If you are looking for an engaging activity for your study of ancient Rome, this lesson is a perfect blend of technology, exploration, reading, and writing! Your students will view the Roman Colosseum up close and personal using the amazing features of Google Earth in this Virtual Field Trip opportunity!
Bring the Colosseum to Your Students
I was privileged to take a girls trip with my mom and sister about 13 years ago, and one of our stops on our Europe tour was the Colosseum. I had learned about the Colosseum, gladiators, and blood sports, but to experience this site in person was surreal. I know that taking a trip to Europe (especially right now in 2020) is not always possible. We can bring the Colosseum to our students virtually!
What is a Virtual Field Trip?
In this virtual field trip, students use Google Earth to experience 360-degree views of the entrance, the hypogeum, and arena of the Colosseum. Today's technology is truly amazing!
Not sure about using Google Earth? No problem. Teachers share with me that these virtual field trips are super easy to use. I've already set-up this activity with easy-to-click links that take students directly to specific 360-degree views of the Colosseum. No guess work needed.
Simple is Key
One thing I know about virtual learning is that SIMPLE is a key word. Everything about this virtual field trip is guided. All of the student instructions, reading, exploration, and response questions are built into the activity. All you have to do is assign in Google Classroom, or if you'd rather, conduct as a teacher-led activity. I've also included a grading rubric for you.
Student Ownership
What I love about virtual field trips is that students have an opportunity to take ownership of their learning. They can move through the slides at their own pace, have time to explore on their own, and answer questions that pertain to their learning experience.
I do recognize that the ability to modify is really helpful. That's why all of the response questions included are editable. They are set up as short answer questions, but you can change them as needed.
Do you cover other ancient history? I've got activities your students will love. Check out these blog posts for activity ideas:
