Ancient Rome - The Empire - Vergil, Horace, Ovid

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
Selections from Ovid, Vergil, and Horace
(Opening of the Metamorphoses, Opening of Aeneid, In Praise of My Father from Satires)

Discussion:
Purpose of poetry in Rome
Important topics poets discussed
Poets' relationship with government (Ovid's exile)

Activity:
Listen to the Aeneid in Latin; attempt to find the meter.

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Dicots - Asteridae

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Plants and Plant Life Vol. 10: The Dicotyledons by Michael Allaby

Discussion:
More foods!
-plantains (how are they different from bananas?)
-potato, tomato
-coffee
-olive (and lilac)
And more flowers!
-morning glory
-periwinkle, oleander
-bellflower
-honeysuckle

Activity:
Add potato, coffee, olive, periwinkle and morning glory to Plant Kingdom tree
Go out in the garden and see how many kinds of Asteridae plants we have
Cook with the foods mentioned - Greek omelette breakfast, anyone?

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Octavian

Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Octavian - accomplishments
The Empire vs. The Republic (systems of government comparison)

Activity:
Make an Emperors comparison chart (Name, Year of Death and Cause, Contributions, Grade).  Add Octavian

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Dicots - Lamiidae

Plants and Plant Life Vol. 10: The Dicotyledons by Michael Allaby

Discussion:
Herbs - growing herbs in a garden

Activity:
Add mint and sage to Plant Kingdom tree
Cook some things using herbs from the Lamiidae family

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Review

The student should be able to identify the following:

• Adriatic Sea
• Tiber River
• Italy
• Rome
• Tyrrhenian Sea
• Sicily
• Sardinia
• Corsica
• Spain
• Gaul
• The Alps
• The Pyrenees
• Rubicon River
• Appian Mountains
• The Po River

The student should be familiar with the following figures and stories:

• The Aeneid
• Romulus and Remus
• The Sabine Women
• The Lares
• Hannibal
• Pyrrhus
• The Gracchi Brothers
• Crassus
• Pompey
• Julius Caesar
• Cleopatra
• Mark Anthony

The student should be able to answer the following questions:

• Why are Roman gods similar to Greek gods?
• Name two gods the Romans had that the Greeks did not.
• Who were the Vestal Virgins?  Why were they important?
• Explain the Roman system of government under the Republic.
• Who were patricians?  Who were plebians?  
• Explain the structure of the Roman army.  
• Name five people or groups who fought Rome and nearly won.
• What was the Conflict of Orders?
• Who was Spartacus? Why is he important? 
• What were some causes of the Social Wars?
• Why did Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus band together as the First Triumvirate?  Why did it break up?
• Why did Mark Anthony and Cleopatra fight Octavian?
• What were some things Octavian did as Emperor?

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Dicots - Rosidae III

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Plants and Plant Life Vol. 10: The Dicotyledons by Michael Allaby

Discussion:
A mixed bag, showing the diversity of Rosidae plants
-roses
-flax
-dogwood, holly
-frankincense and myrrh
-mahogany
-mangrove
-eucalyptus
-ivy

Activity:
Add roses, dogwood, frankincense, mahogany, mangrove, eucalyptus, and ivy to Plant Kingdom tree
Take a walk and identify all the Rosidae plants; see how many you can get.  Reward with equal number of jelly beans.

Ancient Rome - Late Republic - Second Triumvirate

"The Man Who Looked Like Hercules" from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane
Queen Cleopatra by Tom Stressguth
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Second Triumvirate - Octavian, Lepidus, Antony
Battle of Actium
Octavian as Emperor - why he won and Caesar didn't

Activity:
Re-enact the Battle of Actium
Crown Octavian Emperor

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Dicots - Rosidae II

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
From Maple Tree to Syrup by Melanie Mitchell
Plants and Plant Life Vol. 10: The Dicotyledons by Michael Allaby

Discussion:
Types of Rosidae plants we eat
-legumes
-cashew, mango
-maple syrup
-tree fruits (apples, pears, citrus, stone fruit, raspberries, blackberries)
-tree nuts (walnuts, hickory, pecans)
-root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, celery, fennel)
-grapes
-pomegrante
What do all these plants have in common?

