KEY STANDARDS

RH.6-8.1, RH.6-8.5, RH.6-8.9, RI.6-8.1, RI.6-8.2

Lesson Plan

Pompeii’s Secrets

A step-by-step guide to teaching this article in your classroom

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

• Integrate this lesson with a unit on ancient Rome.

• Use this article to spark a discussion about how cultures throughout history compare with ours.

• Reinforce geography skills with the map-reading activity.

Before Reading

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
(10 MINUTES)

Ask: What are some of the most famous ruins of the world’s ancient civilizations? You can suggest Machu Piccu in Peru as an example. Then tell them they’re about to read about history’s most famous lost city.

Read & Analyze

INDEPENDENT READING
(15 MINUTES)

Have students read the article, underlining key ideas and writing any comments or questions in the margins.

CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS
(10 MINUTES)

Have students write their answers to each question, or use these prompts to guide a discussion.

• EXPLICIT INFORMATION: What happened to the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in 79 A.D.?
(It was buried under ash and volcanic rock when the nearby volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted.)

• MAIN IDEA: Why is Pompeii considered “the most important archaeological site in the Roman world”?
(Pompeii provides a unique up-close-and-personal gaze into the ancient past. The site contains the most complete picture of a Roman city ever found. Cutting-edge archaeological techniques are tried out there.)

Extend & Assess

ANALYZE A PRIMARY SOURCE
Assign the skills sheet Analyzing a Primary Source: Fleeing Vesuvius.

DIFFERENTIATING

Lower Level Read the article together as a class, pausing after each section to identify main ideas and supporting details.

Higher Level Ask students to research efforts to preserve historic sites in their community or state. Why are such sites important?

Print This Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan (1)
Text-to-Speech