Masters Portfolio

Carl McLaughlin
Two-week Unit Plan: Ancient Greece and Rome
9th Grade World History
Ancient Greece Unit, Lesson 1: The Trojan War (47 Minutes)
Overview/Rationale
This lesson will open the unit on Ancient Greece and Rome. The students will be
introduced to Greece through the Trojan War. Students will be exposed to the details
of the war through clips from Wolfgang Petersons film, Troy and a summary of
Homers, The Iliad. From this, they will be able to conceptualize how factual events
can be turned into myths; which will segue well to day two of the unit on Greek
Mythology and Myth-making.
Enduring Understandings

Facts and events can be distorted to suit the needs of leaders

Stories can change significantly with each retelling

The morale of a population and popular opinion can affect the outcome of
conflicts

Myths play an important role in cultural value systems

Goals/Objectives

Students will be able to understand how cultures may form myths around
famous events
Materials: Laptop, Google Presentation, Projector, copy of Troy (film)
Procedures

Welcome work: What is worth going to war over? (Think, write, debrief, 8
minutes)
Body of Lesson

Students will watch select scenes from the film Troy to familiarize themselves
with the details of the Trojan War in a non-rote fashion. (11 minutes)

I will relay the details of the war according to Homer where they differ from the
film; as well as reinforce who the major players and events are. (8 minutes)

Students will watch the scene of the duel between Achilles and Hector. We will
then discuss how the outcome affected Trojan morale. I will ask them to draw
parallels between morale and the outcome of contemporary conflicts. (9 minutes)

Students will watch the scene of the Trojan Horse being discovered. I will then
transition to questioning them about what lessons the story of the war is trying to tell
the Greek people. (7 minutes)
Closure


After we have discussed the message of the Trojan War/Iliad, I will begin the
transition to the next day. I will allude to some American historical events that may
have been mythologized. Lastly, I will ask them to start thinking about what role
myths play in cultural value systems. (4 minutes)
IEP Accommodations

Student will create a Greek god or goddess and name a value they represent.

Ancient Greece Unit, Lesson 2: Greek Mythology (94 Minutes)

Overview/Rationale
This lesson will introduce the students to Greek Mythology. They will also be asked
to connect myths and values within cultures. The students will be directly involved in
creating their own myth in small groups.
Enduring Understandings

Myths help perpetuate and sustain cultural values organically, through storytelling

The better the story, the more powerful the myth

Goals/Objectives

Students will be able to understand how myths help create and sustain cultural
values
Materials: Laptop, Google Presentation, Projector
Procedures

Welcome work: Think of a value that is commonly held in American culture.

Invent a god or goddess that symbolizes that value by documenting 2-3 traits that
embody the value. (10 minutes)

I will lead a group Q&A in order to define a myth. (2 minutes)

Body of Lesson

I will ask several students to share their American myth in order to transition to
Greek mythology. (3 minutes)

I will explain the meaning of a value system so students can begin to connect
myths and values. (2 minutes)

I will recite the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. I chose this myth specifically
for its similarities with The Hunger Games. (5 minutes)

The ending of this myth transitions directly into the myth of Icarus; which I will
also describe to expose them to more than one myth. (4 minutes)
Closure


Students will create a myth of their own that makes an obvious point about a
cultural value. I will model this for them. (68 minutes, including presentation)
Assessment

Myth projects will be graded as class work, and the material will also be tested
as part of a summative assessment at the end of the week.
IEP Accommodations

Student will create a Greek god or goddess and name a value they represent.

Ancient Greece Unit, Lesson 3: Athens and Sparta (47 Minutes)

Overview/Rationale
This lesson will introduce students to Greek democracy and alternative systems
through Athens and Sparta.
Enduring Understandings

Democracy has many strengths but also some significant weaknesses. As

Winston Churchill said, Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all
the others.

Athenian power waned but their cultural contributions to Western Civilization in

drama, government and philosophy endured for millennia.
Goals/Objectives

Students will have a basic understanding of democracy and its strengths and
weaknesses.
Materials: Laptop, Google Presentation, Projector
Procedures

Welcome work: Students will write down two strengths and two weaknesses of
democracy that they can imagine. This will help them get into the mindset of the
lesson and connect with the learning goal. (6 minutes)
Body of Lesson

I will engage with the students about their conceptions of democracy (2 minutes)

I will explain the origins and values of Athens and Sparta, emphasizing their
differences and contributions to Western Civilization (14 minutes)

I will detail the conflict between Athens and Sparta; and note that despite
victory Sparta also fell into regional irrelevance. (4 minutes)

Students will get in groups of 3-4 and use the knowledge from the lesson to
decide how their ideal society would govern itself. (15 minutes)
Closure


Students will share out the governments each group produced and evaluate
them using the Socratic method. (6 minutes)
IEP Accommodation

Student will receive written and verbal instruction, as well as teacher guidance.