Activity:
Add apples, oranges, carrots, walnuts, beans, and maples to Plant Kingdom tree
Go through kitchen and pantry, identifying foods that come from Rosidae

Ancient Rome - Late Repulic - Julius Caesar

"Caesar and His Fortune" from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane
Julius Caesar and the Roman Republic by Miriam Greenblatt
The Library of Alexandria by Kelly Trumble and Robina MacIntyre Marshall

Discussion:
Life of Caesar
The first emperor
Assassination

Activity:
Playmobil reenactment of Caesar crossing the Rubicon, asking to be dictator, assassination

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Dicots - Rosidae I

Venus fly trap - The Private Life of Plants - David Attenborough - BBC Wildlife
Poisonous Pitcher plant - The Private Life of Plants - David Attenborough - BBC Wildlife

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Insect-Eating Plants by L. Patricia Kite
Plants and Plant Life Vol. 10: The Dicotyledons by Michael Allaby

Discussion:
Why do some plants eat animals?

Activity:
Add venus fly trap to Plant Kingdom tree
Field Trip to United States Botanic Garden

Ancient Rome - Late Republic - First Triumvirate

"The Conqueror of Pirates" from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Pompey, Caesar, Crassus
Crossing the Rubicon

Activity:
Map study - where were the members of the First Triumvirate stationed?
Narration: Life of Pompey

Ancient Rome - Late Republic - Cleopatra

Queen Cleopatra by Tom Streisguth

Discussion:
Review of Egypt - geography, monarchy, religion
Alexander the Great and the Ptolemies
Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII

Activity:
Mapping Egypt
Picture Study - Ptolemaic Egypt - compare to Old, Middle, New Kingdom art/imagery

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Dicots - Hamamelidae

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Plants and Plant Life Vol. 10: The Dicotyledons by Michael Allaby
Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro and Loretta Krupinski
First Field Guide: Trees by the National Audubon Society

Vocabulary Added:
hamamelidae: oaks and their relatives

Discussion:
Leaves with net-like veins

Activity:
Go outside.  Identify Hamamelids (oak, beech, chestnut, birch, hazelnut)
Obtain acorns, hazelnuts, beech nuts, chestnuts.  Cook and eat if possible.
Add hamamelidae to Plant Kingdom tree

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Dicots - Overview

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Plants and Plant Life Vol. 10: The Dicotyledons by Michael Allaby
First Field Guide: Trees by the National Audubon Society

Discussion:
Review of Monocots vs. Dicots

Activity:
Add dicots to Plant Kingdom tree
Go outside.  Identify again monocots vs. dicots.

Ancient Rome - Late Republic - Slave Revolt

"The Man Who Loved Gold" from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Spartacus
Crassus

Activity:
Narration - Spartacus vs. Crassus

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Dicots - Magnolias

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
First Field Guide: Trees by the National Audubon Society
It Could Still Be a Flower by Allan Fowler

Vocabulary Added:
angiosperm: vessel-seed
magnolia: (named after a French botanist, Magnol)

Discussion:
Flowers - structure, parts, purpose
Pollination
Fruit
Sassafras - an ancient magnolid

Activity:
Go outside.  Identify Magnolias.
Obtain nutmeg.  Grate it.  Cook something with it.
Add dicots - magnolias - to Plant Kingdom tree

Ancient Rome - Late Republic - Social Wars

"The Red General" from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane
Tools of the Ancient Romans

Discussion:
Social Wars - expansion, wealth, land reform

Activity:
Rich kid, poor kid - distribute toys unevenly to children.  Give child with all the toys all the power.  See what happens.

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Monocots - Lillidae

Plants and Plant Life Vol. 9: The Monocotyledons by Michael Allaby
Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Flowers by Dwight Kuhn and Elaine Pascoe

Vocabulary Added:
lillidae: lily order
iridaceae: rainbow (iris)
liliaceae: lillies
amaryllidaceae: daffodils
agavaceae: agave
orchidaceae: orchids

Discussion:
"bulb" plants
Orchids - picture study - evolution with pollinators

Activity:
Add musaceae, zingiberaceae to the Plant Kingdom Tree
Dig up some bulb flowers.  Cut one open to look inside.
Eat an onion.

