Lesson plan based on Hadrian
Define ancient Roman vocabulary using the dictionary writing sentences.
Skills and Focus: Vocabulary, Research
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Thematic Connection Connecting Past and Present
Grade Level: Secondary School
Time Needed: 90 minutes
Objectives
• Define ten new words that relate to ancient Roman and Greek cultural life.
• Use the dictionary to discover the definitions of words and their etymologies.
• Find contemporary usage of these words, in titles, brand or corporate names, or architecture.
Instructional Materials Needed
Stories: Who Was Hadrian? and How Was This Made?
Dictionaries for each student
Internet access to search for contemporary examples of words
Activity
Step 1: Write the following words on the chalkboard, asking students to copy them onto a sheet of paper: caryatid, aqueduct, pantheon, odeon, deify, rasp, emery, abrasives, sophisticated, equestrian. Show the stories Who Was Hadrian? and How Was This Made? and ask students to listen for these words and look for the images that accompany them.
Step 2: Ask students to discover the definition of each of these words that matches its ancient context. Rasp, for example, is used in a very specific way in the story How Was This Made? Encourage students to refer to the transcripts of the movies to determine context.
Step 3: As students look up the first word, caryatid, instruct them to look at the bracketed portion of the dictionary entry to find the etymology of the word. Introduce them to the abbreviations L and Gk, which refer to Latin and Greek, respectively, as well as the abbreviation fr. (from). Demonstrate how to read the etymology so that the students can write down the Latin and/or Greek form of the word, and how it was derived (including meanings of roots when available).
Step 4: Ask students to find examples of contemporary usage for five of the ten vocabulary words, and to use these words in sentences that demonstrate understanding of their meaning. Ask students to share their sentences.
Goals
This activity meets Illinois State Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency.
This activity meets Illinois State Goal 5: Use the language arts for inquiry and research to acquire, organize, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information.
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