Lesson Summary

Students will develop a communication system that could have been used by the people of Pompeii & nearby towns to warn others to evacuate in the days leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

ELA Standards:

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 

4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate vocabulary, eye contact, volume, and pronunciation. (See grade 7 Language Standards 4–6 for specific expectations regarding vocabulary.) 
5. Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 7 Language Standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.)

Tech/Eng Standards:

7.MS-ETS3-5(MA). Use the concept of systems engineering to model inputs, processes, outputs, and feedback among components of a transportation, structural, or communication system. 

7.MS-ETS3-1(MA). Explain the function of a communication system and the role of its components, including a source, encoder, transmitter, receiver, decoder, and storage. 

7.MS-ETS3-2(MA). Compare the benefits and drawbacks of different communication systems.

Video

The Secrets of Vesuvius read by Joseph Baptist