Ancient Rome - Late Republic - Gracchi Brothers, Cicero

"Two Noble Brothers" from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane
"Tully" from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson
Julius Caesar and the Roman Republic by Miriam Greenblatt

Discussion:
The Gracchi vs. the Senate
Land reform - why does it matter?
Cicero and the Cataline conspiracy

Activity:
Make a map of a fake country.  Divide the land up among playmobil people.  Explain what the Gracchi wanted to do.

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Monocots - Arecidae

Plants and Plant Life Vol. 9: The Monocotyledons by Michael Allaby
Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko

Vocabulary Added:
arecidae: palm

Discussion:
Palm trees - where they grow, kinds of fruits and products used

Activity:
Add arecidae to the Plant Kingdom Tree
Cook something with dates and coconuts, palm oil, hearts of palm
See if you can find a palm growing somewhere (maybe in someone's house...)

Ancient Rome - Late Republic - Geography

"The General Who Ate Dry Bread," from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Rome's expansion throughout the Hellenistic world
Review of places already studied

Activity:
Mapping the Late Republic
Narration: Life of Gaius Marius

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Monocots - Musaceae and Zingiberaceae

Plants and Plant Life Vol. 9: The Monocotyledons by Michael Allaby
Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko

Vocabulary Added:
musaceae: banana
zingiberaceae: ginger

Discussion:
How ginger and bananas grow, get pollinated

Activity:
Add musaceae, zingiberaceae to the Plant Kingdom Tree
Cook something with bananas and ginger

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Military - Punic Wars

Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson
Review of the Aeneid, retold in Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark
"A Roman Undismayed" from The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans by Frederick James Gould, William Dean Howells, and Walter Crane

Discussion:
Legend vs. Reality of Aeneas and Dido
Review of Hannibal

Activity:
Reenact the Punic Wars

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Monocots - Commelinidae - Graminae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae

Plants and Plant Life Vol. 9: The Monocotyledons by Michael Allaby
Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
From Cane to Sugar by Jill Braithwaite

Vocabulary Added:
commelinidae:
graminae: grass
cyperaceae: (sedges)
juncaceae: (rushes)

Discussion:
cereals are grasses
famous sedge - papyrus
rushes we know - cattails

Activity:
Add graminae, cyperaceae, juncaceae to the Plant Kingdom Tree
Go outside.  Find examples of the three families studied. Cut the sedge open and compare to the grass.  Bake something with flour.

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Pyrrhus and the Pyrrhic Wars

Plutarch's Lives, Volume II: "Life of Pyrrhus"

Discussion:
Review of cultures and geography - Greece, Macedonia, Sicily, etc
Understanding disparate power struggles - non-unified kingdoms
Meaning of "Pyrrhic victory"

Activity:
Trace Pyrrhus' route on a map; reenact Pyrrhic Wars

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Monocots - Overview

Plants and Plant Life Vol. 9: The Monocotyledons by Michael Allaby
Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko

Vocabulary Added:
monocot: one-leaf
dicot: two-leaf

Discussion:
What is a monocot?  How is it different from a dicot?

Activity:
Obtain a monocot and dicot.  Compare.  (Example: bulb flower/grass/palm vs. bean plant/rose/oak)
Add monocots to the Plant Kingdom Tree
Draw a comparison of monocots/dicots

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Military - Roads and Forts

A Roman Fort by Fiona Macdonald and Gerald Wood
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Road-building - why?
Parts of a fort, people who work there

Activity:
Build a model Roman fort

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Nymphaeales and Piperales

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Experiments with Plants by Salvatore Tocci

Vocabulary Added:
nymphaeales: water-guardians
piperales: pepper

Discussion:
Why are these two types of plants different from all other flowering plants?

