Florida SS.6.W.3.13

Social Studies6th GradeRecognize significant events, figures, and contributions of classical civilizations (Phoenicia, Greece, Rome, Axum).

The Standard

Identify key figures and the basic beliefs of early Christianity and how these beliefs impacted the Roman Empire.

Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Social Studies

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students connect Jesus, Peter, Paul, Constantine, and Theodosius to Christianity's growth in the Roman world. They summarize beliefs in one God, Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, resurrection, salvation, and eternal life. They trace Roman responses from persecution to toleration and state support.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given a figure or event, a student accurately explains its role and places it in sequence. The student explains how Christianity changed Roman religious policy and public life. The student distinguishes Constantine's toleration from Theodosius's later establishment of Nicene Christianity as the official faith.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think Constantine founded Christianity or immediately made it Rome's official religion. They may assume persecution was constant across the empire or that all Romans converted at once. They may also confuse Christian monotheism with Roman polytheism.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Match Jesus, Paul, Constantine, and Theodosius to one role each, then explain how one Christian belief affected Roman policy or society.

Lesson moves

Have pairs sort figure, belief, and consequence cards, then connect them with yarn on a tabletop timeline.
Ask students to write: Why did Christianity first alarm Roman leaders, and why did later emperors support it?
Play a matching relay using cards for Jesus, Paul, Constantine, beliefs, persecution, toleration, and official adoption.
Compare a Roman basilica floor plan with a later church, then identify one Roman building tradition used in Christian worship spaces.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to SS.6.W.3.13, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Keep exploring

Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.