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Reading schedule · Grades 5–8

Legends of Early Rome in 5 Weeks: A Reading Schedule

A five-week plan for reading Legends of Early Rome, one section a week. Each week gives the reading, a short summary of what happens, three discussion questions and the escape room that goes with it. For grades 5–8, in class or at home.

Pacing

Logic-stage readers (grades 5–8) can usually manage a section a week on their own, reading a few chapters most days. Use the questions to move from what happened to why it happened: motives, causes and consequences. A long section can take two weeks without spoiling the plan.

Each week ends with an escape room on that week's reading: seven self-checking locks that run in any browser, with no logins, and progress is saved, so a room can be finished another day. Every room has free taster locks to try, and members can open them all.

Print this schedule Escape rooms on Legends of Early Rome

Week 1: Aeneas Comes to Italy

Read: Aeneas Comes to Italy

Aeneas escapes from burning Troy with his father Anchises, his son Ascanius and the household gods, and wanders by way of Dido's Carthage to Latium. King Latinus and his daughter Lavinia, the war with Turnus and Mezentius, the founding of Lavinium and the new city built by Ascanius follow.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Aeneas carry the household gods with him?
2. Why does Turnus go to war?
3. How does this story connect Rome to Troy?

Escape room: The Exiles of Troy (lockedlessons.com/rooms/roman-legends-aeneas-comes-to-italy/)

Week 2: Romulus and Remus

Read: Romulus and Remus

Amulius steals the throne of Alba Longa from his brother Numitor, and Rhea Silvia's twin sons are left by the flooded Tiber. The she-wolf and the herdsman Faustulus save them; grown up, the twins put Numitor back on his throne and watch the sky from two hills to decide who will found the new city.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Amulius want the twins out of the way?
2. Why do the brothers turn to the sky to decide?
3. What does the story suggest about the kind of city Rome would be?

Escape room: The Wolf's Twins (lockedlessons.com/rooms/roman-legends-romulus-and-remus/)

Week 3: The Seven Kings

Read: The Seven Kings

Romulus and the Sabines, peaceful Numa and the nymph Egeria, and warlike Tullus with the fight of the Horatii and Curiatii come first. Ancus builds his bridge and port, Tarquin the Elder rises with Tanaquil's help, Servius Tullius holds the census, and Tarquin the Proud is driven out by Brutus.

Discussion questions

1. How are Romulus and Numa different kinds of king?
2. What does the fight of the Horatii and Curiatii decide?
3. Why do the Romans drive out their last king?

Escape room: Seven Crowns (lockedlessons.com/rooms/roman-legends-the-seven-kings/)

Week 4: Heroes of the Republic

Read: Heroes of the Republic

Lars Porsena of Clusium attacks Rome, and Horatius holds the Sublician Bridge while it is cut down behind him. Mucius slips into the Etruscan camp and puts his hand into the fire, and the hostage Cloelia leads the girls across the Tiber.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Horatius stay on the bridge?
2. Why does Mucius's act impress Porsena?
3. What Roman virtues do these heroes share?

Escape room: The Bridge Holds (lockedlessons.com/rooms/roman-legends-heroes-of-the-republic/)

Week 5: Cincinnatus and Coriolanus

Read: Cincinnatus and Coriolanus

Gnaeus Marcius wins his name at Corioli, quarrels with the people over grain and the tribunes, goes into exile and leads the Volscians against Rome until his mother turns him back. Later, with a Roman army trapped by the Aequi, envoys find Cincinnatus at work on his farm and make him dictator.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Coriolanus turn against Rome?
2. Why does his mother succeed where others fail?
3. Why do the Romans remember Cincinnatus as a model?

Escape room: Plough and Sword (lockedlessons.com/rooms/roman-legends-cincinnatus-and-coriolanus/)

Nothing in this schedule is quoted from any translation, so it can sit beside whichever one your class reads.