All Roads Lead to Rome

Over the next couple of weeks you will be gather information for your research project on Rome. Below is a list of research topics. You should read over the list and choose a topic that sounds interesting. Even though your book covers most of these topics it will be necessary to do additional research to prepare for your Power Point presentation. You will then be working in the Calc with Mrs. Siwinski to develop the Power Point presentation with your findings.

To get started, imagine that you were asked to teach a group of third graders about your topic. It will be necessary for you to organize all of your research and present it in a way that they will understand.

While you are all doing different topics, everyone’s goal is to present your topic by describing the who, what, when, where, why, and how information. Once you have done this, it is essential to explain your topics’ importance to Roman history. If you have not figured this out yet, you should keep working on it.

At the end of this process you will hopefully discover why all roads lead to Rome.

To accomplish this task you should do the following:

Choose a topic from the list below.

Formation and Structure of the Roman Republic
The Twelve Tables and the Struggle for Rights
Punic Wars with a focus on the 2nd Punic War
Expansion of the Roman Republic
Causes of the Fall of the Roman Republic
Rise and Leadership of Julius Caesar
Military –organization, technology, tactics
Roads
Aqueducts
Legal System within the Empire
Rise and Leadership of Oct avian Augustus
Leadership of Nero
Leadership of Trajan
Leadership of Hadrian
Leadership of Marcus Aurelius
Pax Romana / Keeping the Empire Unified
The Colloseum – architecture, construction, features
Gladiators
Social Rank in the Empire
Benefits of Life in the Empire
Public Baths
Roman Religion / Gods
Economy – trade, agriculture, manufacturing, etc.
Christianity – growth, treatment of Christians, catacombs
Leadership of Diocletian / Changes Under His Leadership
Leadership of Constantine/ Changes Under His Leadership
Barbarians
Causes of the Fall of the Empire

Access Storserv, Curricular Projects, Rome folder. In your period make a folder for yourself titled with your name. All your work will be saved in this folder.

Adhere to the timeline. It is imperative for your success and to bring the project to a timely conclusion that you brainstorm and formulate you information for each slide at home.

You will create a Power Point presentation with seven to ten slides to help you present your topic to the class.

All information must be in your own words!!! Your slides should include important information and images related to your topic, but you should not write in sentences – words and phrases are more effective in a powerpoint presentation. Simple slides are better than slides that have too many words and images. The text will be summary points written to help you support the ideas you are presenting to your classmates in the oral presentation.

You can use uncopyrighted photos to help to enhance your presentation. Remember to save all the images to your server account, in the gif or jpg format. One sources for Photos can be ClipArt .com at http://www.clipart.com. Ask Mrs. Siwinski for the password.

Your presentation is due on May 5 (when we get to your particular topic in class, you will give your presentation). At the time of your presentation, you will distribute a handout of your presentation to the class. You will also submitted a copy to the teacher.

Your presentation will be assessed according to the attached rubric.

Besides learning why all roads lead to Rome this project will help you sharpen your technology skills. You will have the opportunity to become more familiar with the research databases available through our library and how to filter through facts to find information supporting your topic. You will also become more proficient in the use of Power Point.

This project designed and implemented by Andrew Burke and Jamie Murray history teachers, for Germantown Academy Middle School . Technical support and assistance furnished by Carol Siwnski, Curricular Technology Specialist .

April, 2004