James Madison University College of Education

Social Studies Lesson Plan Format

MSSE 470/570/571/471/675/690
Name: Laura Bionde Date: 11/2/15 Circle One: Original
Subject/Class: World History Grade Level: 8 Topic: Slavery in the Roman Empire
Concept: Oppression, perspective, relationships
Essential Question(s):
What roles did slaves play in Roman society? (Unit)
What effect did slavery have on how successful and powerful the Roman Empire was? (Lesson)
SOLs--summarize with heading number & letter:
WHI.6: The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C. (B.C.E.) to 500
A.D. (C.E.) in terms of its impact on Western civilization by
c) Explaining the social structure and role of slavery

Your own written objectives (U/K, D, Values)
U: Students will understand the economic and social
reasons why slaves were so vital to the Roman Empire.
U: Students will understand that slaves played many
different roles within society and that each contributed to
Rome in a specific way.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude 1/15
Your assessment: formative and
summative
Formative: The class discussion of the
primary source documents will show the
teacher that students are engaged in the
lesson and making connections between
the primary sources and the content being
learned.
Summative: After discussion, each group
will formulate a statement using the Stem
guides. These statements will help to
bring together what they have learned
from the sources. The students will have
to use the information about occupations
provided in the primary sources to come
up with evidence and reasons as to what
role a slave had in society and whether
they were important to Rome or not.
Formative: Primary source document
chart will be filled out and discussed with
the class. This will show that the students
were able to analyze the primary
documents and record the different
occupations held by slaves in Rome.
Summative: After discussing and using
the chart in class, the teacher will collect

U: Students will understand that slavery is not only in the
past, but is an institution, which is continuing in todays
world.
Skills/Do: Students will be able to analyze primary
sources to determine a slaves role in Roman society.
Values: Students will appreciate the significance slavery
had in Rome.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude 1/15
them to make sure every member of the
group has filled out the correct
information.
Summative: The homework assignment
will work as a summative assessment for
the understanding of the fact that slavery
is continuing today. In the following class,
we will cover some modern forms of
slavery to show the students that it is not
only something we learn about in history,
but very relevant to their world today.
Seeing if the student has provided specific
examples of modern day slavery for the
discussion the next day will be used to
assess the homework.
Formative: The teacher will be constantly
walking around the room to each group as
they discuss the primary sources provided
on the worksheet. By stopping to listen to
each group discuss and fill out the chart,
the teacher will be able to tell if the
students are pulling out the right concepts
and analyzing the sources correctly.
Summative: After discussing and using
the chart in class, the teacher will collect
them to make sure every member of the
group has filled out the correct
information.
After discussion, each group
will formulate a statement using the Stem
guides. These statements will help to
bring together what they have learned
from the sources. The students will have
Formative: The class discussion of the
primary source documents will show the
teacher that students are engaged in the
lesson and making connections between
the primary sources and the content being
learned.
Summative: After discussion, each group
will formulate a statement using the Stem
guides. These statements will help to

Values: Students will value the hardships of slavery and
the fact that human beings were bought and sold as
property.
bring together what they have learned
from the sources. The students will have
to use the information about occupations
provided in the primary sources to come
up with evidence and reasons as to what
role a slave had in society and whether
they were important to Rome or not.
Formative: The teacher will be aware of
student reactions to the slave master they
learn about during the hook. Some of the
masters are harsh and cruel. This will
force students to really see what it would
be like to be a slave in Rome. The teacher
will be able to listen to group discussion
as well as observe as students present
what their life was like in Rome and why
they think the slaves belonging to these
masters were happy and felt valued or
whether they did not. As students who
learned about nicer masters stand up to
present, the teacher can observe reactions
of other students as they realize that some
slaves were luckier than others, but will
see there were many cases in which
treatment of slaves was cruel.

Content Outline (1 pg.) (with embedded questions):

I. Background: Sources of Slaves
a. As conquest and war became even more important, Roman society began utilizing the slave
mode of production. This was mainly due to the fact that they were acquiring so many prisoners
from war who could be used as free labor. As more land was acquired, Romans needed more
workers for that land, yet did not want to use citizens of Rome for they might be needed for
military purposes, also this would mean they would need to pay them. Slaves offered free labor.
b. Although it was a main source, war was not the only way Rome received slaves. Slave
reproduction and even the sale of own children contributed to the high numbers of slaves in
Rome.
Was the only justification for using prisoners as slaves that they could contribute to the economy of the empire?
II. Slaves Role in Society
a. Slavery had an effect on economics as well as social aspects of Rome. Some slaves even
acquired high positions and were extremely skilled and valued by the citizens of Rome
(depended on education levels)
b. Slave masters often increased their income through the employment of slavery (working on
farms or other jobs that free citizens held) but some simply used slaves to show their wealth
(entertainers, attendants and messengers).
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude 1/15
How did the slaves role in society help the empire to grow economically? What effects did slavery have on the
social structures in Rome?
III. Treatment of Slaves
a. Under Roman Laws, owners were allowed to punish their slaves in any way they chose. Slaves
were viewed as property and not as people. Slaves could be crucified, or nailed to a cross and
sentenced to death, for something as small as stealing.
b. Some masters did treat their slaves well for they believed by doing so their slaves would do
better work and therefore make them more money.
What are some benefits of treating your slaves with respect? What are some specific examples in which slaves
were treated well and even viewed as valuable to Rome?
IV. Slavery in the New World
a. 1619 slavery was introduced in America as the Dutch brought over Africans to the Jamestown
colony against their will. Slaves were needed to help on the tobacco farms and other cash crops.
b. Slavery helped to build the economic foundation of America, and without it, this new nation
could not have been successful.
How was slavery in Rome similar to the slave systems we learn about in the New World? What do you think
would have happened to both Rome and North America if slavery were never introduced? Would these societies
be as successful as they were without the use of slavery?
V. Modern Day Slavery
a. The U.S. Department of State defines Modern slavery as trafficking in persons: including all of
the criminal conduct involved in forced labor and sex trafficking, essentially the conduct
involved in reducing or holding someone in compelled service.
b. Forced labor through the exploitation of vulnerable workers, sex trafficking through forcing or
tricking someone into prostitution, bonded labor in which victims are forced to work to pay off a
debt and even forced child labor and child soldiers are all still prevalent in our world today and
are considered forms of slavery
How does learning about slavery in ancient Rome help us to better understand the world we live in today? Can
learning about the past allow us to become better global citizens today?
Instructional Plan:

Type of activity; What the Teacher Will Do/Say:

timing
Prior to the class walking in, the teacher will have a card in the middle of each desk group. This
card will be face down and will contain information about a slave master in ancient Rome.
Some cards will describe slave masters who are kind and loving, while others describe a harsh
and brutal owner. Once all the students have sat down, the teacher will explain that they are not
Hook to turn the card over yet. Next, she will tell the students that the people on these cards were
slave owners in Rome. Then the teacher will tell the groups to flip over their card and discuss
10 minutes how they feel about the master described on their within their group, and inform them they will
be asked to briefly describe the life of that masters slave to the rest of the class. The teacher
will let the groups discuss for about two minutes then have one representative from each group
stand up and explain to the class what the master is like and how they feel about the life of the
slaves in this masters possession. After each group has gone, the teacher will explain that from
this activity, it is clear that slaves in Rome had a variety of masters and led many different
lives. The teacher will explain that todays lesson will be focused on the different roles slaves
played in Roman society and how their roles affected the Empire as a whole.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude 1/15
 The teacher will divide the class into groups to work on primary sources regarding the life of a
slave in Rome. The teacher will explain that each group is going to look at 7 primary source
documents both in the form of written accounts as well as other forms of art. The teacher will
then hand out the worksheet that goes along with the primary source documents. She will
explain that this chart is to help students analyze the documents and compare and contrast
Primary Source them. The teacher will instruct the students to fill the chart out as they read. In the left column
Activity students will write what occupation the primary source is describing and in the right column
they will describe how this occupation played a role in society, if any. The teacher will explain
40 minutes that the occupations may not be very clear in the source, but if the student has ample evidence
from the source to back up their choice in what job the slave held, then that is good. The
teacher will be continuously walking around to each group making sure each member is
involved in the analyzing of the sources as well as the discussion within the group.

Discussion on After each group has filled out the chart the teacher will explain that each group is to compose
Primary Source a one or two sentence statement that encompasses a slaves role in Roman society now that
Documents they know about the different jobs they held. Once each group has finalized their sentence the
teacher will ask each group to present to the rest of the class their statement about slavery in
20 minutes Rome.
Stem: Slavery was important to Roman society because _______________.
A slaves role in Roman society was ______________ because_____________.
Looking for: Student knowledge about the importance of slavery in Roman society as well as
the role many slaves had in the economy.
The teacher will then explain as a final assignment for the lesson, students will be asked to
choose one occupation described in the primary source documents. Students will have filled
Writing Activity out the chart so they should be able to easily pick one and know what that role did in society.
The teacher will explain that they are to write a short letter to their parent, sibling or friend
20 minutes back home explaining how their life is as a slave working the job they chose. The letter should
include the job title, how they are treated, if they have any freedoms, and what they feel they
are contributing to the society or economy of Rome through this occupation.

