Name: ______

Date: ______

Morning at the Museum:

The Ancient Roman Empire

What is Morning At The Museum?

It is a student (that’s you) created interactive-museum that will highlight an aspect ofthe Ancient Roman Empire that fascinates you. Your hard work and that of your classmates over the next three+ weeks will come together in a single morning: January 24. On this day the final product of all your hard work will be on display to an eager audience of thousands...(perhaps hundreds….ok, maybe tens) of people. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s start at the beginning…

There are four basic parts to the project:

1.)Lottery: You (and your partner) must choose an area to research about the Ancient Roman Empire—Anything after 31 BCE). Only 2 pairs may work on each category…though many of them overlap so the options are plentiful! Categories :

  1. Famous figures
  2. Inventions
  3. Key Events
  4. Fall of Rome
  5. Clothing & Fashion
  6. Government
  7. Food
  8. Religion
  9. Enemies
  10. Military
  11. Education
  12. Colosseum

2.)Focus through exploratory research: Create your own research questions:

  1. For example: Gracie and Miragets their second category choice in the lottery: Colosseum.They then focus in on the naval battles that took place there.They create 6 specific questions to help them become experts within this area.

3.)Research: Find the answers to your questions be able to evaulate the sources (C.A.R.T.!) you used to gain this information.

4.)Create a Display & Become a Docent: At our Museum, you will become a guide and show families around when they visit your section of the museum. You will need to have aninteractive exhibit clearly sharing your research for them to see and play with.

Assignment #1 Making Your Selection (10pts)

You and your partner must first decide which area of the Ancient Roman Empire MOST interests you (i.e., NOT someone else!). This is a very important decision since the remainder of the assignment will be focused on this.

Process for Assignment 1

1.)Choose the three general topics you are MOST interested in from the list on page #1. Don't forget our overview activity in the library from before Winter Break as you make this choice.

2.)Complete lottery ticket below to the HIGH standards expected by Mr. R: NO ticket, NO play. NO show, NO go. Stop…don't Flop.

What Do We Mean By «Focus?»

Describe, Explain, Compare/Contrast, Analyze, Evaluate, Synthesize

Take a subject and go deeeeeeper!

Examples:

1. Not just Clothing & Fashion but rather COMPARINGRoman fashion to fashion today – how does a person’s fashion communicate his/her status in a society?

2. Not just Government but rather ANALYZING the legacy of Roman government: How has the basic structure of government that started in Rome evolved into the separation of powers we have in the U.S. today?

3. Not just Food and Drink but rather CREATING a unique approach to dining inspired by a typical Roman dining experience.

4. Not just Military but rather ANALYZING military strategy: What tactics from ancient Rome are still studied by military leaders today?

5. Not just Entertainment but rather EVALUATING entertainment's role in society during the Roman Empire and entertainment's role in U.S. society today: It may not be quite as violent, or is it but in a different way?)

6. Not just Famous Figures but rather COMPARING Cleopatra: Is there a star today that you consider to be Cleopatra reincarnated?

7. Not just Inventions but rather SYNTHESIZING engineering innovations from the Roman Empire to construct an engineering innovation of your own.

ZOOOM In on the Morning…

Possible Focus Ideas:

Gracie

This project will be ongoing for the next three weeks.

It is divided into a number of different assignments that will require specific work to be done by a specific due date. Each assignment is explained in detail. Be sure to read and re-read the requirements.

THE PROJECT IS WORTH A TOTAL OF 100 POINTS. EACH 'STOP' ALONG THE WAY HAS A SPECIFIC POINT VALUE. Blah, blah, blah…YOU KNOW THE DEAL…

Assignment #2 Exploratory Research/ Research Questions (15 pts)

You must come up with AT LEAST 6juicy (ie. Able to stand up to the intense review of Mr. R on a bad hair day) research questions. As a gift to you, I have provided one 'free' (but required) research question (which is #6).

Process for Assignment 2:USING YOUR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS!!!

