A teacher from Hampden Academy is asking his students to travel back to Ancient Rome, and his lesson plan has won an award from Google.

Google Earth developed 3-D software to allow folks to navigate the streets of Rome as they looked around 300 AD.

Then they sponsored a contest, asking teachers to develop a curriculum around the program.

Latin Teacher Ben Johnson submitted his idea and won. He's asking his student to choose an ancient Roman, then find ten places in the city that can be used to explain themes about that person.

Johnson says the lessons get more kids interested in the class. "Instead of just reading about the places in Rome, or reading about their historical character, they're actually manipulating parts of the city. They're finding information on their own, which is always good, then they're taking it and putting into something that is different than just writing a paper."

Johnson won a new laptop, with a 3-D navigational Mouse, a projector, and a digital camera, all things that will help him in his classroom lessons.

Plus, he got a Target gift card, that he says he'll use for diapers. He and his wife are expecting a baby.

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