INQUIRY - MINI LESSON PLAN
EDU 512
The Development of Rome
Inquiry Mini Lesson Plan (Based on SIOP Model)
Lesson Plan Title: The Development of Rome
Name: Adam Hill
Grade Level: 6th
Social Studies Content Learning Objective(s):
After the mini lesson on the Political Development of
Rome, students in grade 6 will be able to describe
orally and produce a poster or power point
presentation, which depicts a personal
interpretation of currency during the Roman Empire
with 95% accuracy.
ELA (Academic) Language Objective
Students in Grade 6 will extend their research skills
by referring to details and examples within text and
online sources. Students will have the opportunity
to explain and discuss the ideas presented within
historical text, historical websites, and historical
videos.
ELD (Academic) Language Objective:
Students in Grade 6 will exchange information and
ideas through oral collaborative discussions.
Students will interact with peers in English and will
become engage with various texts, prints and
multimedia.
Cog. Taxonomy/DOK Levels
Level 3: Strategic Thinking: Investigate, Cite
Evidence, Differentiate
Level 2: Skill/Concept: Classify, Collect, Display,
Summarize, Organize
Level 1: Recall: Define, Identify, Illustrate, Who,
What, When, Where, Why
Central Focus Statement: pg 76
Date: 2/28/17
Grade Level Content Standards:
6.7.2 Describe the government of the Roman
Republic and its significance (e.g., written
constitution and tripartite government, checks and
balances, civic duty).
ELA Language Standards for Grade Level
SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse
media and formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively,
orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic,
text, or issue under study.
RH. 6.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts,
graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other
information in print and digital texts.
WHST.6.6. Use technology, including the Internet,
to produce and publish writing and present the
relationships between information and ideas
clearly and efficiently.
WHST.6.8. Gather relevant information from
multiple print and digital sources, using search
terms effectively; assess the credibility and
accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase
the data and conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format.
ELD Standards (2014) for Grade Level
Collaborative
2. Interacting with others in written English in
various communicative forms (print,
communicative technology, and multimedia)
Interpretive
6. Reading closely literary and informational texts
and viewing multimedia to determine how
meaning is conveyed explicitly and implicitly
through language
Productive
10. Writing literary and informational texts to
present, describe, and explain ideas and
information, using appropriate technology
Students will gather and organize information relating to the political development of Rome, through the
use of investigation with textbook, websites, and videos.

Language Demand Statement: edTPA pg 75

Students will use specific academic language (vocabulary, functions, discourse, syntax) while sharing
their information about the political development of Rome in order to participate in a learning task that
demonstrates their disciplinary understanding.

Language Function Statement: edTPA pg 75

The content and language in this lesson will focus on the learning task and interpreting of currency
during the Roman Empire by the active vocabulary used. Therefore, students will identify main ideas and
details that represent their investigation and express their investigation ideas with creativity.

Materials Key Academic Vocabulary Research Based Learning

Poster Paper
The United States
Currency Graph
Crayons, Markers, Colored
Pencils
Computer/Internet access
Power Point
Social Studies Journal
YouTube
NearPod App
World History California:
Student Edition Grades 6-
8 Ancient Civilizations by
Rinhart and Winston Holt
The Rise of Rome: The
Making of the Worlds
Greatest Empire by
Anthony Everitt
The Political Development
of Rome: 1012-85 by S.
McQuillan
Artisan A craftsperson
Empire - an extensive group of
states or countries under a single
supreme authority, formerly
especially an emperor or empress
Republic- is a system of government
in which the will of the people was
mediated by representatives, who
might be wiser and better educated
than the average person
Senate- Legal and administrative
body of Rome, council of elders
Currency - a system of money in
general use
Strategies (provide
text chapters/reference)
K-W-L Chart: Activate Background
Knowledge, Scaffolding (Tompkins)
Anticipation Guides (Tompkins)
Student to Student Interaction
(SDAIE)
Tapping into Prior Knowledge (SDAIE)
Use of Technology (SDAIE)
Think-Pair-Share (McEwan-Adkins)
Visualize-Organize (McEwan-Adkins)

Pre-Assessment: How Motivation Strategy: How will you Real World Connection: How are
will you determine prior catch attention of students and focus learning goals relevant to students
knowledge? their minds on the learning goals? lives?

With the use of an
anticipation guide,
students will complete a
chart on The United States
Currency. This will lead
students in the
understanding of what
should be included on
currency. After the chart is
completed, a
Group discussion will take
Students, when ancient Romans
needed silk, perfumes, pottery,
statues, weapons, or musical
instruments, they often traded items
or purchased the products. The year
is 100 C.E. and you are an artisan
who lives in ancient Rome during the
era of the Roman Empire. You have
recently been hired to create a
currency to reflect the daily life and
culture of the Roman Empire. This
Students will have the opportunity to
become engaged with this lesson by
activating background knowledge of
currency that is used today. Students
will research and fill out the meaning
of The United States currency graph.
In addition, students will lead a
discussion and share their creativity
and research by presenting their
creation to the class. Students will
be able to create their currency
place to make predictions will help us expand our knowledge based on research and current
about what type of and learn about the daily currency being used in our country
information the students developments of Rome. After doing today.
will include on the research, you will create currency by
currency based on drawing or using the computer
information covered in based on the guideline I will hand
past lessons. out. Remember to be creative and
accurate with your information.

