Italy

Grade 6 Social Studies

Italy’s Flag

The colors came from the colors of the uniforms of the Civic militia of Milan. These were green and white (so people called them "remolazzitt" (small radish)) and some red parts were added on 19 August 1796 when the Militia become the National Guard.

Capital of Italy

• The capital city of Italy is Rome

• This is a picture of the Colosseum in RomeSpartacus the slave, fought as a gladiator in the Roman Colosseum. He miraculously escaped, then went on to lead a rebellion but was eventually killed in battle in 71BC.

Rome Colosseum• Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction

started between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96).[1] The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).

• Originally capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It remained in use for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games being held there as late as the 6th century. As well as the traditional gladiatorial games, many other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building eventually ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such varied purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.

Online Virtual tours

• http://roma.arounder.com/colosseo/IT000005639.html

Currency in Italy

• Italy is one of the twelve members of the EU, and in January, 2002 the country converted to the Euro. Euro (€) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2, 1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. Please use the following Currency Converter to learn more about the value of the Euro against other currencies

Roman Currency

Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2, 1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Language In Italy

• Italian (italiano (help·info), or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people,[4] primarily in Italy. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four official languages.

Education in Italy• Today, there are two stages of education in Italy: primary and secondary. Primary

school is commonly preceded by 3 years of non-compulsory nursery school (or kindergarten).

• Primary school lasts 5 years. Until middle school, the educational curriculum is uniform for all: although one can attend a private or state-funded school, the subjects studied are the same, except in special schools for the blind, the hearing-impaired, and so forth.

• Secondary education (Scuole medie) is further divided in two stages: "Medie Inferiori", which correspond to the Middle School grades, and "Medie Superiori", which correspond to the Secondary School level.

• The lower tier of "Scuole Medie" corresponds to Middle School, lasts 3 years, and involves an exam at the end of the third year; "Scuole Superiori" lasts from 3 to 5 years. Every tier involves an exam at the end of the final year, required to access the following tier.

• The secondary school situation varies, since there are several types of schools differentiated by subjects and activities. The main division is between the "Liceo", the "Istituto Tecnico" and the "Istituto Professionale". Any kind of secondary school that lasts 5 years grants access to the final exam, called Esame di Stato conclusivo del corso di studio di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore or Esame di Maturità. This exam takes place every year in June and July and grants access to any faculty at any University.

Italy’s Geography

• There are approximately 210,000 square kilometers/130,000 square miles of Italy excluding the islands surrounding the country. This is about the size of Great Britain or the state of California. Roughly 55 million people live between its shores, with most concentrations found in urban areas. Its terrain is a combination of several mountainous regions, which comprise 70% of the country, coastal plains and an abundance of rural open spaces. Yet, despite this seemingly inhospitable terrain, almost 70% of the land is agricultural.

• The Dolomites and the Great Alps border northern Italy. The Maritime Alps are situated in the northwest. The Appenines are the largest range and run down most of the length of Italy, hence they are known as the backbone of the country. The Italian Alps boast towering peaks such as the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc, whereas the tallest mountain situated completely within Italy's borders is located in the Appenines. It is called Il Gran Sasso d'Italia (Big Rock of Italy). To this day it still remains a challenge to cross the Appenines between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas using the present roadway system.

Continents MapItaly is located in Europe

Italy is shaped like a boot. Can you see it on this map of Europe?

Italy’s National Anthem• Italian Brothers,

Italy has arisen, • Has put her head

on the helmet of Scipio.Where is Victory?Created by Godthe slave of Rome.She crowns you with glory.

• Let us unite,We are ready to die,

• (repeat) • Italy calls. • (repeat previous four lines) • (repeat entire song) • Please click on the link below to listen to the anthem

http://www.whitehouse.gov/national-anthem/audio/rome.ram

Italian Food• Food in Italy

Mealtimes are important to Italians. Meals are a time to spend with families. Stores even close for several hours at lunch and about half the children in elementary schools go home for lunch.

Italy is known for its pasta. Pasta is an Italian word meaning dough. The dough can be cut into many different shapes and dried. It is usually boiled until soft and slightly chewy. Pasta is used in many dishes. It is usually mixed with tomato sauce, meat, cheese, vegetables, and sauces in various combinations.

Some other Italian favorites are pizza, gelato (ice cream), formaggio (cheese), and frutta (fruit).

Italian Sports• Bocce

Bocce is a popular sport in Italy. It is a lot like bowling. The point is to roll balls as close to a target ball as possible. On the beach Italians play bocce with miniature Frisbees instead of balls. To play the game place a target ball about 25 feet away on the grass. The first player throws one ball, trying to get as close to the target ball as possible. The second player throws his/her balls until one of the balls is closer to the target than the player one's balls or until all four of the player's balls have been thrown. The players continue taking turns. The score is determined by how many of the balls the winner has between the target ball and the opponent's ball.

Sports Cars

• Italy is famous for its sports cars (Ferrari, Lamborghini), and for the Vespa motor scooter.

Italian Art

• Leonardo da Vinci (1452- 1519) the famous Renaissance painter was also a sculptor, architect, engineer and scientist.

Italian inventions

• Viol, violin, cello, piano, mechanical clock, barometer, thermometer, optical glasses and telephone were invented by Italians.

More online tours of Italy

• http://www.sharkle.com/video/168516/

I hope that you enjoyed your Italian experience. Please check over your work, make sure that your name is on it

and hand it in to be marked.

The End