The teacher will ask students to research modern forms of slavery in our world today. The
Homework: teacher will ask the students to come up with a way to display these similarities and differences
Connection to between the different slave systems and provide an example of at least one. The students are
slavery in the able to make a graphic organizer, a list or bring in sources that explain a specific case of
New World and modern day slavery. By doing this activity students will be able to understand that slavery was
Today not something that started and ended in the colonial world, but began centuries ago and is even
still occurring all over the world today, even in our own nation.

Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education

modified by Dr. Cude 1/15
Materials Needed for the Lesson:
Cards for each desk group with information about slave masters
Primary source document worksheet
Primary source chart to go along with documents

Bibliography/Resources Used: (in APA format)

Alchin, L. (2015). Slave Punishment. Retrieved November 1, 2015, from
http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-life/slave-punishment.htm

Big Era Four: Expanding Networks of Exchange and Encounter 1200 BCE - 500 CE. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 1, 2015, from http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/units/four/closeup/Era04_closeup452.pdf

DeHaas, I. (n.d.). Roman Slavery: A Unit of Study for Grades 6-12. Retrieved November 1, 2015, from
http://nchs.ss.ucla.edu/previews/NH194_Catalog Site Preview.pdf

What is Modern Slavery? (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2015, from http://www.state.gov/j/tip/what/

Adaption/Differentiation:
Group work is the focus of this lesson, so this will allow ELL or struggling
readers to work with other students who are on a higher reading level.
During the group work on reading and discussing the primary source
documents, ELL/struggling readers will be able to listen to another group
ELL/struggling member read through the passage. This will help them to gain a better
readers understanding of the text. Also, small group work will give these students a
chance to voice their opinion to fewer people. ELL/struggling readers may
not want to speak out in front of the whole class, so small groups will allow
them to build their confidence as they discuss the sources and their
opinions of those sources.

This lesson will cater to ADHD because the students will constantly
require students to be engaged and working on something. The group work
will help students to discuss what they think each primary document means
that will allow ADHD students to stay engaged in the discussion with their
ADHD peers. The hook will force students to take on a role, while the other
sections of the lesson require reading, writing and discussion. The many
different forms of learning will help ADHD students to be constantly
shifting how they are thinking, helping them to remain focused.

Gifted students will be able to show their creative side as they choose a
role from the primary sources and write a letter home to their family or
friends. They will have to use the information theyve pulled out of the
Gifted primary sources to come up with reasons as to why they feel they are
important and valuable to Rome. If the prompt is too simple, the teacher
can push these gifted students to go deeper into their letter and use specific
examples and reasoning to back up what they are writing in regards to their
occupation.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude 1/15
REFLECTION:
1. How/where does this lesson exhibit connection to student lives/authentic learning?
This lesson will connect to students lives because they will begin to understand that slavery is not only
in our past, but continues today. The homework assignment to research modern day slavery will only drive in
the point made during the lesson that slavery has continued for centuries. By understanding slavery was very
much present and important in Rome, they will be able to make connections to slavery in the New World as
well as slavery in the world today.

2. How/where does this lesson lead to H.O.T. (higher order thinking) and deep knowledge?
Analyzing primary sources requires higher order thinking, and this lesson is built around doing so. The
students will have to look at these sources, be able to pull out the essential information, and formulate a
statement, which they feel encompasses the main ideas of the sources. This is higher order thinking because
students will have to take what they learned from physical materials, and come up with a deeper and more
meaningful understanding of why slavery was so important in Rome.

Points Rubric for Lesson Plans See full rubric for detailed description of expectations. See Dr. Cude for
/5 ea. further explanation.
Goals & alignment: EQ which is essential; objectives well written and significant; assessment
aligned with objectives--formative & summative; lesson logically flows; scaffolded appropriately

Structure: HOOK, closure, timing, detailed/accurate content, diverse strategies, differentiation,

includes ancillary materials [such as PPT, notesheet], on time, use of primary sources & visuals

Quality: [PASS criteria] uses higher-order thinking, links to students lives, includes
ethics/democratic values, employs historical/critical thinking & rigor, includes significant portion of
active/student-directed learning, and makes meaningful connections.

TOTAL 13.5 15 = exemplary (A)

12- 13.25 = meets target (B)
10.25 11.75 = meets target (C)
10 and below = needs improvement/redo & resubmit

Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education

modified by Dr. Cude 1/15