All strategies will be research based and
from one of the texts. Please provide
reference for each.
Teacher: Presentation/ Learning
Activities (Strategy Steps)
(includes language and content objectives,
comprehensible input, strategies , interaction,
feedback. Use bullet points in each of the
three areas below.
1. Teacher will discuss important things
studied in class about the development of
Rome (Anticipatory Set)
2. Students will complete The United States
Currency chart to better understand
currency. Present question for inquiry: What
type of currency can be created as an artisan
during the Roman Empire?
3. Examine images/videos depicting the
Roman Empire and The United States
Currency chart.
Ask students to share with their group
what they notice in the pictures, and
then share as a class.
What inferences can students make
about the development of Rome?
What evidence do they use to support
their inference?
. 4. Teacher will present Motivation
Strategy
Students will create a poster/power
point including images and
information gathered depicting a
made-up currency from the Roman
Empire.
Students will present their finished
product to the class.
5. Students will begin researching the inquiry
question.
Groups of 2-4 will be assigned
Each group will focus on the lifestyle
of the artisans during the Roman
Empire.
Students will be in mixed groups and
express their creativity.
Each group member will provide
shape, double-sided currency,
number value of the money, 4
drawings and 4 phrases that
represent the daily life of ancient
Students: Practice and Application
Note meaningful activities, interaction, strategies, practice
and application,
feedback in each of the three areas below.
1. The teacher and students will discuss important facts
they have studied about the development of Rome.
2. Students will complete The United States Currency chart
to better understand currency.
3. Students will examine different images of the Roman
Empire presented in class. Using background knowledge or
evidence from the images, students will compare/contrast
things they notice within these images and the United
States currency, and share with the class.
4. Students will be introduced to the Motivation Strategy,
which they are asked to create a poster/power point using
images, drawings, and captions in order to demonstrate
their understanding of different families that exist
throughout the world.
5. Students will be divided into mixed groups and will
research artisans during the Roman Empire in order to
demonstrate an understanding of currency used during the
Roman Empire. Student will then present their final project
with their classmates.
Collaborative (engagement with others)
Students think, pair, share; discuss background
knowledge.
As a class, students will examine images; discuss
inferences and evidence of the development of Rome.
In mixed groups students will conduct research to
create a poster/power point depicting currency for the
Roman Empire.
Interpretative (comprehension and analysis of
written and spoken texts)
Students will interpret the images, which depict the
different traditions, customs, etc. of the Roman Empire.
Students will work together to comprehend and analyze
written texts, which provide information regarding the
different ideas of what currency could look like during
the Roman Empire.
Productive (creation of oral presentations and
written texts)
Students will work collaboratively to create a
poster/power point.
Students will collectively present their poster to the
class.
Students will produce a written metacognitive
 Romans, design and one full paragraph which addresses what the students learned
paragraph for each poster/power from the process, what strategies they used and how
point. their developing currency was expanded.

Collaborative (engagement with others)

Students will demonstrate think-pair-
share
Students will work in mixed groups

Interpretative (comprehension and

analysis of written and spoken texts)
Students will analyze images, which
depict the different traditions, customs,
etc. of the Roman Empire.
Students will comprehend, analyze and
organize grade appropriate texts, which
provide information and facts relating to
the development of the Roman Empire.

Productive (creation of oral

presentations and written texts)
Students work to create a poster/power
point depicting the inquiry questions.
Students will present their finished
project as a group.
Students will produce a written
metacognitive paragraph as a group
summarizing what they learned during
their inquiry approach.

Review and Assessment: What specific Student Reflection: How will you provide for
assessment tools are being used? student reflection on learning?

Category Exceeds Meets Does Not Students will write their one paragraph (4 - 6
Expectatio Expectatio Meet sentences) in their Social Studies Journal on what
ns ns Expectatio they have learned during their research. This writing
ns need to explain the significance of the shape,
Writing Detailed The writing Lacks drawings, phrases, and design. The students need to
writing is clear important be sure to create and write about research based on
includes and details. the Roman Empire times. Then, students will share
informatio includes Facts may their paragraphs with their groups.
n that is good be
clearly details. confusing,
explained Phrases disorganiz
and are very ed or
developed. creative. minimal.
Phrases Phrases
are are difficult
exceptiona to
lly understan
creative. d or are
illogical.
Mechanic There are 1-2 errors 3-5 errors
s no errors in spelling, in spelling,
in spelling, punctuatio punctuatio
punctuatio n, n,
n, capitalizati capitalizati
capitalizati on, or on, or
 on, or grammar grammar.
grammar
Illustratio Exceptiona Very neat, Messy and
ns & lly neat, colorful, show
Design colorful, detailed minimal
detailed and show effort.
and show good
great effort.
effort.
Use of Used class Almost Did not
class time well always use class
time during the used class time well
class time well. and
period. Almost frequently
Completel always distracted
y focused focused on others.
on completing
completing the project
the and
project. usually did
Never not
distracted distract
others others.

