so any number of materials could be used.

Many of the lesson plans listed below would be excellent extension activities to use after the WebQuest in your classroom. Students may be interested in focusing more closely on one or two areas, and these lesson plans would be a great way to teach them.

Evaluation

When evaluating your students' work on this WebQuest, consider their:

• creativity
• demonstration of concept understanding
• group cooperation (observed during the Quest)
• group participation (amount of information from each role should be relatively equal)
• acquisition of personal opinions on the topic
• ability to express opinions and facts to groups members and the class as a whole.

When scoring your students' WebQuest experience, use a scale from 1 to 5 that measures each of the criteria listed above. For example, (1) Poor, (2) Needs improvement, (3) Good, (4) Above Average, (5) Excellent. Use your judgment to determine the students' acheivement.

Books For Students

• Burrell, Roy. The Romans. Oxford University Press: 1998. - Through engrossing essays and fictional "eyewitness" accounts, Roy Burrell vividly recreates 2,000 years of stormy Roman history for young readers. Accompanied by Peter Connolly's remarkable maps, cross-sections, detailed drawings, and even a complete scale model of what Rome may have looked like at the height of its glory, THE ROMANS is sure to pique a young student's interest.

• Connolly, Peter & Dodge, Hazel. The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens and Rome. Oxford University Press: 1988. - In this superbly illustrated volume, Athens and Rome, the greatest cities of antiquity, spring to life. By recreating the public buildings, temples, shops, and houses of these mighty civilizations, Connolly reveals every aspect of a person's life in glorious detail, including food, drama, religion, games, and the baths. 500 color illustrations.

• Corbishley, Mike. Ancient Rome (Cultural Atlas for Young People). Facts on File, Inc: 1989. - The rich and fabulous history of Roman civilization is introduced to young readers. Coverage includes: the Etruscans; Republican Rome; the rise of Julius Caesar; everyday life in the Roman world; Pompeii; and more.

• Corbishley, Mike. Everyday Life in Roman Times (Clues to the Past). Franklin Watts: 1994. - On each topical spread Corbishley invites readers to examine a photo of an actual artifact, then read about it, and see it in context in a nearby painted illustration.

• Corbishley, Mike. Growing Up in Ancient Rome. Troll Associates: 1993. - Describes daily life in ancient Rome, discussing family life, entertainment, schools, religion, and other aspects.

• Ganeri, Anita. How Would You Survive as an Ancient Roman? Franklin Watts: 1996.

• James, Simon. Ancient Rome (See through History). Viking Press: 1992. - Explains the customs and daily life of the Romans through a clear, informative text, and features layered illustrations using acetate that reveal the outside and inside of a Roman town house, a theater, an army fort, and the Roman baths.

• Shuter, Jane. The Ancient Romans (History Opens Windows). Heineman Library: 1998. - An overview of Roman history and culture combines text with photographs of historical artifacts and color illustrations rendered by artists. Religion, family life, food, and clothing are some of the topics touched on text.

Books For Teachers

• Adkins, Lesley & Roy A. Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. Oxford University Press: 1998 - This handy reference provides full access to the 1,200 years of Roman rule from the 8th century B.C. to the 5th century A.D., including information on art, literature, law, and engineering. 150 illustrations.

• Bickerman, Elias J. Rome. Oxford University Press: 1960

• Liberadi, Annamaria. Ancient Rome: History of a Civilization that Ruled the World. Stewart Tabori & Chang: 1996 - Ancient Rome is a magnificent volume that traces the dramatic history of the Roman Empire, paying particular attention to its rise and fall and its lasting social, cultural, military, and political influence. From great feats and everyday customs, to works of art and household objects, this comprehensive account offers a fascinating insight into the highly complex and sophisticated society that once ruled the world.

• Lyttelton, Margaret. The Romans: Their Gods and their Beliefs. Orbis Press: 1984.

• Shelton, Jo-Ann. As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History. Oxford University Press: 1997.

• Stambaugh, John E. The Ancient Roman City. John Hopkins Univ. Press: 1988.

• Unocker, Christoph. Ancient Rome. Barrons Educational Series: 1997. - This illustrated summary of Roman history is supplemented with maps and chronologically divided into eight major divisions, covering the rise of ancient Rome from 1000 B.C. through its decline in 480 A.D. Glossary. Index. More than 400 photos and illustrations, most in color.

• Wiedemann, Thomas E.J. Adults and Children in the Roman Empire. Yale University Press: 1990.

Lesson Plans

• The Core Knowledge Home Page has a variety of lesson plans for teaching about Ancient Rome.  These lessons are in PDF format and will open in a new window.
• Foundations of Ancient Rome
• Geography: Ancient Rome
• Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Come to the Romans!
• Veni, Vidi, Vici
• When in Rome, Do as the Romans

• Romulus & Remus, Roman Republic, & Punic Wars - This website combines aspects of Roman History, mapping, government systems and Roman mythological history. Students are exposed to four lessons and one performance assessment task. They will compare and contrast Roman literature stories, use critical thinking to compare Roman government systems to those of the United States, learn about Roman conquering and wars fought, and discover the magnitude of Julius Caesar's power.

 
• Can You Save the Roman Republic? - This lesson allows students to act in the role of Roman consuls. With their newly acquired power, the students must solve problems facing their Republic, keep peace with the people and make sure that their citizens are happy.