Activity:
Field Trip to Brookside Gardens - examine water lilies
Add water lily and pepper to the Plant Kingdom tree
Draw and label a water lily or pepper plant
Make a bean plant maze using the beans that, hopefully, have germinated

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Military - Soldiers

How to Be a Roman Soldier by Fiona Macdonald and Nicholas Hewetson

Discussion:
Types of soldiers
Weapons and gear
Deployments
Differences between the Roman army and Alexander the Great's

Activity:
Arm yourself!  Pretend to be a Roman soldier!

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - Angiosperms - Overview

Classifying Flowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons
Experiments with Plants by Salvatore Tocci

Vocabulary Added:
angiosperm: vessel-seed

Discussion:
Flowers - structure, parts, purpose
Pollination
Fruit

Activity:
Go outside.  Find 5 flowering plants and show what is common to them all.

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Military - Organization

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
"The Guardian Geese" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
Division and organization of the Roman army
Changes over time
The Roman navy compared to regional competitors

Activity:
Use colored blocks, coins, or other manipulatives to show the divisions of the Roman army

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Art and Architecture

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
Ancient Roman Art by Susie Hodge
Rome in Spectacular Cross-Section by Stephen Biesty
"A Shot in the Dark" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
Roman contributions to architecture and buildings - arch, dome
Appian Way, Aqueduct
Religion and art

Activity:
Copy a famous Roman work of art

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - "Gymnosperms"

Life on Earth - 03 - The First Forests (34:10-42:00)

Classifying Nonflowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
First Field Guide: Trees, National Audubon Society
Plants and Plant Life, Vol. 8: Conifers by Michael Allaby
From Tree to Paper by Pam Marshall

Vocabulary Added:
cycad: palm (which is dumb, because it's not a palm)
conifer: cone-bearer
ginkgo: silver fruit (with apologies for its long etymological journey into English)

Discussion:
Ways of protecting seeds - cones, shells, nuts, etc.

Activity:
Add cycad, ginko, and conifer to the Plant Kingdom tree
Collect pine cones; open them up and look inside.  Look for mature/immature cones on trees.  See how many types you can find.

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Food

Life in the Roman Empire: The City by Kathryn Hinds
The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
Ancient Roman Art by Susie Hodge

"A Wild-Goose Chase" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
Foods available
Food economy
Country - Market - Villa

Activity:
Roman feast!
Review of Falernus and Liber myth

Plants - Embryophytes - Tracheophytes - 'Pteridophytes'

Equisetum hyemale releases spores
Life on Earth - 03 - The First Forests (21:40-28:08)

Classifying Nonflowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Plants and Plant Life, Vol 7: Mosses and Ferns by Jill Bailey
Experiments with Plants by Salvatore Tocci

Vocabulary Added:
tracheophyte: throat-plant
pteridophyte: fern-plant
pterophyte: wing-plant
germination: growth from the seed

Discussion:
Inside a seed - plant germination

Activity:
Draw and label a horsetail and fern
Add horsetail and fern to Plant Kingdom tree
Go outside and look for ferns and horsetails
Take beans apart and identify the root, stem, and food parts

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Public and Private Religion

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
Ancient Roman Art  by Susie Hodge
Rome in Spectacular Cross-Section by Stephen Biesty
Clothes and Crafts in Roman Times by Philip Steele
"Telltale Tit" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
Lararium - the household gods
Forum - public gods
What does "state religion" mean?

Activity:
Review of gods and goddesses learned
Narration: tell a Roman myth

Plants - Embryophtes - Lycophytes

Lifecycle of Selaginella apoda

Classifying Nonflowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Plants and Plant Life, Vol. 7: Mosses and Ferns by Jill Bailey
Plants and Plant Life, Vol. 3: Life Processes by Jill Bailey
Experiments with Plants by Salvatore Tocci

Vocabulary Added:
lycophyte: wolf-plant
respiration: breathing

Discussion:
What do plants need?  (Water, Sunlight, Carbon Dioxide) - plant respiration

Activity:
Draw and label a lycophyte
Add lycophytes to Plant Kingdom tree
Go outside and look for spikemoss or quillwort
Suck the chlorophyll out of a leaf with rubbing alcohol

Ancient Rome - The Republic - City and Town

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
Rome in Spectacular Cross-Section by Stephen Biesty
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson
"The Man Who Cut Down Trees" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
The forum - purpose, function
Marketplaces
Home - town, country, villa - altars at home (Lares)

