D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths

D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths is a collection of Greek myths. At first glance, a novice might question why students should read a book about Greek mythology if students are studying the Romans. However, Roman religion adopted Greek mythology and only added to it while Romanizing the names of the characters. Each myth is told like a story, and the book divides itself by major gods and goddesses to heroes to minor heroes and so on and so forth. There are illustrations throughout the text that capture the dramatic moments of many of the stories.

This book is often regarded as a definitive mythology textbook for students younger than high school, much in the same way Edith Hamilton's Mythology is consistently read by high schoolers. Not only does this book provide an accurate account of the myths, but it also retells each myth in a way that is accessible for this age group.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3

Objective: The student will create an original myth to explain phenomena in space in order to understand how people use stories to explain the unknown.

Materials: Paper, pencils, photocopies of the tales of Narcissus, Iris, and Arachne, and a room arrangement to accommodate groups of three.

Outline: Students will be broken into groups of 3. Each student will be assigned one of the following etiological tales: Narcissus, Arachne, and Iris. After each student has read their story, they will then summarize it for their other group members. Upon completion of this, the group will then pick an phenomena in space to explain with their very own myth. There will be a list of them such as: why are there black holes, why is Jupiter so big, or how did Pluto end up so far away? The students will craft their story using at least one mortal and at least one supernatural creature like a Centaur, a god or goddess, or even a monster. After students have crafted this story, they will record a final draft which they will then share with the rest of the class.

Usborne Encyclopedia of the Roman World

The Usborne Encyclopedia of the Roman World is exactly what the title states. This text is chock-full of informative illustrations and accompanying text. It could easily be read straight through or studied for just one section. The book is organized to follow the chronological history of Rome. Anachronistic phenomena such as gladiators or slavery are placed into a general category called "Everyday Life." This book provides wonderful summaries for big ideas like the Roman Republic or the Roman Empire while offering enough details to be informative.

Although many 6th graders might not read through the text chronologically, it makes for easy browsing. Students are able to look at a two page section and read a comprehensive summary of a portion of Roman history. The illustrations and easy to read text make it a prime candidate for a pleasure read for students.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.4

Objective: The student will investigate the impact of the Roman Empire and create a graphic organizer to illustrate what they learn.

Materials: Posters, Markers, copies of the text, rulers, and pencils.

Outline: Students will read "The Legacy of Rome" and "More About the Empire." After reading these two sections, students will synthesize the information by creating a "Before and After the Romans Chart." This chart will detail not only cultural contributions, but also how the world was different during the Roman Empire.

History News: The Roman News

History News: The Roman News has an unusual format. It takes significant events or time periods in Roman history and displays them like a newspaper. Everything is written from the perspective of the Romans.

The eye-catching format of this book makes it a very engaging read for this age group. Not only are the pictures in full color, but the captions and headlines are also very attention-grabbing. The only downside of this very engaging format is it might confuse students into thinking the Romans had newspapers.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3

Objective: The students will summarize historical information by creating a faux newspaper article.

Materials: Scissors, markers, pens, pencils, card-stock, paper, and history textbook.

Outline: Students will pick a historical event from their textbook and create a newspaper article to summarize it. Students will mimic the style of The Roman News text. They will create a draft version in black and white before creating a final version on card-stock and in color.

Rome (books 1 and 2) via graphic organizers

Rome: Book 1 and Rome: Book 2 are collections of graphic organizers that outline broad topics like what the typical Roman house looks like, the Roman impact on America, images of the Roman forum with labeled parts, etc. These books provide an efficient, brief look at Roman history. Each graphic organizer serves as a summary for these broad topics.

This text is very useful with 6th grade students who have shorter attention spans or who learn more visually. In the teacher's guide, there is text to explain each portion of the graphic organizer if anything seems ambiguous or unclear.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3

Objective: The student will compare the format of a graphic organizer to written text as a means of conveying history.

Materials: Rome Book 1 and Rome Book 2, pencil or pen, and paper.

Outline: Students will choose a graphic organizer that interests them. They will then write a two paragraph essay that relays the information presented in their chosen graphic organizer. They will then break into groups of 4 and take their information. After reading their essay to their classmates, they will discuss which format was easier to understand and whether they could see the advantage of using the other format.

Horrible Histories: The Rotten Romans

Horrible Histories: The Rotten Romans is an anthology of various fascinating facts about the Romans that do not put them in the best light. The book is interesting because it allows students to see how textbooks can sometimes sugarcoat or skip over the negative parts of a civilization. This compendium of facts is not laid out completely arbitrarily. The book is divided into chapters that categorize various cultural facets of Ancient Rome, such as the Roman army or Roman childhood.

The use of humor in this book makes it very age-appropriate for 6th graders, because they are able to amuse themselves and learn at the same time. It also makes for some great light reading for students who are more intimidated by long form formats such as chapter books or textbooks, but the information is intellectually stimulating enough to make it a worthwhile read.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3

Objective: The student will research a topic in Roman history that interests them and compose a one page paper to show what they have learned.

Materials: Access to the library, Computer with word processing software, flash drive, and access to printer.

Outline: Students will find one fact which they find the most interesting, and then research more about it. After researching this fact, students will write a one page paper to give this fact a context. For example, if it is a game, they will explain why games were important during the Roman Empire and how Roman games are different from ours today.

Monuments Past and Present: Ancient Rome

Monuments Past and Present: Ancient Rome shows the reader what a structure looks like now versus how the structure looked in ancient times. This wonderful contrast allows students to understand the process of historical interpretation and provides excellent fodder for the discussion of how history can be a collusion between multiple disciplines in order to create a singular idea.

