Useful websites
We suggest that your visit to Te Papa be part of a broader unit of work. The following websites may be of use to you.
Websites suitable for all students
Pompeii
See a video recreation of the day Mount Vesuvius erupted
The volcanic eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD caught most of the Roman population off guard.
Would you have survived?
Take the quiz to find out!
Melbourne Museum – House of the Vine
See a virtual recreation of a Pompeii house (3 minutes).
Minnesota State University
This article summarises the history of Pompeii.
The History of Plumbing – Pompeii & Herculaneum
This website looks at Roman water supply and hygiene systems and what they tell us about life in ancient Rome.
Ancient Rome and archaeology
BBC
This site has games and information on ancient Rome for primary students, plus ‘Teacher’s Resources’ that include worksheets, videos, and activities.
Dig (Archaeological Institute of America)
Dig is a kids’ archaeology magazine and website offering information on archaeology, history, and ancient civilisations.
Volcanoes
Discovery Channel
Enter the ‘Volcano Explorer’. Build a virtual volcano and watch it erupt.
Learn NC (Chapel Hill School of Education, University of North Carolina)
Students use basic Latin (verum and falsum) to answer questions in this quiz about volcanic eruptions.
Planetary Society
This website shows you how to make a volcanic lava eruption and explains lava layering.
Smithsonian Institute
‘The Dynamic Earth’ includes an interactive section called ‘Plate Tectonics and Volcanoes’. The information (available in multimedia or print form) can be used for lesson plans, classroom activities, and demonstrations for both primary and secondary students.
Top Ten Volcano Web Sites
Direct from Te Papa’s partner GNS Science, volcanologist Dr Graham Leonard shares his Top Ten Volcano links, facts and images with us.
Volcano World
This website chronicles volcanic eruptions past and present. It also asks ‘What’s the most recent eruption of Vesuvius and will it erupt again?’
Websites suitable for older or advanced students
Pompeii
Pompeii – Portents of Disaster
A comprehensive but relatively easy-to-read article from the BBC, covering the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii.
Work and Play in Everyday Pompeii
This gallery, also from the BBC, offers images of artefacts from Pompeii, with background information.
Ancient Rome
Social Pecking Order in the Roman World
This article from the BBC, discusses how people attained and displayed their status in ancient Rome.
Resisting Slavery in Ancient Rome
This article looks at how slaves lived in ancient Rome and describes how some rebelled against their masters.
Pliny the Younger
Pliny the Younger was a Roman official and writer. His letters are an important source of information on Roman history.