Activity:
Sandbox design of a Roman town
Picture study - building design, especially arches and domes; plan of the villa
Map study - Ancient Koeln, Ancient Rome

Plants - Embryophytes - Bryophytes

Bryophytes, the secret plants that surround us (1:35-3:30)
Life on Earth - 03 - The First Forests (20:50-21:50)

Classifying Nonflowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Plants and Plant Life, Vol. 3: Life Processes by Jill Bailey
Plants and Plant Life, Vol. 7: Mosses and Ferns by Jill Bailey

Vocabulary Added:

embryophyte: early-plant

bryophyte: moss-plant
photosynthesis: making food from sun, water, and carbon dioxide

Activity: 

Draw and label a bryophyte

Add bryophytes to the Plant Kingdom tree

Go outside and look for moss, hornwort, liverwort

Find a patch of grass that has had something on top of it so that the plants haven't had sunlight; compare to healthy grass

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Plebians and Slaves

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
Clothes and Crafts in Roman Times by Philip Steele
"Liber-ality" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
Differences between plebians and patricians
Clash of the Orders
Plebian rights

Activity:
Pretend to be a slave for an hour.  Switch roles.

Plants - Green Algae

Life on Earth - 03 - The First Forests (3:45 - 5:00)

Classifying Nonflowering Plants by Francine D. Galko
Plants and Plant Life, Vol. 6: Algae & Fungi by Jill Bailey
Plants and Plant Life, Vol. 3: Life Processes by Jill Bailey
Experiments with Plants by Salvatore Tocci

Vocabulary Added:
chlorophyta: green-plant
lichen: ("to lick"); fungus + plant relationship
osmosis: absorbing water through cell walls

Discussion:
What do plants need?  (Water, Sunlight, Carbon Dioxide)

Activity:
Distinguishing between green algae and red/brown algae (which are not plants)
Add green algae to the Plant Kingdom tree - plant picture set
Find plants in the fridge that have gone limp with the water sucked out of them.  Stick them in water with sugar and see if they revive.

Fungi - Parasitic Fungi

Cordyceps: attack of the killer fungi - Planet Earth Attenborough BBC wildlife

Molds, Mushrooms & Other Fungi by Steve Parker
Fungi by Jenny Tesar

Discussion:
Fungi as parasite on plant, animal, and person

Activity:
Remember that time you had ringworm?
Check your feet for athlete's foot
Go outside and see if there are any plants with mold on them

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Patricians

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
Clothes and Crafts in Roman Times by Philip Steele
"Kissed by the Moon" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
Division of Roman society into classes (patricians, plebians, slaves)
Signs of luxury - clothing, makeup, hairstyles
Hereditary rights of patricians

Activity:
Make a toga or stola

Fungi - Edible Varieties

Edible Fungi: Giant Puffball

Molds, Mushrooms & Other Fungi by Steve Parker
Fungi by Jenny Tesar

Discussion:
Types of fungi we cook - morels, truffles, mushrooms
Yeast in beer and bread

Activity:
Bake two kinds of bread - yeast and baking soda/baking powder.  What is difference?
Make sourdough "starter" - why is it different from store-bought yeast?
Smell a yeast beer - does it smell like bread?  Why?

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Government II

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
"Stolen Wives" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
Lesser officials and their roles in government - censor, aedes, quaestor

Activity:
Expand the visual representation of Rome's government during the Republic
Explain what each office or group does

Fungi - Toxic Fungi

Family Eats Backyard Poisonous Mushrooms and Gets Violently Ill

Molds, Mushrooms & Other Fungi by Steve Parker
Fungi by Jenny Tesar

Discussion:
Types of deadly fungi
Where deadly fungi appear
Rotten food

Activity:
Picture study - deadly fungi

Ancient Rome - The Republic - Government I

The Ancient Romans by Allison Lassieur
"Burning the Books" from Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean and Emma Chichester Clark

Discussion:
Rome's basic government - the four assemblies, the senate, consuls

Activity:
Make a visual representation of Rome's government during the Republic