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Roman Oratory — Ōrātiō

Eleventh graders learn the art of Roman oratory — the five parts of a classical speech (exōrdium, nārrātiō, cōnfirmātiō, refūtātiō, perōrātiō) perfected by Cicero — a structure that still shapes persuasion today.

Grade 11Ōrātiō Rōmāna55 minutes1 class periodClassical LanguagesExplicit teaching4 StandardsACL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain Roman oratory.
  • ✓Know the five parts.
  • ✓Order a speech.
  • ✓Connect to persuasion.
Essential Question

Cicero was Rome’s greatest orator. A powerful Roman speech had five parts, in order. What were they?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Parts of a Speech

Project this and have students put the five parts of a classical Roman speech in order.

📢 Put the parts of a Roman speech in order!Try it
Tap the first part!
The Lesson · Classical Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

55 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Cicero’s Art

6 min

Cicero was Rome’s greatest orator — a powerful speech had five parts. What were they?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a Cicero quote.
  • Ask how a speech is built.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Ōrātiō Rōmāna

13 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present the five parts.
  • Note each one’s job.
  • Note the order.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Note it.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Order It

15 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Parts of a Speech.
  • Put it in order.
  • Say them aloud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
4

Speak — Speak

15 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain each part.
  • Give a mini-speech.
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain.
  • Speak it.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name the first part.
  • Name the conclusion.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • Name it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Standards for Classical Language Learning (ACL/ACTFL, Intermediate-High).

ACL
Cultures 2.1

Explore Roman rhetoric.

ACL
Cultures 2.2

Explore cultural products (oratory).

ACL
Connections 3.2

Connect to persuasion today.

ACL
Communication 1.3

Presentational: structure a speech.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Speech-part cards.
  • Sentence frame: “First ___, then ___.”
  • Use a speech outline.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with intro and conclusion.
  • Order two at a time.
  • Use an outline.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Write a short oration.
  • Read a Cicero passage.
  • Compare to modern speeches.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 📢A speech outline
  • 💻Order the Parts of a Speech
  • 📚Cicero excerpts
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

ōrātiōspeechexōrdiumintroductionnārrātiōstatement of factscōnfirmātiōproofrefūtātiōrefutationperōrātiōconclusionCicerōCicerorhētoricarhetoric
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is the FIRST part of a Roman speech?
The exōrdium (introduction, winning the audience).
QUESTION 2
What is the CONFIRMĀTIŌ?
The proof and arguments.
QUESTION 3
What is the last part, the powerful conclusion?
The perōrātiō.

Reflect: ōrātiō Rōmāna.

Have students name the five parts of a Roman speech in order. A printable oratory sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Roman Oratory (Ōrātiō)Flip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Roman Oratory (Ōrātiō)Quiz
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Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Roman Oratory (Ōrātiō)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: Cicerō, cōnfirmātiō, exōrdium, nārrātiō, perōrātiō, refūtātiō, rhētorica, ōrātiō
  1. refutation
  2. conclusion
  3. statement of facts
  4. speech
  5. introduction
  6. proof
  7. rhetoric
  8. Cicero

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the FIRST part of a Roman speech?
  2. What is the CONFIRMĀTIŌ?
  3. What is the last part, the powerful conclusion?
Answer key — Part A: 1) refūtātiō · 2) perōrātiō · 3) nārrātiō · 4) ōrātiō · 5) exōrdium · 6) cōnfirmātiō · 7) rhētorica · 8) Cicerō
Part B: 1) The exōrdium (introduction, winning the audience). 2) The proof and arguments. 3) The perōrātiō.