Lesson Plan - The Lost City of Pompeii

Build Knowledge and Vocabulary

Provide a 3-2-1 task for students to complete as they watch “What You Need to Know About . . . Pompeii”: Record 3 facts about Pompeii, 2 images that stand out to you, and 1 question you have. Use Think-Pair-Share to discuss responses. Then use the Skill Builder Words to Know to preteach domain-specific terms from the article.

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently or in pairs. Direct them to underline or highlight details that help answer the question at the beginning of the article.

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• What happened to the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in 79 A.D.? (Central Ideas)
It was buried under ash and volcanic rock when the nearby volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted. About 2,000 people died, and Pompeii was lost to history until 1748.

• What was life in Pompeii like before the eruption? (Key Details)
Pompeii was a thriving port city, and many tourists came to visit. Vendors, bakeries, and thermopolia sold food, which included melon, roasted mice, figs, olives, honey, and garum. Factories produced fabrics and leather goods, and traders came from across the Roman Empire to buy and sell goods. Gladiators fought to the death for entertainment, and tutors educated wealthy boys.

Develop Map Reading Skills

Use the Historical Map Skill Builder to have students analyze and answer questions about a historical map. For more map skills practice, check out our Map Skills Boot Camp with 15 lessons at junior.scholastic.com/mapskills.

Analyze a Primary Source

Guide students to complete the Your Turn activity on page 23.

• How is Pliny feeling about the eruption? Do you think you’d feel the same?
Sample response: Pliny says that he didn’t cry out in fear, but he seems quite concerned about what is happening. I probably would have felt even more scared.

• Consolation is a source of comfort. A calamity is a disaster. What gives Pliny a sense of comfort?
The feeling that everyone else was experiencing the eruption gives Pliny a sense of comfort.

• What did Pliny think was happening to the world during the eruption?
He thought the world was ending.

Assess Comprehension

Assign the 10-question Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use Quiz Wizard to assess comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.