Ancient Greece Unit, Lesson 4: The Persian Wars (47 Minutes)

Overview/Rationale
This lesson will build on the skills students learned during primary sourcing lessons
in September by introducing the concept of propaganda. Students will examine
images and view film clips to discern the difference between objective portrayals of
historical events verses propaganda used to buoy one side over another. They will
learn the details of the Persian Wars through their study of these concepts.
Enduring Understandings

Few wars in history can be classified as genuine confrontations of good and

evil forces.

Personal vendettas of ancient monarchs often caused enormous misery for their
peoples and often calamities for the rulers themselves.
Goals/Objectives

Students will be able to discern the difference between objectively documented

history and propaganda.
Materials: Laptop, Google Presentation, Projector, copy of film 300.
Procedures
Welcome work: This is a recruitment poster from WWI for the US Army. Analyze this
image and describe HOW it is communicating its message, and what that message
is. I will then lead the class in a brief discussion of their findings; modeling examples
of how one might analyze different aspects of a propaganda poster. (7 minutes)
Body of Lesson

I will introduce the students to the concept that history is written by the victors,
so it is important to distinguish between objectivity and propaganda. (4 minutes)

I will briefly establish the definitions of history and propaganda. (4 minutes)

The students will view select scenes from the film, 300 and identify instances of
propaganda. After each, we will debrief their findings. (21 minutes)
Closure


I will review what actually happened in the Persian Wars, according to modern
historians and contrast that with the film. (11 minutes)
IEP Accommodation

Student will receive written and verbal instruction, as well as teacher guidance.

Ancient Greece: Lesson 5: Alexander the Great (47 Minutes)

Overview/Rationale

In this lesson, students will question the meaning of greatness through an

introduction to Alexander the Great. They will also practice alternative historical
thinking by imagining how civilization may have developed without Hellenization.
Enduring Understandings

Greatness is subjective

Alexander the Great was remembered for his personal attributes as much as the
expanse he conquered

Alexandria was a great learning city established by Alexander

Goals/Objectives

Students will be able to apply a nuanced understanding of greatness to their

own life decisions.
Materials: Laptop, Google Presentation, Projector
Procedures
Welcome work: How would you define greatness? Write 3 personal attributes or
achievements that would qualify someone as great. (6 minutes)
Body of Lesson

The students will watch a John Green Crash Course video introducing them to
Alexander the Great and take notes documenting the key ideas. (14 minutes)

I will lead a class discussion to extract the key ideas from their notes. (7
minutes)

I will lecture briefly on Hellenization, Alexanders legacy, and Alexandria (Egypt).

(12 minutes)
Closure

The students will be asked to answer the question, Why is Alexander

remembered? We will discuss and synthesize the best reasons. (8 minutes)
Assessment


The students will answer these questions in their notebook for homework; and
this will be graded as part of their next homework check.
o Is the world a better place because he conquered so much land?
o What would the world have looked like if he had been defeated early on by the
Persians?
Is greatness a worthy goal? Should anyone try to be great.
IEP Accommodation

Student will receive written and verbal instruction, as well as teacher guidance.

Ancient Rome Unit, Lesson 1: The Roman Republic (94 Minutes)

Overview/Rationale
In this lesson, students will compare and contrast the Roman and American
republics. They will be able to draw parallels between the two; including identifying
strengths and weaknesses of both.
Enduring Understandings

The Ancient Romans had a complex republican system over 2000 years ago.
Class inequality endures across all societies
Laws must be written down or elites will interpret them to their advantage

Goals/Objectives

Students will be able to connect the ancient Roman republic to the

contemporary American republic.
Materials: Laptop, Google Presentation, Projector
Procedures
Welcome work: An image of Romulus and Remus suckling from the she-wolf will be
displayed. Students will be asked to describe what they see. I will relay the creation
myth of Romulus and Remus. Then, I will ask the students to use the skills they
learned in the myth-making lesson the previous week to infer what the myth might
tell about what values the Romans espoused. (10 minutes)
Body of Lesson

I will begin lecture on the basics of the Roman Republic. After I introduce the 12
tables, students will be asked to answer the question: Why is it important that laws
be written down? (25 minutes)

