Materials

• Cause and Effect Adaptations chart from the unit on ancient Greece
• White blank 9" x 12" drawing paper (2 pieces per student)
• Overhead projector or large bulletin board paper
• Venn Diagram template (Attachment C)

Instructional Activities

1. Review the term adaptation. Refer back to the adaptation chart that was created when the students studied about ancient Greece.
   
   
2. Locate ancient Rome on the Mediterranean Sea. This is relatively the same area of ancient Greece. The Romans had to adapt to their environment in similar ways as did the Greeks. They farmed on hillsides using terraced farming, and traded with other countries on the Mediterranean Sea. Add these to the Cause-and- Effect chart.
              
   
3. Review the term characteristics (different traits). Ask students how this location might affect human characteristics and occupations. Again, this is very similar to people of ancient Greece (farmers, traders). However, the Romans were master road builders; this was different from Greeks.
   
   
4. You may want to show these similarities and differences in a Venn Diagram (see Attachment C) like the one below (using the overhead projector or large bulletin board paper). Save it because you will add to it each day.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Have students add two pages to their ancient Rome booklet and illustrate them.
   Page 2—Adaptations to Environment
   Page 3—Human Characteristics and Occupation