Latin Students Dive into Ancient Roman History at Local Exhibit

FWCD Latin Teachers Clint Hagen and Bryan Carlson strive to bring Roman history, culture and language into their classrooms every day. They have also led multiple educational trips to Italy so students could see the remains of ancient Roman civilization for themselves and walk in the footsteps of the Romans. Recently, they were able to give many of their students a similar experience that was much closer to home. “Pompeii: The Immortal City,” an exhibition of artifacts from Pompeii and other towns destroyed by the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius, arrived at the Arlington Museum of Art on March 30 and will be on display through June 23. All 41 Middle School Latin students went to see the exhibit with Hagen, and six Upper School students (current or former Latin students) attended with Carlson. 

Before the visit, our Middle School students had a sneak peek at some of the artifacts, unveiling intriguing aspects of the daily lives of ancient Romans. At the museum, they embarked on a journey of discovery, guided by a series of thought-provoking questions crafted by the exhibit’s curators. Post-trip, each class engaged in lively discussions, delving into the fascinating realms of ancient construction techniques, material science, food and art. 

Upper School students, whether they took part in the exhibition in person or not, were invited to select three objects from the exhibit’s extensive catalog and do research to share with the other trip participants. All students who completed this research project had the opportunity to earn extra credit based on the work they had invested in the project. On the morning of the museum trip, Upper School students gathered in Carlson’s classroom to watch a compiled slideshow of the artifacts their classmates and teacher found most interesting and learn more about the objects they would see in the exhibit. At the museum, the students became the tour guides. They educated their classmates on the different objects, how they were made, how Romans would have used them, and, in some cases, how the unique circumstances of the eruption preserves objects as fragile as a loaf of bread for almost 2,000 years.

If you are interested in having your Falcons participate in future educational trips to Rome, please contact Bryan Carlson or Clint Hagen to learn more about past and future trips.

Special thanks to Upper School Latin Teacher Bryan Carlson