  1. Using resources provided on the WMS Library page created by Ms. Chessman, come up with a FOCUS for your reseach. You should also use the online sources on our web-pages and visit the public library to see what they have about your topic. Keep in mind our recent library research lessons about databases!
  1. Use the following question staters when creating your questions:
  1. What is/was the difference between? COMPARE/CONTRAST
  2. Who/What influenced….?CAUSE & EFFECT
  3. How does/did … .change…..? EVALUATE…
  4. What causes/caused…?EXPLAIN…

Assignment #3 : Research (35 points)

This is the part of your project when you use resources—books, databases, interviews—to answer your questions. The information you uncover will be used to create your museum display and educate all of our guests.

Process for Assignment 3

1.) We will go to the school library on Tuesday, January 15 and Wednesday, January 16…and maybe even Thursday, January 17!

2.) You will use library resources to answer your research questions.

3.) For each research question you will complete at least one C.A.R.T. card and one NOTES«notecard»-- see the next few sheets.Additional sheets are located online…


**REMEMBER: You can use 2-3 different sources to answer ONE question…you should be using at least two resources for each question to confirm the information you are finding.

Assignment #4: Museum Display & Presentation
(40 points)

This is the part of the project when all of your hard work will be rewarded! Have you ever been to a museum that put you to sleep? How about one that kept you awake? What's the difference? We want our musuem to make families and other guests (your fellow 6th graders?) excited and eager to learn what you have researched. With this in mind, your challenge is to create a museum display station that is:

  1. Informative: EACH of your research questions is clearly shown AND answered in some way.
  1. INTERACTIVE: Your guests get to touch, move, and get involved in what you've created. Examples (that you can not use!):
  1. Gladiators Galore: Match the Gladiator to his Title and Weapon Set
  2. Emperor Jeopardy: Test your knowledge of the Roman Emperors.
  3. Party with the Patrician: What Should I Wear to Dinner?
  4. X Marks the Spot: Map Out the Border Wars!
  5. Dinner With a Dictator: Meet and Talk With Julius Caesar himself.
  1. Oral Presentation: Make sure that you can guide your guests through your interactive exhibit. Be able to provide them with interesting information along the way. You must also ask each visitor whether or not they have additional questions once you have finished. Stay on your toes and be ready to answer them!

Task / Due Date / Point Value / Points Earned / Comments
ASSIGNMENT #1: Lottery Card / Monday
1/6/14 / 10 pts
ASSIGNMENT #2: Writing Out Research Questions / Friday
1/10/14 / 15 pts
ASSIGNMENT #3: Research Notecards
--Research question is at the top of the card (5)
--Research notes: Detailed and answer the question. (15)
--Notes are in your own words (5)
--C.A.R.T. information complete(10) / Thursday
1/16/14 / 35 pts
ASSIGNMENT #4: Interactive Museum Display & Presentation
Informative: Your exhibit clearly answers the research questions
Exhibit is interactive!!!!!!!!!
Feedback from guests (you must hand in 2 evaluation forms) / Friday
1/24/14 / 40 pts

Planning Calendar:

STRATEGIZE & THINK AHEAD!!!

DECEMBER
16 / 17 / 18 / 19
Rome Overview in the Library: A Warm Up to Your Project / 20 / Saturday / Sunday
January 1
No School / 2 / 3
Hand Out Project
(Think back to December 19…) / 4
Saturday / 5
Sunday
6
Assignment #1 Due: Lottery Choice / 7 / 8
½ Day / 9 / 10
Assignment #2 Due: Research Questions…
Remember C.A.R.T.! / 11 / 12
13 / 14
Library Research Time / 15
Library Research Time / 16
Assignment #3 Due: Resarch Cards
Library Research
Time / 17
Time to work on projects in school
(Day 1) / 18 / 19
20
MLK DAY
No School / 21
Blueprint/Plan due of Final Idea / 22 / 23 / 24
SHOW TIME in the WMS Cafeteria. / 26 / 27

Dear House R Parents,

Thank you for taking the time to read through this project packet with your child and signing below.

The goal for this project is to develop each student’s research, presentation and organization skills. It is also an opportunity for the students to use their creativity to bring Ancient Rome alive!

We would love to have you join us on Friday, January 24for the “Ancient Roman Morning at the Museum”. It will be in the morning between8:30-9:30 am in the school cafeteria.

If you have any questions regarding the project please feel free to email me:

Project Resources will be available on my website.

I have read this project assignment packet and understand the expectations.

______(student)

______(parent)

Book my ticket for that day! I’ll be there!

______