Students will open their books to pg. 157. They will use the chart comparing
Roman and American republics to draw parallels to today. We will discuss possible
strengths of an unelected part of a legislature being unelected; as well as weakness
that exist in the American system. (10 minutes)


I will explain why the Roman legions were successful for many years, as well as
why they eventually failed. (8 minutes)

We will briefly cover the Punic Wars, in order to describe how Rome came to
dominate the entire Mediterranean; and how conquering foreign territory made the
republic suspiciously like an empire. (13 minutes)
Closure

Students will choose one strength or weakness that the Roman and American
republics share. They will explain why in 5-7 sentences to continue to build their
writing and critical thinking skills. (28 minutes)
IEP Accommodation

Student will receive written and verbal instruction, as well as teacher guidance.

Ancient Rome Unit, Lesson 2: The Roman Empire (47 Minutes)

Overview/Rationale
In this lesson, students will participate in a group activity to simulate the transition of
Rome from Republic to Empire.
Enduring Understandings

Julius Caesar was not the only factor in the transition from republic to empire.

Democracies can be empires as well; the key element to empire is imperialism,

not unelected government.

Rational individuals can make seemingly rational decisions that cede power to a
dictator.
Goals/Objectives

Students will be able to understand how a republic may transition to an empire

over time.
Materials: Laptop, Google Presentation, Projector
Procedures
Welcome work: Think about this question and write your answer in 1-2 sentences: Is
dictatorship (absolute power for one person) always bad? I will debrief by explaining
the climate in Rome around the time of Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon. This will
lead into an introductory video. (9 Minutes)
Body of Lesson

After the welcome work, the students will watch a short video from John Greens
Crash Course series. I will sum up the key points afterwards to ensure
comprehension. (14 Minutes)


I will introduce an activity. The class will be divided into two groups, the
Patricians and the Plebeians. The Plebeian group will be larger (2/3 to 1/3). I will
ensure they understand their perspectives (patricians are rich and have much to
lose, plebeians are poor and have much to gain). The class will have to vote on
whether or not to support Julius Caesar in his attempt to become dictator. He is a
military genius. He promises land reform for the poor and citizenship outside of Italy.
(7 Minutes)

After the vote, I will unpack the exercise by reviewing what actually happened
from 50-44 BCE. I will introduce Caesars land and political reforms that had a
lasting impact on the empire. (11 Minutes)
Closure

Now that students have a well-rounded picture of the circumstances, students

will write a paragraph describing why they would vote, as members of the Senate, for
or against Julius Caesars dictatorship. (8 Minutes)
IEP Accommodation

Student will receive written and verbal instruction, as well as teacher guidance.

Ancient Rome Unit: Lesson 3: The Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and the
Destruction of Pompeii (60 Minutes)
Overview/Rationale
I have selected two documents relating to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. I
will use the documents to teach the students about document sourcing. The first is a
letter from Pliny the Younger to Tacitus describing the death of his uncle in a rescue
attempt of a friend in Pompeii. This is a primary source as Pliny the Younger was
present in the region during the explosion and was among the last people to speak
with his uncle, Pliny the Elder. The second document is an excerpt from Cassius
Dios Roman History regarding the eruption of Vesuvius. This is a secondary source
document and provides an excellent contrast to the first due to differences in writing
style and audience. Plinys account gives the students access to an account of an
eye-witness to the eruption. Pliny was close with his uncle and may have had a
motive to glorify his death, but because it is a private letter not for public
consumption, embellishment may be less likely. Dios account is highly stylized and
gives the students a contrast to the straight-forward account of Pliny. Both
documents are excellent for teaching sourcing because understanding the
audiences, experience and style of each author is essential in reading the document.
Enduring Understandings

Humans did not have a very developed understanding of nature until very
recently.

Goals and Objectives

Students will understand how to properly source a primary and secondary

document.
Students will understand the essentials of what occurred in Pompeii in 79 CE.

Procedures
Welcome Work: Imagine you dont know what a volcano is. Imagine the mountain
youve lived next to your entire life is exploding with fire, lava, ash and stone. It is all
raining down around you. What would you think was going on? What would you do
about it? (5 minutes)
Body of Lesson

After debriefing the welcome work, I will show students pictures from Pompeii
to immerse them in the setting of the document based lesson. As an added
bonus, I took these pictures. After revealing this, students should be extra
attentive. (7 Minutes)
I will model how to source with document A, then we will read the document
as a class, pausing to extract meaning and context. (15 Minutes)
Students will source document B on their own; then I will check their work. (7
Minutes)
Students will read document B and answer the guiding questions. (25
Minutes)

Closure

The following day, I will go over the guiding questions after grading their
worksheets to ensure comprehension. Then, we will play Jeopardy to review
the unit.

