Teacher: John Gargaro School: MRHS Date: Oct.

28th-31st, 2013 Content Area: Social Studies Lesson #: 8 of 8 Content Standards: 1.1 Use the historical method of inquiry to ask questions, evaluate primary and secondary sources, critically analyze and interpret data, and develop interpretations defended by evidence. 1.2 The key concepts of continuity and change, cause and effect, complexity, unity and diversity over time. 1.3 The significance of ideas as powerful forces throughout history.

2.1 Use different types of maps and geographic tools to analyze features on Earth to investigate and solve geographic questions. 2.3 The interconnected nature of the world, its people and places Inquiry Questions: What caused Rome to fall? Why was Rome able to expand its empire vastly? What similarities do we see back then that we do today?

Concepts and skills students master: Internal and external threats leading to Romes schism and eventual downfall. o Germanic tribes: Visigoths, Vandals, Huns o Economic: inflation, currency, and welfare o Political: lack of Roman pride among those who werent truly Roman, corruption, and infamous emperors. o Social: slavery, stasis of progress and development, bread and circuses. Geographic expansion and physical features of the empire.

Evidence Outcomes: SWBAT: o Identify the various causes for the decline of Rome by creating a timeline of key events using information from secondary sources and lecture. o Draw and label Romes physical features by using geographic tools, e.g. atlases, Google Maps, textbook, etc.

Assessment of Evidence Outcomes: I will assess students ability to use geographic tools and analyze sources by their timelines of Rome and Greece and maps of the Roman Empire. This will also show their understanding of Romes expansion and downfall.

Planned Lesson Activities: Activity Name: Geography, chronology, and decline of the Roman Empire. o Time: Two 55-minute periods and one 90-minute block period. Anticipatory Set: o Students will complete a Bell-Ringer writing activity, answering: why do civilizations fall? This will activate background knowledge by having students think back to why other civilizations we have covered (India, China, and Greece) and the causes for the decline of dynasties, emperors, and/or city-states. We will then discuss their responses as a class, and tie it into how they think Rome will fall. Teaching/Presentation: o Input: I will present a PowerPoint slideshow giving a basic outline of the events/reasons leading to Romes decline. Students will take Cornell Notes on the presentation and I will ask discussion questions that relate the content to past topics and what is currently happening in the US, e.g. do you think America is on a similar path of decline? o Modeling: Students will create a timeline of Greece and Rome, which will help them study for the summative assessment, and I will model how students can use color or symbols to distinguish between the two. Also, students will be reminded of the meaning and correct usage of Before Common Era (BCE) and Common Era (CE)this was explained during the last unit, but some students still did not fully understand how to count the number of years when using this. For the map activity, I will provide a past exemplar for students to give students an idea of what their maps should look like. o Checking for Understanding: As students are working on their Bell-Ringer, I will walk around the room to make sure they are doing the writing, and to give them subtle hints of past content that will help guide their recollection.

During the lecture, I will ask students for input on questions and comparisons of the content being learned to past content, and for predictions on what they think will happen next given certain information. Questioning Strategies: Can you find the meaning of Beware the Ides of March? What differences exist between how Greece fell and the decline of Rome? What factors would you change if you were emperor of Rome? What problems arose from slavery? What would happen if Rome did not split into two empires? Can you see a possible solution to Rome being relieved of persistent foreign invaders? Teaching Strategy: Guided Practice & Differentiation As we go through the modeling, students will sketch the basic timeline I will post on the board. If with either activity, I will provide further instruction on an individual basis, and for the whole class if many of them are struggling. Independent Practice: Students will work independently on a timeline and map activity, for which they will sharpen their ability to interpret sources and directions. This is to prepare them for the upcoming unit assessment, mainly the source analysis portion, as this is what the majority struggled with on the previous unit assessment on India-China. Closure: We will play Jeopardy, as an entire class to review what we have learned throughout the unit. The questions will mirror the ones they will see on the unit assessment, and students will be placed in teams of 4-5 and be allowed to use their notes. Materials: Computer w/Projector Whiteboard w/dry-erase markers Class set of instructions for Greece-Rome Timeline and Map Activity. 100 blank maps of the Eurasia 100 blank sheets of blank white extra-long paper. Colored pencils, markers, and crayons Class sets of atlases and textbooks. Accommodations & Modifications:

SSN will complete timelines of Greece and Rome for which will have to cut and paste the modified events from a separate sheet. For the map activity, they will be given maps with most of the requirements already labeled and they will have to color in the features and label the major bodies of water. SPED students will be given a reduced number of events to include on their timelines. They will be given maps with political borders and rivers drawn in and be required to label and color the Roman empire, major bodies of water and physical features. o Assessment: I will collect the timelines and maps students complete to determine if we need further instruction/practice prior to the formative unit assessment, which will assess their knowledge of Greece and Rome and ability to interpret sources.

Post Lesson Reflection 1. To what extent were lesson objectives achieved? (Utilize assessment data to justify your level of achievement) Students were able to complete the timeline activity with ease, but they struggled with the map activity. I believe the reason for this being the blank maps they were given were too small to align with the sources they use and fill-in with the number of requirements. A majority of the SSN and SPED students were able to complete the map assignment before the rest of the class, so they most likely will need something a bit more challenging for similar assignments in the future. Students enjoyed the jeopardy review, and seem prepared, content-wise, for the unit assessment. 2. What changes, omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you were to teach again? I would provide them with either maps printed on a bigger sheet of paper, or reduce the number of requirements. I would also explicitly state that they can use Google Earth or Google Maps on their phones, as this would provide them with more relevance to what they are most likely to use for directions rather than an atlas. 3. What do you envision for the next lesson? (Continued practice, reteach content, etc.)

The formative unit assessment will be next class, and I will provide them with test-taking strategies, as well as posting a similar map to the one they will see on the test and guide them through a brief set of questions and tips for analyzing maps.