My family and I had a most wonderful Thanksgiving Break and though I was sorry to see the hustle and bustle of those busy schooldays return, when I saw my bright-eyed students this morning I was struck so strongly with a feeling of gratitude for them. I am so fortunate to spend my days with these amazing individuals everyday.
Today we returned to the world of Rome. We’re following the dynamic figures of Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, and Cicero as Rome changes from a republic to an empire and then eventually crumbles to the ground. Tomorrow we’ll draw a map of the Roman Empire and see how much territory it truly spans. Today I started with the beginning of the story of Julius Caesar and this week I plan on having the students complete a writing assignment about the life of Caesar.
For resources, once again I have my colleagues to thank for pointing me in the direction of the most fantastic resources.
Augustus Caesar’s World by Genevieve Foster is a fantastic book that gives the story of these important figures in an extremely imaginative way. The book could be given to students as a reader (or to read parts of, because the individual chapters can stand on their own as independent stories) or it can be used to teach the entire block from. I’m beginning with a different resource for the story of Julius Caesar, but I plan on turning to this one for the rest of the block.
Ancient Rome by Charles Kovacs is another Kovacs resource that is not to be missed. Kovacs is so great for bringing just the essentials. I often feel like I need a little bit more of the story for my own benefit and to liven up my telling, but when I’m feeling overwhelmed by the depth and breadth of the topic, Kovacs always reassures me.
The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare is our class reader for this block. Because of the way our blocks fell this year I am assigning two readers back-to-back, without an independent read between them, which I regret, but this book is so good, I’m sure my students will enjoy it. Because it tells the story of a young Galilean at the time of Christ I thought its content was perfect to go with this block at this time of year. I’m looking forward to telling the students the biography of Jesus Christ during our last week of this block, though I am a bit overwhelmed and intimidated by the prospect, as well.
It feels like a lot of very important content to bring in three short weeks that will be broken up by the festivities of the holidays!
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