Assessment

The Ancient Greece and Rome Unit will be summatively assessed at the end
of the unit.

IEP Accommodation

Student will receive written and verbal instruction, as well as teacher guidance.
Document A
Wrath of the Gods, by Pliny the Younger, 106 CE (Modified)

Pliny the Younger was a lawyer, author and magistrate (judge) who lived in the
Roman Empire from 61-113 CE. He was friendly with the Roman historian Tacitus
and served under the Emperor Trajan. The following letter is from Pliny to Tacitus,
who had asked Pliny to recount the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, during the
eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. The letter was written about 25 years after the
destruction of Pompeii.

My uncle was stationed at Misenum, in command of the fleet. On August 24 , my

mother drew his attention to a cloud of unusual size and appearance. It looked
white, yet dirty and carried soil and ashes within it. My uncle realized at once that it
required closer inspection. He ordered a boat to be made ready and asked if I
wanted to come with him. I declined, as I had some writing to finish. As he was
leaving the house, he received a letter from a friend, Rectina, whose house was at
the foot of the mountain. She was terrified and begged him to rescue her and her
family. He changed his plans and what had begun in the spirit of inquiry would end in
heroism.
When the ship arrived on the shores, ashes were already falling hot and thick. The
helmsman asked my uncle if they should turn back and he replied, Fortune favors
the brave. They tied pillows to their heads to protect themselves from falling pumice
and black stone. The ash was too thick to reach the mountain so they took shelter in
a house. The next day, they found my uncle lying down, unable to stand and they
had to leave him behind. His companions theorized that he died from the toxic
fumes, as he had a history of breathing difficulty.
th

Document B
Cassius Cio Roman History (Modified)
Cassius Dio was a Roman historian and the son of a Roman Senator. For most of
his life, Dio was a member of the public service. He was a Senator, Governor and
Consul (similar to a US President). His most famous work, Roman History was
published in 80 volumes. It is generally written in a clear voice but occasionally Dio
used figurative or metaphorical language. - Question 1
Many Giants appeared on the mountain, wandering and stomping over the earth day
and night. Question 2 After this, fearful droughts and sudden and violent
earthquakes occurred, so that the whole plain trembled and the summits leaped into
the air. There were frequent rumblings, some of them subterranean, that resembled
thunder, and some on the surface, that sounded like bellowings; the sea also joined
in the roar and the sky re-echoed it. Then suddenly a portentous crash was heard,
as if the mountains were tumbling in ruins; and first huge stones were hurled aloft,
rising as high as the very summits, then came a great quantity of fire and endless
smoke, so that the whole atmosphere was obscured and the sun was entirely

hidden, as if eclipsed. Thus day was turned into night and light into darkness. Some
thought that the Giants were rising again in revolt (for at this time also many of their
forms could be discerned in the smoke) While this was going on, an inconceivable
quantity of ashes was blown out and filled air. It buried two entire cities,
Herculaneum and Pompeii. The disaster seemed to be not of human but of divine
origin. Question 3
1.
2.
3.

What does figurative or metaphorical language mean?

Do Giants exist? What real-life effects is Dio describing?
According to Dio, who is responsible for the eruption of Vesuvius?

Guiding Questions
1. What does Cassius Dios position as a public figure say about his account?
2. When did Cassius Dio write Roman History and what does that say about its
reliability?
3. What does Cassius Dios use of language say about the purpose of this
document? Who do you think it was intended for?
4. Can this document still be used as an accurate account of what happened?
What do you think about the details of the eruption that Dio provides?
5. The source note states that Dio usually wrote in a clear voice. Why might he
have chosen to dramatize the events of the eruption?
Ancient Greece and Rome Assessment: Interview Exam
Students must answer five questions worth 20 points each according to the following
criteria:
-10 points: Displays necessary factual knowledge to explain the context of the
question.
-20 points if the student demonstrates a complete understanding of the issue in
question and makes higher-order* connections in their answer
-Higher Order: Uses critical analysis to describe cause and effect relationships
and/or understands broad repercussions from historical events.
1. What is the role of myth-making in creating and maintaining cultural value
systems?
2. What was Hellenization, and how did it help unify the ancient world?
3. In what way was Sparta a more free society than Athens?
4. How did the Punic Wars help transition Rome from republic to empire?
5. What was the division between Patricians and Plebians, and why did it help
Romes transition from republic to empire?