Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Late Antiquity: Fall of the Western Roman Empire

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The stage of defining objectives is crucial to guide both the teacher and the students about what is expected as a result of the learning process. By establishing clear objectives, students can better direct their pre-study efforts and class participation, while the teacher can adjust teaching activities to ensure that the objectives are effectively and engagingly achieved.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to identify and explain the main factors that led to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, highlighting both internal factors (such as corruption, political and economic divisions) and external factors (barbarian invasions).

2. Foster understanding of the role of the expansion of Christianity in the context of Late Antiquity, and how this cultural and religious transformation influenced the political and social events of the period.

Side Objectives:

1. Stimulate students' analytical ability to relate historical events and understand their long-term consequences.
2. Develop argumentation and debate skills through discussions of the impacts of historical events in contemporary times.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students through problem situations that make them apply prior knowledge in a critical and analytical manner. Furthermore, by contextualizing the importance of the topic with historical examples and curiosities, this stage seeks to spark students’ interest and demonstrate the relevance of studying Late Antiquity for understanding current and universal issues.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Consider the following situation: a 4th-century historian is miraculously sent to the 21st century and asks you, as their guide, to explain why the Western Roman Empire fell. How would you use knowledge about the barbarian invasions and the internal crisis of the empire to explain this event?

2. Imagine you are a Roman senator in 476 A.D., witnessing the deposition of Romulus Augustulus, the last Roman emperor. How would you explain to your grandchildren what led to this moment, considering both internal and external factors that contributed to the fall of the Empire?

Contextualization

The fall of the Western Roman Empire is one of the most studied and fascinating events in history, with impacts that resonate to this day. Curiously, the story of Alaric, the Visigoth leader who sacked Rome in 410 A.D., shows not only the military strength of the barbarians but also the internal vulnerability and corruption of Rome. This event is emblematic to understanding how external and internal factors interacted to undermine imperial power. Additionally, the role of Christianity, which was initially persecuted, became the official religion of the Empire and played a crucial role in this scenario of cultural and religious transformation.

Development

Duration: (70 - 75 minutes)

The Development stage is designed for students to practically and creatively apply the knowledge acquired about Late Antiquity. Through playful and interactive activities, students will deepen their understanding of the factors leading to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the issue of barbarian peoples, and the expansion of Christianity. By choosing one of the proposed activities, students can explore the theme more engagingly, stimulating critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Collapse of the Empire in Posters

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Visually and collaboratively understand the main factors of the fall of the Western Roman Empire in a creative way.

- Description: Students will be divided into groups of up to 5 people, and each group will be tasked with creating a large poster that visually represents the factors that contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. They should use images, texts, and graphs to illustrate themes such as corruption, barbarian invasions, political and economic divisions, and the influence of Christianity.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group selects one of the main factors of the fall of the Western Roman Empire to represent on their poster.

• Research in provided material or reliable sources about the chosen factor.

• Create an initial sketch of the poster, planning the arrangement of images, texts, and graphs.

• Gather materials (paper, colored markers, markers) and start making the poster.

• Present the poster to the class, explaining the visual choices and the impact of the represented factors.

Activity 2 - Political Scenario: The Council of Barbarians

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Analyze the fall of the Western Roman Empire from a barbarian perspective and understand the political and social dynamics involved.

- Description: In this simulation activity, each group will represent a barbarian faction and will discuss strategies to deal with the Western Roman Empire in its moment of fragility at a 'Council of Barbarians'. The objective is to understand the different interests and approaches of the barbarian peoples during the invasions.

- Instructions:

• Form groups representing different barbarian factions (Vandals, Visigoths, Huns, etc.).

• Research the history and motivations of the chosen barbarian faction.

• Prepare a brief presentation that explains the current situation of your faction and its intentions towards the Western Roman Empire.

• Participate in a simulated debate, where each group presents its strategies and objectives.

• Conclude the debate with a vote to decide the collective action of the 'Barbarians' concerning the Empire.

Activity 3 - The Cross and the Sword: The Role of Christianity

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Understand the role of Christianity in Late Antiquity and its influence in the political and social spheres of the Western Roman Empire.

- Description: Students, organized in groups, will create a period newspaper that reports on the events that led to the rise of Christianity and its impact on Roman society in the West, from persecution to adoption as the official religion.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups and assign each one an aspect of Christianity in Late Antiquity to research.

• The topics can include the persecution of Christians, the early councils, the conversion of Constantine, and the adoption of Christianity as the State religion.

• Use the collected information to write articles for the newspaper, including headlines, main and secondary articles, and images.

• Assemble the newspaper on A3 sheets, using layouts that resemble newspapers of the time.

• Present the newspaper to the class, discussing the impact of the news and how it influenced the politics and society of the time.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this feedback stage is to consolidate students' learning, allowing them to articulate and share the conclusions from their practical activities, as well as reflect on the theoretical material previously studied. This group discussion aims to deepen students' understanding of the historical events of Late Antiquity, promoting an exchange of ideas and perspectives that enrich the collective understanding of the topic.

Group Discussion

At the end of the activities, promote a group discussion with all students to share the discoveries and reflections from their work. Start the discussion with a brief introduction, summarizing the main points covered in the activities. Then, ask each group to present a summary of their work and the conclusions reached. Encourage students to make connections between the different factors discussed and how they interconnect to explain the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Use this moment to correct any possible misinterpretations and reinforce key concepts.

Key Questions

1. What were the most significant internal and external factors that contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, according to the presentations made by the groups?

2. How did the simulation of the 'Council of Barbarians' help understand the different perspectives of the barbarian peoples during the invasions?

3. In what way did the activity about the role of Christianity in the fall of the Western Roman Empire change or reinforce your perception of the topic?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of the Conclusion stage is to consolidate learning, ensuring that students can link practical activities with the theoretical concepts studied, and understand the ongoing importance of the topic. Additionally, this stage serves to reinforce the main learnings from the class and highlight the applicability of historical knowledge in understanding current social dynamics.

Summary

To conclude, the teacher should summarize and recap the main points addressed regarding the fall of the Western Roman Empire, highlighting internal factors such as corruption, political and economic divisions, as well as external factors such as barbarian invasions. Additionally, it is crucial to recall the importance of the expansion of Christianity and its impact on the cultural and religious transformation of the period.

Theory Connection

During the class, the connection between theory and practice was established through dynamic and interactive activities that allowed students to apply prior theoretical knowledge practically. Activities such as creating posters, simulating the 'Council of Barbarians', and developing a period newspaper provided a deeper understanding of the studied themes.

Closing

Finally, it is essential to highlight the relevance of studying Late Antiquity, not just as a distant historical event but as a period that shaped many of the political, social, and cultural structures that still influence contemporary society. Understanding these historical events helps to form a critical and informed view of the present.