Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Ancient Rome: Roman Empire

Objectives

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide a clear overview of the lesson's objectives, aligning the session's focus with the skills to be developed by the students. This will help guide practical activities and discussions in order to maximize understanding of the relevance of the Roman Empire in the political, cultural, social, and economic context of the Western world.

Main Objectives

1. Explore the political structure of the Roman Empire and identify its influences on modern political formations.

2. Analyze Roman cultural contributions and how they shaped contemporary Western society.

3. Examine the role of the Roman economy and its impact on the economic development of the Western world.

Side Objectives

1. Recognize Roman influence on law and public administration in current societies.
2. Investigate Roman social practices and their permanence in Western traditions.

Introduction

Duration: 15 - 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to warm up the students to the topic of the lesson, stimulating their curiosity and interest through a practical and interactive activity. By searching and sharing interesting facts, students will begin to engage with the content dynamically, preparing them for subsequent practical activities and encouraging an initial debate about the Roman Empire.

Warming Up

Introduce the topic of the lesson by highlighting the grandeur of the Roman Empire, presenting it as one of the largest and most influential empires in history. Briefly explain how it shaped the politics, culture, society, and economy of the Western world. Then, ask students to use their phones to find an interesting or curious fact about the Roman Empire. Encourage them to share their findings with the class.

Initial Reflections

1. What were the main factors that contributed to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire?

2. How did the Roman government system influence modern democracies?

3. Which Roman cultural elements are still visible in today's Western society?

4. In what ways does the Roman economy resemble or differ from the modern economy?

5. What Roman social practices can still be observed in contemporary traditions?

Development

Duration: 70 - 80 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to promote active and engaging learning, using digital technologies to creatively and interactively explore the theme of the Roman Empire. The activities were designed to contextualize historical content within the digital reality of students, encouraging collaboration, research, and the practical application of acquired knowledge.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - Roman YouTubers 🚀

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Foster creativity and student engagement by using modern technologies to explore and explain important aspects of the Roman Empire.

- Description: Students will organize into groups and create a video in the style of a modern vlogger, but with the aim of explaining some aspect of the Roman Empire, creatively interpreting a Roman citizen. They should use their phones to record and edit the videos and can use apps like TikTok, Instagram, or CapCut to add effects and music.

- Instructions:

• Organize students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Each group should choose a specific topic from the Roman Empire (politics, culture, society, or economy).

• Students should conduct quick research to gather additional information about the chosen topic.

• Use phones to record the video, interpreting a Roman citizen discussing the chosen topic.

• Videos should be edited using apps like TikTok, Instagram, or CapCut, adding music and effects to make them more engaging.

• Students should share the videos on a platform of choice (e.g., Google Drive, YouTube) for everyone to watch.

• Conclude the activity with a presentation of the created videos and a brief debate about the learning acquired and the challenges encountered in the activity.

Activity 2 - Roman Social Networks 🔥

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Bring Roman history closer to students by using the dynamics of social networks to explore the personalities and social interactions of the period.

- Description: Students will create fictitious profiles on a simulated social network, imagining how interactions between different historical figures of the Roman Empire would be. They can use apps like Canva to create posts and stories, representing political debates, cultural events, and social interactions of the time.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 people.

• Each group should choose Roman historical figures (emperors, politicians, philosophers, etc.) to create profiles.

• Students should research the biographies and contributions of these figures to support their posts.

• Use the Canva app to create fictitious posts and stories, reflecting the personalities and interactions of the characters.

• Simulate a social network where students can 'post' and 'interact' with profiles created by other groups, commenting and reacting to the publications.

• Conclude the activity with a discussion about the differences and similarities between Roman social interactions and current ones, as well as the impact of these historical figures on society.

Activity 3 - Digital Treasure Hunt in the Roman Empire 🗺️

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Stimulate students' curiosity and teamwork by using a digital treasure hunt to explore and better understand the Roman Empire.

- Description: Students will participate in a digital treasure hunt, where they must solve puzzles and complete challenges related to the Roman Empire. Each clue will lead to a new location or historical figure, using tools such as Google Earth, Google Forms, and QR Codes.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Prepare a series of puzzles and challenges that students must solve to find the next clue.

• Use Google Earth to show historical Roman locations, where each clue will lead to a new destination.

• Create forms on Google Forms where students must enter answers to obtain the next clues.

• Spread QR Codes around the classroom with links to additional resources or extra clues.

• Conclude the activity with a discussion about the discoveries made during the treasure hunt and how Roman locations and characters influenced the Western world.

Feedback

Duration: 15 - 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to promote reflection and the sharing of acquired knowledge, allowing students to reinforce learning by hearing different perspectives from their peers. The 360° feedback helps develop social and collaborative skills, fostering a more integrative and constructive learning environment.

Group Discussion

Promote a group discussion for students to share what they learned during the activities and their conclusions. Use the following outline:

1. Introduction: Ask how the experience of using digital technologies to learn about the Roman Empire was.
2. Sharing: Each group should briefly present the final product of their activity (video, social profiles, or treasure hunt).
3. Reflection: Encourage students to talk about the challenges they faced and the most surprising discoveries they made.
4. Applicability: Discuss how learning about the Roman Empire can be applied to better understand the contemporary world.

Reflections

1. How did the use of digital tools help in understanding the main aspects of the Roman Empire? 2. What were the most challenging moments during the activities and how did you overcome them? 3. What parallels can be drawn between Roman society and modern society in terms of political structure, economy, and culture?

360° Feedback

Conduct a 360° feedback session, where each student should receive feedback from their group peers. Instruct that the feedback should be constructive and respectful, focusing on three main points:

1. Strengths: What the peer did well during the activity.
2. Areas for Improvement: Suggestions for aspects that can be enhanced.
3. Specific Contributions: How the peer's work contributed to the group's success.

Conclusion

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

📌 Purpose: The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning, providing an engaging and relevant summary of the main points addressed in the lesson. This closing helps students relate historical content with modern context and understand its practical importance for everyday life.

Summary

🎬 Fun Summary: Imagine we are watching a trailer for an epic movie called 'Rome: The Origin of the West'.

💼 Politics: A government system with senators debating laws (like our modern parliaments).

🎭 Culture: Artists painting and sculpting works that are still admired in our museums today.

🏛️ Society: Citizens participating in parties, games, and gladiators (think of a Roman carnival mixed with UFC).

💰 Economy: Merchants selling everything from exotic spices to shiny armor (almost a globalized market).

World Connection

🌐 Connecting with Today: The lesson showed that many modern institutions and practices have roots in the Roman Empire. Political structures, like the Senate, and cultural practices, such as theater and sports, still echo in our society. Even the idea of large global commercial and economic networks can be traced back to Ancient Rome.

Practical Application

📚 Applications in Daily Life: Understanding the Roman legacy helps us to value and enhance our political, cultural, and economic institutions. Knowing where our social practices and political structures come from can help us improve and adapt these issues for an increasingly globalized and technological world.