THE RISE AND FALL OF EARLY WESTERN CIVILIZATION UNIT PLAN The following is a unit that I taught on the

fall of western civilization during my student teaching placement at Ravenna High School. The Unit took place from Monday October 3rd 2011 until Monday October 31st 2011. The purpose of this unit was to show students where our culture receives most of its heritage from and to investigate the cultural and scientific achievements of these past civilizations. I find it very important that students be able to link the past to the present through comparison so that the material is easier to understand. I designed an essay project where students were required to compare and contrast the Roman policy of bread and circuses to modern American culture to accomplish this goal. Students were encouraged to look at our use of entertainment and welfare to guide their arguments. I also wanted to ensure that students had the opportunity to make decisions on why things happened in history; to decide for themselves the causes and effects. In order to meet this goal I designed a project on the collapse of the Roman Empire. This required students to provide their own reason for why the Empire fell apart and support their argument with evidence gathered throughout the unit.

The Rise and Fall of Early Western Civilization Unit Goals Students will know who the ancient Greeks and Romans were Students will interpret the rise and fall of these civilizations Students will analyze Roman and Grecian culture Students will compare and contrast Ancient Greece and Rome to Modern America Students will decide what ultimately led to the collapse of these civilizations Students will predict the impact of the fall of Rome on the Western world.

9TH/12TH Grade World History o Day 1 (Mon) Objective: Ch4 sec 1 Early people of the Aegean, Explain features of Classical Mediterranean( F2.b) Instructional Strategy: Quiz, notes, discussion Assessment: teacher observation, oral questioning Assignment: pg. 117 (2-5) o Day 2 Objective: Ch 4 sec 2 Rise of Greek City States, Explain features of the Classical Mediterranean(F2.b) Instructional Strategy: notes, discussion, Assessment: teacher observations, questioning, quiz Assignment: pg 123(2-5) o Day 3 Objective: Ch 4 sec 3 Conflict in the Greek World, Explain the responses to change that led to the collapse of ancient empires (4.1.1) Instructional Strategy: notes, discussion, current events Assessment: teacher observations, oral questioning, section questions Assignment: pg 128 (2-6) o Day 4 Objective: Ch 4 sec 4 Glory that was Greece, explain consequences of the collapse of empires (4.1.1), Explain Classical features of Mediterranean (F2.d) Instructional Strategy: notes, discussion, current events Assessment: teacher observations, oral questioning, section questions Assignment: pg 134 (2-6) o Day 5 Objective: Ch4 sec 5 The Hellenistic Age; F3.c and F4 Instructional Strategy: Quiz, notes, discussion Assessment: teacher observation, oral questioning Assignment: pg. 142 (3-6) o Day 6

Objective: Ch 4 PreTest Instructional Strategy: notes, discussion, Assessment: teacher observations, questioning, quiz Assignment: Study for Test Tomorrow

o Day 7

Objective: Ch 4 Test Instructional Strategy: Test Assessment: Test Assignment: none

o Day 8 Objective: Ch 5 sec 1 Roman World Takes Shape; F1, F2.d Instructional Strategy: notes, discussion, current events Assessment: teacher observations, oral questioning, section questions Assignment: pg 154 (2-5) o Day 9 Objective: Ch 5 sec 2 Republic to Empire F2.d, F4 Instructional Strategy: notes, discussion, analytical comparisons Assessment: teacher observation, oral questioning, section questions Assignment: pg 160 (2-5) o Day 10 Objective: Alternative Assessment for Multiple Learning Styles: Students will analyze and compare the concept of bread and circuses in Rome to Modern America in an essay F2.d, F4 Instructional Strategy: Research, essay Assessment: teacher observation, oral questioning Assignment: work on papers o Day 11 Objective: Alternative Assessment for Multiple Learning Styles: Students will analyze and compare the concept of bread and circuses in Rome to Modern America in an essay F2.d, F4 Instructional Strategy: research, essay Assessment: teacher observations, questioning Assignment: work on essay o Day 12 Objective: Ch 5 sec3 The Roman Achievement F1, F2.d Instructional Strategy: Class debate/summaries of essays, notes, discussion Assessment: teacher observations, class debate, questioning Assignment: Section Summary o Day 13 Objective: Ch 5 sec 4 Christianity F3.a, F3.b, F3.c Instructional Strategy: notes, discussion, current events Assessment: teacher observations, oral questioning, section questions Assignment: pg 171 (3-5) and pg 172 (1-2)

o Day 14 Objective: Ch 5 sec 5 The Long Decline F3.c, F4, 4.1.1 Instructional Strategy: notes, discussion, analytical comparisons Assessment: teacher observation, oral questioning, section questions Assignment: Pg 177 (3-5) and alternative Assessment: Explain what you think contributed most to the decline of Rome and give examples. Students may choose to write a short essay, create an illustration, or create a timeline. Due Friday o Day 15 Objective: and alternative Assessment: Explain what you think contributed most to the decline of Rome and give examples. Students may choose to write a short essay, create an illustration, or create a timeline. Due Friday F3.c, F4, 4.1.1 Instructional Strategy: research, essay, timeline Assessment: teacher observations, questioning Assignment: work on Project o Day 16 Objective: and alternative Assessment: Explain what you think contributed most to the decline of Rome and give examples. Students may choose to write a short essay, create an illustration, or create a timeline. Due Friday F3.c, F4, 4.1.1 Instructional Strategy: research, essay, timeline Assessment: teacher observations, questioning Assignment: work on Project

REFLECTION on the RISE and FALL of EARLY WESTERN CIVILIZATION UNIT This unit went very well in my classes despite a setback. I discovered that I did not explain how to write argumentative essays very well to the class, as I received numerous works of plagiarism from my students. Aside from my lack of explanation, I believe it was also because many students were freshmen and have had little to no experience with this form of writing. After I received their papers, I wrote comments and then gave them an example of how to properly write in this format and gave them the opportunity to improve their papers. Most every student that utilized this opportunity improved his or her papers. In regards to meeting my objectives, I feel that was accomplished. I feel students now understand the importance of Greek culture to the ancient world and its impact upon that of Rome. Students also showed the ability to connect past to present with their papers on bread and circuses and demonstrated their knowledge of a declining Rome through their projects. I would teach this unit again but with extra explanation on how to write an argumentative essay.