Build Rome in a Day

Building the model to scale

 

Two maps can be found in both the Student Assignment Packet and the Teacher's Guide: (1) the “Layout of the Rome Model Map," which shows all of the monuments that your class can build, and (2) the “Roman Forum Detail Map," which shows just the buildings of the Roman Forum.  Relative to these maps, the scale of the models the class will build will be as follows:

• Layout of the Rome Model Map: 1 inch on the map = 24 inches on the model

• Roman Forum Detail Map: 1 inch on the map = 12 inches on the model

 

Larger monuments will be built according to a scale of 1:24, as shown on the “Layout of the Rome Model Map,” with 1 inch on the map representing 24 inches on the model.  Since the buildings in the Roman Forum are smaller, they are shown on the “Roman Forum Detail Map” with the scale of 1:12, with one inch on the map representing 12 inches on the model.   The small blueprint grids on the "Small Blueprint and Information Cards" are drawn to the correct scale for each model and indicate whether students should be using a 1:24 or a 1:12 scale.  A few smaller monuments outside of the Roman Forum are also shown with 1:12 scales on the "Small Blueprint and Information Cards" to make them a little easier to work with.

 

Creating the blueprint for a monument

 

To create blueprints for their models, students should refer to the small blueprint grids of their monuments on the "Small Blueprint and Information Cards."  Using this information, each group (or individual) will create a larger blueprint of their monument, which will represent the exact size and shape of the base of the structure that they will be building.

 

First, students will need a piece of paper on which to draw their enlarged blueprint. 

 

• They should refer to their "Small Blueprint and Information Card" to see what size paper they will need on which to draw their blueprint.  (A small building like the Temple of Divine Julius Caesar will only require an 8½” x 11” piece of paper, while the a large monument like the Circus Maximus will require a piece of paper that is over 6 feet long and 1½ feet wide.)

 

• Using the information on their card, they should tell their teacher the size of the paper they need, and the teacher should give them the appropriate piece of paper for their blueprint.

 

Next, students should draw an enlarged grid for their blueprint.

 

• Students should draw the number of squares indicated on their "Small Blueprint and Information Card."  

 

• Students should be careful to draw the squares on their grid the correct size for their monument’s scale.  If scale of the small bluebrint grid to the monument is 1:24, they should use 6-inch squares on their grid.  If the scale is 1:12, they should use 3-inch squares on their grid.  Each monument's “Small Blueprint and Information Card” will indicate its scale and which size squares to draw.

 

Now, using the grid on the "Small Blueprint and Information Card" as a guide, students should draw the shape of the base of their monument onto their large grid.

 

• They should use pencil.  They will almost certainly need to erase.

 

• Students should note where the line crosses the grid at each point. Is it halfway between one intersection and the next, a quarter of the way? Does it cross above or below the intersection? They should keep comparing the small blueprint to the large one as they draw.

 

• When students are finished, they should have blueprints showing the correct dimensions for the bases of the models of their monuments.

 

Unfortunately, determining the height is more difficult and it is not an exact science.  Students will have to estimate the height by looking at pictures of their monument. They should look to see if the building looks like it is taller than it is wide, shorter, or about the same, and then estimate the proportion. Does it look like it is twice as tall as it is wide, half as tall, 2/3 as tall?  Then they should go with their best estimate.