Towson University

Department of Secondary Education

Lesson Plan Template
Name: Garrett Maternick

Date: 12/9/15

Brief Class Description (contextual information including number of students, subject,

level, IEP/ELL/GT or other special considerations):
I am teaching a seventh grade world cultures class of around 32 students. The class is divided
into 8 groups of around 4-5 students per group. There are no IEPs for students with behavioral
issues. However, the lesson will be modified to challenge these students since they are high
achieving students.

Unit: Europe
Lesson Topic: Ancient Rome, Day 1 of 4
Lesson Length: 4 Days
Prior Knowledge (How do you know the students are ready for this lesson?):
Students will be prepared for this lesson because they will have learned the appropriate
background knowledge during the first three days of the unit. Student background knowledge
will have been monitored by the teacher.

Alignment: (Ongoing throughout the 4 day sub-unit)

Standard (State
{CCRS/Other} and
Professional
Organization
Content Standard)
NCSS Standards:
D2.His.4.6-8.
Analyze multiple
factors that
influenced the
perspectives of
people during
different historical
eras.
D2.His.6.6-8.
Analyze how peoples
perspectives
influenced what
information is
available in the
historical sources
they created.

Objective

SWBAT show that

different scholars
may describe the
same event from
widely differing
viewpoints.

Habits of Mind
Discussion Handout.
Closure Discussion
for Day Four

D2.His.16.6-8.
Organize applicable
evidence into a
coherent argument
about the past.

SWBAT demonstrate
Ancient Romes
transition from
republic to empire
and they will gain an
overview of the
personalities that
made this possible.

The performance of
the play.

Day 2 Activity 1:
Play performance.

The information
sheets questioning
and voting ballot:
Who really killed
Marc Anthony.

Day 3: Character
questioning and
voting ballots.

D2.His.1.6-8.
Analyze connections
among events and
developments in
broader historical
contexts.
D2.His.3.6-8. Use
questions generated
about individuals and
groups to analyze
why they, and the
developments they
shaped, are seen as
historically
significant.
D2.His.3.6-8. Use
questions generated
about individuals and
groups to analyze
why they, and the
developments they
shaped, are seen as
historically
significant.

Assessment

Closure Discussion
for Day Four
SWBAT differentiate
which historical
figures made up the
first and second
Triumvirate of
Ancient Rome.

Who Really Killed

Marc Anthony Qiuz

SWBAT identify
positive/negative
factors that
contributed transition
from republic to
empire.

Rome Quiz

Closure Discussion
for Day Four

Closure Discussion
for Day Four

Activity(ies)
(All days are listed
in their order of the
sub-unit)
Performance of the
play: Day 2.
Day 4 Activity 2.
(Closure Discussion)
Habits of Mind
Discussion

Day 4 Activity 2.
(Closure Discussion)
Habits of Mind
Discussion
Day 4: Activity 1
Who Really Killed
Marc Anthony Quiz
Day 4 Activity 2.
(Closure Discussion)
Habits of Mind
Discussion
Homework after
day 3: Rome Quiz.
Day 4 Activity 2.
(Closure Discussion)
Habits of Mind
Discussion

Materials Needed:

32 Copies of the Readers Theater Script.

At least 12 copies of the Artists Information
At least 12 copies of the Artists Mosaic
One Copy of every Information Sheet
Poster board
Markers
String 20 pieces (including extras), each 18 inches long.
Scissors
10 Styrofoam cups (including extras)
At least 10 craft sticks.
Tape
Glue
Water
White Paper
Computer/Projection Screen

Technology Integration/Needs:
I will need a computer and projector/screen to project the acting montage clip.
Lesson Procedure:
Opening Activity (describe your warm-up/engagement/hook/motivation):
In order to engage my students in the lesson, I will have The Best Acting of All Time
Compilation Part 1 playing on the projector as students are getting settled. After a few minutes
of the clip, I will stop the video and ask the students to raise their hand and guess what we are
doing for the next few days. For example, I can get into character and say Welcome everyone to
the main stage, where dreams are made and learning is the ultimate goal. Can someone out in the
audience tell me what they think we are doing today? Expected student responses should say,
Are we watching a movie? Are we acting? Me: BINGO! That is correct!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bIT8_f1ydM
Time Allotted: 5 minutes
Adaptations (for IEP, ELL, culture, and other special needs):
No adaptations are necessary for the opening clip.
Transition (explicitly linking concepts/activities/objectives):
I will transition into the first activity by reading the Read-Aloud Directions for days one and two.
I will also explain to the students that this is the start of a very fun and exciting four day lesson;
but it is crucial that we waste no time! Next, I will split the students into groups. I will need nine
actors, one of which only has one line. I will allow the first 8 volunteers to be the actors, and I
will give the one acting position with a single line to a shy student. Also, I will give the most
important job, the director, to the student who has displayed the best behavior and academic
achievement thus far. Finally, I will inform the rest of the class that we will all be working

together to create a set design and props. I will hand the director his 10 copies of the script, one
to keep for himself, and 9 for the other actors.
Activity 1 (describe activity):
The director and his/her group of students will move into the designated rehearsal area. They will
spend almost the remainder of the class period rehearsing their lines and acting out the parts of
their assigned character. (The director will assign the remaining 8 students their roles in the
play). I will walk around the room during the rehearsal to make sure that everyone is on task. In
addition, I will explain how important it is that they get into the play and actually try some
acting! It will make the lesson very fun and exciting to watch.
Time Allotted: 35-40 minutes
Adaptations: The actor with the single line will be giving to a shy or
underachieving student who is not very comfortable with public speaking.
Transition: There will be no transition into activity 2. Activity 2 will be an
activity with the rest students that is going on simultaneously with activity 1. Therefore, it
will have the same transition from the opening activity.
Activity 2 (describe activity):
The remaining students will gather in a different section of the classroom and I will give them
additional roles in setting up the play. Depending on the students who show up for class, I will
designate 2-5 students to make the actors nametags, and 2 or 3 students to create the Roman
water clock, both can be found in the Artists Information sheet. The remaining students and I
will then begin to create a backdrop for the play. This will be done out of poster board, markers,
tape, and glue.
Time Allotted: 35-40 minutes
Adaptations:
Students who are higher achieving students will be given the challenge of creating the Roman
water clock. This may be a challenging task for traditional or underachieving students.
Ell students and students with special needs will be helping me in creating the backdrop for the
play. This will be a fun, hands-on activity, where I can begin to ask them questions about what
they know or have learned about Ancient Rome.
Transition:
I will transition into the closing activity when there are 10 minutes remaining in class. We will
use 5 out of the 10 minutes to cleanup and store our supplies for day 2.
Closing Activity (summarize learning and/or revisit objective):
In the remaining 5 minutes of class, I will reconnect to the objectives and explain to the class that
this is an ongoing learning experience. They will be required to fulfill the ongoing objectives by
the end of the 4 day sub-unit.
Extension/Follow-up (homework, etc. optional):
-Actors have the homework of studying their lines and practicing for Day 2: The Main Event.
Actors will have the choice of dressing up for their part for Day 2.
-If the students who have been working on the Roman water clock and nametags do not finish,
they will be expected to finish them for homework.

-Everyone else who was working on the set with me has the optional homework of creating
something additional for the backdrop.
Safety Valve (What will you have students do if you have time left in class?):
If there is additional time left in class, we will keep working on rehearsing lines, and creating the
nametags, Roman water clock, and backdrop.
I was given this lesson overview and idea from a teacher on my mothers teaching team at Long
Valley Middle School in NJ.
NCSS Standards were retrieved from http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/teacherstandards