The Role of Roman Geography

Read the text before beginning the Scratch Activity.

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Rome is a city in central Italy, a boot-shaped region between the Mediterranean Sea and Switzerland/Austria. The Roman Empire was much bigger than just Rome or Italy. It stretched across much land, from the British Isles in the northwest to the Middle East in the east. It also included parts of North Africa and many countries we know today, like Spain, France, Greece, and Turkey. At its peak, the Roman Empire was one of the largest and most powerful empires in history!

Image 2: The Roman Empire

Looking at Italy more closely, we can see that the Tiber River flows through Rome and the country's northern parts. This river helped protect Rome from neighbouring regions, like Austria and Gaul (modern-day France), making it harder for enemies to attack the city. The Tiber River was essential for Rome, providing its citizens drinking water and crop irrigation. This reliable water source supported agriculture, helping the city grow and thrive. The river played a key role in the daily life of Romans, ensuring they had the resources they needed to live and sustain their community.

Additionally, Rome is built on seven hills: Palatine, Aventine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, and Caelian. These hills provided natural defences and made spotting any approaching threats easier for the Romans. Palatine Hill was one of the most prestigious hills as it was said to be where the she-wolf originally discovered Romulus and Remus. Emperors such as Caligula, Tiberius and Nero lived here in luxurious houses.

Image 2: The Roman Empire, Italy

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Scratch Activity!

Hey, Year 7 students! Ready to dive into the fascinating world of Ancient Rome? Let’s use Scratch to create an awesome animation that explains the Expansion of Rome. Here’s how you can get started:

Choose a Topic:

• The Significance of the Tiber River
• The Significance of the Seven Hills
• The Colosseum Facts
• Roman Empire Regions and Expansion

How to Start:

1. Open Scratch: Scratch 
2. Create a New Program: Start a new project.
3. Add a Background: Choose a background related to Rome.
4. Change Your Character: Pick a character or sprite.
5. Add an Event: Use an event code like “when space key pressed”.
6. Add Text: Use a “looks” code to make your character say something, like “Hello!” for 2 seconds.
7. Edit the Text: Change the text to fit your story.
8. Explore More Codes: Try out different codes to make your animation awesome!

Final Steps:

1. Add Your Name: Make sure to put your full name in the code.
2. Export Your File: Save your Scratch project.
3. Submit Your Project: Upload your file here Sticky Note Page

Need more help? Watch this tutorial: