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Nathalie Roy
@ magistraroy at the Museum
A few years ago , my Roman Technology class students were accepted to present as makers at the local Mini Maker Faire . These faires celebrate creativity in making cool stuff – mini-crochet characters , homemade robots , weaving , homemade pickles , etc . We thought others would enjoy learning how to make concrete , and wow , DID they ! We guided nearly 500 visitors in making tiny cups of ancient Roman concrete ( labeled with an advertisement , " Study Roman Technology at Glasgow Middle School !") My students had a blast teaching others what they had learned in class , and we realized that we were offering " classics outreach ," or promoting classical studies to the general public .
Soon after , I was approached by the Louisiana Art and Science Museum to replicate that outreach at their facility . For many years , I had taken my students on field trips here to view their Ptolemaic Egyptian Gallery which contains Roman artifacts . The education director invited me to host a classical STEM event in their huge lobby on one of their " Free First Sundays ."
Nathalie Roy ( fabricatrix @ gmail . com ) teaches Roman Technology , Myth Makers , and Latin at Glasgow Middle in Baton Rouge , LA . Her students recreate the products and processes of ancient Roman daily life through hands-on history STEM labs and experimental archaeology . They recently built a Roman road style sidewalk through their school . Nathalie just returned from an epic trip to Roman Britain where she gathered information for her classes ’ next big project - designing and making their own Roman sandals .
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