Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 2, Ancient Legacy: Exploring the Impact and Influence of the Roman Empire (5th-6th)

Posted by floresmm on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 in blog, SAVY.

We had another fun day in Ancient Legacy! This morning, we picked up right where we left off by learning about daily life in the Roman Republic. We studied the patricians and plebeian classes, the government structure, the election process for consul members, and the process for joining the senate. We then transformed our classroom into the Roman senate floor by giving students senatorial roles and holding a class debate!

From there, we learned about the coins and currency in Rome and then studied the military structure. Students even had a chance to create their own shields and practice famous military formations in Ancient Rome (especially the Tortoise formation!).

After finishing our study of life during the Roman Republic, we transitioned to learning about the Roman Empire and the most famous emperors who served during the height of the empire period. We examined monuments and structures of each of the emperors, and then students chose their favorite emperor and wrote a backstory on his accomplishments.

In the late afternoon, students had a chance to continue building on their plans for their own Roman-style city. Some students are still mapping out the grid and streets, and others have moved on to the government system and written laws. I love seeing their ideas come to life, and I can’t wait to see it all come together at the end of the week!

Some main takeaways from today: understanding the factors that led to the rise and, later, the fall of the Roman Empire, applying the Roman senate structure to real-life scenarios, and critically evaluating some of the laws that were enforced in ancient Rome.

Some dinner table questions: