Whose Story Is It? Analyzing Perspectives in Ancient Rome

This mini-unit helps students analyze perspectives over three lessons. They start by identifying perspectives, then use evidence to support claims, and finally compare viewpoints. The unit ends with a CER response answering: "Was life in Ancient Rome fair for everyone?" This sequence builds students' historical thinking skills step by step.

Duration
Multiple days
Lesson Type
Traditional Lesson

Essential Question

  1. Was life in Ancient Rome fair for everyone?
  2. How does perspective shape our understanding of history?

Grade(s):

  • 6

Subject(s):

Recommended Technology:

Technology used includes: Google Slides for instruction and modeling, Google Docs for student organizers and writing, and Google Forms for assessment. Optional tools such as Jamboard or Padlet can be used to increase engagement and support discussions of multiple perspectives. 

Other Instructional Materials or Notes:

  • Teacher-created Google Slides presentation
  • Student graphic organizer (perspective analysis chart)
  • CER writing template
  • printed or digital copies of Source A and Source B
  • Venn Diagram for comparing perspectives
  • Sentence starters and guided questions for scaffolding
  • Exit Ticket (paper or digital)
  • Teacher answer key and rubric for assessment

Lesson Progression

Lesson 1 helps students identify perspectives

Lesson 2 teaches students to support ideas with evidence

Lesson 3 asks students to compare perspectives and use evidence in writing

 

Teacher Notes

Lesson 1: Identifying Perspectives in Ancient Rome

Objective

Students will identify different perspectives in historical sources about life in Ancient Rome.

Standard

6.1.E – Analyze multiple perspectives on the political, social, and economic achievements of classical civilizations through a variety of primary and secondary sources.

Lesson Progression

1. Hook / Bellringer
Display an image of Ancient Rome and ask:
“Do all people in a society experience life the same way?”
Students complete a quick turn-and-talk.

2. Introduce the Skill
Explain that historians study different perspectives to better understand the past.
Define perspective in student-friendly language:
“A perspective is how someone sees or experiences something.”

3. Teacher Modeling
Read Source A aloud.
Model how to identify:

  • who is speaking
  • whether the view is positive or negative
  • one piece of evidence from the source

4. Guided Practice
Read Source B together as a class.
Ask guiding questions:

  • Who is speaking?
  • What is their experience?
  • How is this perspective different?

5. Student Work
Students complete the graphic organizer for both sources.

6. Discussion
Students share with a partner:
“Whose life seems easier in Rome? What evidence supports that idea?”

7. Exit Ticket
Students answer:
“What is one perspective we studied today, and what evidence supports it?”

Scaffolds

  • graphic organizer
  • highlighted text
  • guiding questions
  • teacher think-aloud

 

Lesson 2: Using Evidence to Support a Claim

Objective

Students will use evidence from historical sources to support a claim about life in Ancient Rome.

Lesson Progression

1. Warm-Up
Review the two perspectives from Lesson 1.
Ask:
“Which source had a more positive view of Rome?”

2. Mini-Lesson on Evidence
Explain that historians do not just make opinions—they support ideas with evidence.
Define evidence:
“Evidence is proof from a source that helps support your thinking.”

3. Teacher Modeling
Model a simple claim:
“Life in Ancient Rome was not fair for everyone.”
Show students how to pull one quote or detail from a source to support the claim.

4. Guided Practice
As a class, identify evidence from Source A and Source B.
Discuss how the evidence connects to the claim.

5. Student Practice
Students highlight or underline evidence in each source.
Then they complete sentence stems such as:

  • “In Source A, it says…”
  • “This shows…”
  • “In Source B, it says…”

6. Partner Share
Students read their evidence statements to a partner and explain how the evidence supports a claim.

7. Exit Ticket
Students write one complete evidence statement using one source.

Scaffolds

  • sentence starters
  • modeled example
  • highlighted evidence
  • guided practice with teacher support

 

Lesson 3: Comparing Perspectives and Writing a CER Response

Objective

Students will compare perspectives and write a CER response explaining whether life in Ancient Rome was fair for everyone.

Lesson Progression

1. Bellringer
Ask students:
“Based on what we have learned, was life in Ancient Rome fair for everyone?”
Students write a quick first thought.

2. Review Comparison Skill
Briefly review that historians compare viewpoints to understand how experiences differ.
Define compare:
“To compare is to explain how things are alike and different.”

3. Guided Comparison
Students use a Venn diagram or organizer to compare Source A and Source B.
Focus on:

  • similarities
  • differences
  • reasons the perspectives differ

4. Class Discussion
Discuss:
“Why would two people living in the same society have different viewpoints?”

5. Introduce Final Writing Task
Prompt:
“Was life in Ancient Rome fair for everyone?”
Explain that students will write a CER response.

6. Teacher Model / Review CER
Review:

  • Claim = your answer
  • Evidence = proof from sources
  • Reasoning = explanation of why the evidence matters

7. Independent Writing
Students complete their CER using:

  • the graphic organizer
  • evidence from both sources
  • sentence frames if needed

8. Peer Feedback
Students exchange responses and provide:

  • one strength
  • one question

9. Self-Assessment / Exit
Students check:

  • I answered the question
  • I used evidence from both sources
  • I explained why the perspectives differ

Scaffolds

  • Venn diagram
  • CER template
  • sentence starters

 

Assessments

CER Writing: Was life in Ancient Rome fair for everyone?