Ancient Rome Lesson with Technology

Lesson Five- Important People of Ancient Rome

Learning Objective: Can I describe Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Marc Antony, and Augustus Caesar and explain their relationships to each other using my group and an iPad?

Standard:

Standard:  1.  History

1. Use a variety of sources to distinguish historical fact from fiction

a.     Use a variety of historical sources including artifacts, pictures and documents to help define factual historical evidence (DOK 1-2)

Materials:

Student Guide- pages 52-56 (teacher to read before teaching lesson)

Teacher Guide- page 12-15 (read before teaching lesson)

School computer lab

Blabberize website

8 student iPads

Brain Pop video

Social studies textbooks

Vocabulary:

Province- an area under the control of a faraway government

Civil war- a war between people who live in the same country

1. Show the Brain Pop video about Cleopatra and discuss with the class.

Hollywood has portrayed Cleopatra as being just a beautiful woman but in reality she was a very successful business woman as well.

In royal families, brothers and sisters and even parents and children may often compete with one another for power.  Ask them why the king of Egypt might want to kill his sister Cleopatra.  Remind them that the king is only 13 years old.  Cleopatra was older and therefore might have been a threat to her little brother’s power.

What do the students think are some qualities that helped Cleopatra succeed? 

2. Put students into groups of 3. Each group will be assigned a person of historical importance to Ancient Rome (two groups per person)
1. Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Marc Antony, and Augustus Caesar.
3. Give students time to research using iPads and find information from the textbook to take notes on their person. They will then write a short speech as if they are their assigned person (ex: I was the last pharaoh in Egypt.)
4. In the computer lab each group will find a picture (or painting) of their person and save it to their drive. This skill has been previously taught.
5.  Then students will upload the picture onto the Blabberize website. We have also learned how to do this in a previous lesson. Then they will record their speeches coming from the      mouths of their assigned person.  
6. Closure: We will all watch and discuss the Blabberize presentations.
7. Assessment: I will grade the final product of their Blabberize presentation for accuracy of information and good writing and presenting skills.