Lesson plan based on Mosaic Floor

Illustrate the geographic origins of various animals imported into the Roman empire and compare their roles to those of animals in the world today.

Skills and Focus: Geography, Hands-on, Cultural Comparisons, Studio, Writing

Subject Area: Social Science

Thematic Connection: Animals, Geography

Grade Level: Middle School

Time Needed: 60-90 minutes

Objectives

• Understand the scope of the Roman empire by learning how exotic animals were imported into Rome from the farthest regions of the empire.

Instructional Materials Needed

Story: What Animal Is This?

worldmap

worksheet

Images of assorted animals–photocopies, pages cut out of National Geographic or other magazines, pictures drawn by the students themselves, or printouts from the internet site: Lincoln Park Zoo

Graph paper

Activity

Step 1: Tell students that many Roman mosaics show images of animals that were imported from the far reaches of the empire for parades, private parks, and public games.

Have students plot images (either drawn, photocopied, or cut from magazines) of the following imported animals on a map in order to see the extent of the vast Roman empire.

lions: Africa

ostriches: Africa

elephants: Africa

giraffes: Africa

bears: Scotland

bears: Persia (Iran)

camels: western Asia

Step 2: Distribute the chart and ask students to fill it out to consider the role that domestic and exotic animals play in today’s society.

Step 3: Ask students to describe a contemporary mosaic of animals important to their community. Discuss the student mosaics.

Critical Thinking Ask students to

• compare the animals featured in their modern mosaic to those included in ancient Roman mosaics?

• explain how today’s world is different from that of the ancient Romans and how those differences help to explain the different ways animals are treated now than they were in ancient Rome.

Goals

This activity meets Illinois State Goal 17: Demonstrate a knowledge of world geography, as well as an understanding of the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States.

Animal	Domestic or Exotic?	What role does it play in our lives?

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