Teacher Reflection
What do you anticipate to be a problem for specific students in completing either objective?

ELD Objective
EL and struggling students may struggle to identify useful information from within the texts. Also,
students may struggle to explain and discuss the information they came across in historical texts
because od their language barrier. Furthermore, students may struggle with the vocabulary
introduced during their research since there may be differences between their native language and
English.

Content Objective
Students may struggle with picking the most relevant information for their project. Also, working in
mixed groups may result in a few students (ELs) to not participate.

What would likely go well? Why?

Students will benefit from working cooperatively to research important information regarding creating
currency they were assigned to investigate. In addition, students will be able to ask questions of one
another and share new findings. Their final project will most likely go well since it will include written and
visual aspects that tend to appeal the students while learning.

In what area(s) would you like to develop more proficiency?

In order to develop more proficiency during this lesson, students would benefit from direct instruction
when it comes to using resources in order to find new information, such as text or online resources.
Therefore, appropriate methods for evaluating resources should be introduced.

What theory or theorists would most strongly support use of this strategy?
The theory that would most strongly support this strategy would be, Constructivist Learning by Dewey,
Piaget, and Vygotsky. This theory explains how people acquire and learn through direct application of
educations. Therefore, students tend to construct knowledge and meaning from their experiences.
Furthermore, Knowledge Discovery allows students to investigate, use creative thinking, and
infer/generalize new information, which students practice throughout this lesson.

Attach copy of student work

Strategies to extend the lesson- Fill in chart below:

Wright Text Description of strategy
1. Paired Reading Student reads aloud in
tandem with an
accomplished reader. At a
student signal, the helping
reader stops reading, while
the student continues on.
When the student commits a
reading error, the helping
reader resumes reading in
tandem.
2. Prior Through a series of guided
Knowledge: questions, the instructor
Activating the helps students activate their
known prior knowledge of a specific
topic to help them
comprehend the content.
50 Literacy
Strategies
1. Anticipation The purpose of this activity is
Guides to stimulate students interest
in the topic and to activate
background knowledge, and
after students discuss
anticipation guide
statements, theyre better
prepared to comprehend the
reading assignment.
2. Readers Theatre Students each assume a
part, rehearse by reading and
rereading their characters
lines in the script, and then
do a performance for their
classmates.
50 Social Studies
Strategies
1. Primary Sources The analysis of both primary
and secondary sources
contributes to a historians
interpretation of the past.
This includes, first person
accounts, images,
documents, creative work of
time, and data.
2. Graphic Graphic organizers allow
Organizers students of all ages to
organize information in visual
ways.
Technology YouTube videos and internet
Resources
How strategy is
helpful
This strategy is helpful in
allowing students proper
assistance and guidance
in reading. This will help
build student confidence
in their reading ability.
Linking new facts to
prior knowledge
increases a students linking old information with already
inferential
comprehension.
Are used before reading
content-area textbooks because providing students with
and informational books
to help students activate
background knowledge.
This is an effective
strategy for English
Learners and other specific group of people in the
students who are not yet
fluent readers. They gain
valuable oral readings
practice in a relaxed,
small group setting.
This can help students
access moments of life
from the past, revealing time in history. Allowing them access
elements of social
political, economic,
and/or cultural history.
This visual
representation is a way
to make meaning of
what they are reading or
hearing. It allows them
to see connections not
always evident in a
traditional narrative.
This allows students to
research information on
the internet through
Rationale for selecting & links
to student/standards
Applying this strategy will allow
students to better do research based
on the task. This will also help
develop the proper knowledge for
students to successfully research and
make connections to the information
being processed.
Due to this being a continuation
lesson on the development of Rome,
known information will help students
better understand what belongs on
currency.
Using this strategy is beneficial
questions that could help activate
prior knowledge will help them better
understand the task at hand.
This could be beneficial since the
students will be working with a
Roman Empire. This will allow
students to better understand the
roles of the people they will be
researching.
This would be beneficial because the
students are dealing with a specific
to multiple sources of the past will
help them better understand what
they are researching.
This is a great strategy to check what
students already know, want to know,
and must know. This is also a great
tool for students to get a visual
representation of key ideas and facts
from the passage.
This is a great way to break up the
monotony of reading and getting
information from a textbook. This
educational websites allows a student to receive
and educational videos information from multiple sources
on YouTube. which will keep the students engaged
for much longer.