For example, in order to understand how the Colosseum looked, students could analyze the amalgamation of expert evidence. Archaeologists actually dig up the structure in a very scientific and methodical manner, art historians reference architecture of the same time period, language scholars reference literature describing the structure or translate any inscriptions on the structure, and historians use the events and culture of the time to provide a historical context to interpret the structure or any ambiguous nuances.

The main text of the series might prove challenging for 6th graders, but they would be able to read through it with some guidance or partner reading. The pictures really make this book engaging because students can lift the transparency over the ancient ruin again and again to understand how the progression of time impacts these monuments.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3

Objective: The student will interpret an ancient ruin in order to understand the concept of historical interpretation.

Materials: The text, pencils, pens, tracing paper, and posters.

Outline: The student will pick their favorite ancient monument from the text. They will then list the differences between the artistic rendition of what it used to look like and how looks now as an ancient ruin. Once they have done this, they will then come up with ideas on how historians came to the idea that this was how the monument looked, and then group their facts according to categories. For examples, arches and missing columns = archaeologists, or colors and statues = literary sources.

First Latin: A Language Discovery Program

First Latin: A Language Discovery Program is a series by Marion Polsky that is combination text and combination activity book. In terms of Latin textbooks, this is the most simplistic and novice-friendly text you will find. I selected it over other options such as Minimus and Latin is Fun, two very popular texts for beginner Latin learners, because it uses Roman culture as its plumbline for introducing language. For example, the unit on food discusses Roman dining practices in English while peppering the text with Latin words for a few things. This beginner-friendly blend of Latin and English allows even a teacher who has never before seen Latin to introduce the language to students. While most other textbooks are centered on grammar, the text focuses on the culture and vocabulary. A greater focus on vocabulary allows students to reap the benefits of being exposed to the language without the labor of working through grammar.

This text is a wonderful source for 6th graders, or really any middle school or upper-elementary grade level. It has plenty of creative illustrations to keep students engaged, yet maintains a simplistic enough Latin vocabulary and English passages on culture that students can easily follow along.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3

Objective: The student will compare modern American culture with Ancient Rome and analyze the importance of cultural sharing.

Materials: Paper and pencil.

Outline: Students will read the section on page 6 titled, "Why Is it Important for Us to Learn About the Ancient Romans?" Students will then list out three cultural connections between American culture and Roman culture based on their reading. They will then consider the following hypothetical: Why would a modern culture borrow things from an ancient culture? Students will discuss this question among each other. The teacher will then pose the same question to the class and have each group answer the hypothetical.

Step into Reading: The Trojan Horse

The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War from the Step into Reading Series takes on the ambitious task of breaking down an adventure from the epic The Illiad, namely the story of the Trojan Horse. The story picks up in the middle of the action, but the author does an excellent job of subtly setting the scene.

Our tale begins by describing the impenetrable walls of Troy and how the Trojan kidnapping of Helen of Troy inspired the Greeks to retaliate with war. After ten long years, there is no clear winner and the Greeks still can't penetrate the Trojan wall. Then a clever Greek named Odysseus comes up with the idea of a Trojan horse, and they present it as a gift. Meanwhile, Greek soldiers are waiting inside this huge gift, waiting to come out when the time is right. Ultimately, Troy falls for the trick and the city is ruined by the war. The Greeks win the war and the tale is over. The book closes by mentioning the author of the epic, Homer, as well as the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann's discovery of the real-life Troy.

The book is an excellent candidate for independent reading. Although, it seems intended for a 5th grader, I think that having a book that is less challenging will allow the student to understand the information more independently. The pictures scattered throughout the text will keep a younger reader's interest, and the author keeps the action of the story moving at a pace that is appropriate for this age.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3

Objective: The student will draw parallels between modern stories and ancient myth.

Materials: Pencil and journal. (Optional material requirement: place students in the library so they may consult other stories if they cannot think of one on their own.)

Outline: After a student reads this story, they will pull out a journal and consider the following questions: Can you think of any other stories where someone tried to sneak in by using a disguise? How is that story similar to this one? How is it different? Why do you think people borrow ideas from ancient stories in order to tell a new one?

Students should write at least a page to answer all of these questions.

Tales of the Dead: Ancient Rome

The book titled Ancient Rome in the Tales of the Dead Series has a subtitle on the cover which reads, "A gripping graphic novel which tells a tale of faith and justice in the Colosseum." Although this subtitle elicits some intrigue from the reader, it does not accurately reflect the course of events which transpire in the story. Essentially, this text follows a brother and sister, Publius and Sabina, who are sold into slavery after they are separated from their father during a battle. However, their father is a Roman citizen. Despite this, a corrupt slave dealer sells them anyway, and the story progresses until eventually they are all reunited in the Colosseum. This story is an excellent look at slavery in Rome as well as the tense relationship between the provinces (where the main characters are from) and the Italian peninsula (where they work as slaves).

The drama is so compelling that a 6th grade audience could easily latch onto it before they realize that they will be learning something along the way. In addition to the compelling drama that unfolds, the book also provides historical background for each turn of the story from facts about the Roman armies to a layout of a Roman villa. This is a wonderful method of providing the expository background needed to fully understand the story without burdening the pace of the drama. This also provides instant fodder for lesson plans while simultaneously answering potential questions students might have while reading this text.

Potential Lesson Plan:

Standard: Standard 6-2, Indicator 6-2.3

Objective: The student will analyze the power of citizenship in the Roman world

Materials: Crayons, Markers, 11 1/2 by 16 in. sheets of paper, rulers, pencils, and a photocopy of the last page of the text.

Outline: Students will be broken into groups of two and told to create an alternate ending for the book. The alternate ending must be in the same format of the graphic novel and address the following hypothetical: What would have happened if it was never revealed that Sabina and Publius were Roman citizens? How would the story have been different? For the expository information, students must write and illustrate a passage to justify their ending with historical facts.