Historians believe the first vertical water wheel was invented in Rome during the Augustan Age. The sixth instructional activity in the series of 10 has scholars experiment with designing their own water wheels. Through testing various...

Rome wasn't built in a day, but researchers can be with proper scaffolding. This writing unit has scholars write a research paper through scaffolding of various parts of the process. Learners begin with identifying a topic and crafting a...

"Friend, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." Those words begin one of the most persuasive speeches in literature. Explore the elements of persuasion in a series of lessons related to William Shakespeare's Julius...

Let the class' knowledge of geometry flow like water in an aqueduct. Future mathematicians research ancient Roman aqueducts and consider the geometric concepts necessary in their construction. They then use GeoGebra to create models of...

A good diplomat needs to know how world events can affect their country. First, class members examine the Papal Bull that excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I from the Roman Catholic Church. Then, learners playing the role of diplomat from...

Ancient Greeks and Romans have contributed far more to modern culture than mythic heroes and stunning architecture. Greek and Latin roots are the foundation of many English words. Middle schoolers engage in an activity that asks them to...

Students discover the influence of classic architectural styles on government buildings. To begin, they research the classical period of architecture in Greece and Rome. Once they feel confident, students use modeling clay to create bas...

The dawn of the Middle Ages and the Roman Empire is being driven out of Europe. Germanic Kingdoms are beginning to flourish and it is Charlemagne who unites them. This well-organized and comprehensive presentation covers the rise of the...

Clearly written as an assignment for a higher-level education class, this formal lesson plan contains some fun and well-researched strategies for teaching the novel Tuck Everlasting  by Natalie Babbitt. Among the best ideas...

"And Brutus is an honourable man." Or is he? Readers of Shakespeare’s tragic Julius Caesar are asked to identify the rhetorical devices Mark Antony uses in his funeral oration and to explain how these devices influence the...

Sixth graders pretend to be the oracle warning Caesar about March 15th. They write a letter to Julius Caesar warning him of the consequences of going to the Senate building on March 15th. Students identify three causes and effects that...

Take young scholars on a trip through history with this unit on the mathematics and architecture of the Mayan civilization. Starting with a introduction to their base twenty number system and the symbols they used, this eight-lesson unit...

Law and society go hand-in-hand, explore the  law as it pertains to social impact throughout history. Here are 20 excellent questions that have learners examine law from the code of Hammurabi, to Napoleonic law and the Magna Carta....

Get everyone up and participating! High schoolers reading Mythology, by Edith Hamilton, complete a graphic organizer independently, and then record one of their thoughts on the white board for a silent discussion. Decide how you're going...

Who determines the Seven Wonders of the World, and what criteria is used to evaluate these locations? Discover the efforts to promote cultural diversity and preserve man-made monuments during the world's first-ever global vote in 2007 to...

Discover the joy and excitement of improving your math fluency through four different puzzles. Combine those with 25 different ways to represent numbers and you have hours of enjoyment that can be fun outside of the classroom as well.

Review the origins, leaders, wars, and contributions of ancient Hebrews. A fascinating set of discussion questions and several informative slides are yours for the taking. Use to review for a state exam.

America was founded by dreamers, and the American dream still resonates in our country today. Track the American dream from its Puritan beginnings to its optimistic descendants with a instructional activity that focuses on speeches...

Examine the historic election of Pope Benedict XVI and reflect on the challenges he faces as the new leader of the Catholic Church. This New York Times lesson investigates how other world leaders are chosen in different forms of...

Learners comprehend the major events that occurred in the final centuries of the Roman Empire. They explore the different reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. Students write an editorial about one reason for Rome's fall.

Students view a segment of Prosperity and Decline. They discuss what attributes made the empire strong. Students discuss what caused the fall of the Roman Empire. They write an essay describing the cause of the fall of the Roman Empire....

Students identify the basic components of male and female Roman costume, both for children and adults and also, the major social ranks of Imperial Rome and the dress reserved for each gender and rank. They also identify some of the...

Sixth graders research the history of Pompeii and its destruction. Locate important geographical features of Rome. Gain insight into the past through archaeological interpretation. Synthesize historical information through imaginative...

In this Romulus and Rebus interactive exercise, students read a short passage about Rome and how it was built. Students answer questions, fill in the blanks and complete a writing activity in an interactive format based on the reading.