LKS2: The Romans
Theme 3: Legends of Rome
Find updated lesson plans for The Romans topic here: http://bit.ly/1sxUuWK
Session 4: Roman Gladiator Games
PE/History
Range and Breadth: History: 8a The Romans in Britain & the wider world. PE 6a
Session 5: Roman Chariot Races
History/D&T
Range and Breadth: History: 8a The Romans in Britain & the wider world. D&T:
Create and perform dances using a range of movement patterns.
5c Design and make assignments with mechanical parts.
PoS
PE (Dance): KS2 Select and apply skills
Objectives
PoS
Objectives
[Main]
PoS
History: KS2 Knowledge & understanding [Main]
Create movements in a gladiator style to appropriate music.
Objectives
Investigate Roman chariot racing, why did this appeal to them?
History: KS2 Historical enquiry
PoS
Objectives
D&T: KS2 Working with materials
6b Respond to a range of stimuli & accompaniment.
2a Plan, use and adapt compositional ideas.
[Main]
Reinforce knowledge of gladiators & find out about the
different types.
2a Learn about characteristic features of Roman period including
entertainment. 4a Find out about events & people. 4b Ask & answer
questions relevant to enquiry.
2a Find out about characteristic features of Roman period including
entertainment. 4b Ask & answer relevant questions.
Use construction equipment to construct model Roman chariot
with moving parts.
4a Know how working characteristics of materials affect ways in which
they are used. 4c Know how mechanisms can be used to make things
move using a range of equipment.
Whole class:
Whole class:
Easy/Medium/Hard
Easy/Medium/Hard
Ask the class to share what they already know about gladiators. Give them some extra facts, e.g.
gladiators did not always fight to the death, they cost a lot of money to train & maintain which was
paid for by rich Romans. Sometimes they would be killed if they were too badly injured. They were
usually slaves but some free men did become gladiators as they could earn good money. Slaves could
also earn their freedom if they became successful gladiators. Ask chn if they know what the
different types of gladiators are? Andabatae: fought blindfolded; Secutores: fought with a sword &
shield; Dimacheri: fought with 2 swords; Retiarii: fought with nets & a trident; Hoplomachi: fought in
a suit of amour; Laqueatores: fought with a rope; Sagittarii: fought with a bow & arrow; Bestiarii:
fought with any weapons against wild animals. Talk to chn about what kind of animals the Romans
used in gladiator fights? Bulls, tigers, lions, etc. Explain that gladiating was a sport, it was popular all
over the empire. People loved to gather & go and watch the fights. The amphitheatres were often
full. Look at one child’s model of an amphitheatre & talk about what it would have been like full. Look
at the space where the battle would’ve taken place.
In the hall/outside
Chn need to get into PE kits & complete a PE warm up. Explain to chn we are going to play some
games like gladiators – without touching or hurting others – we are going to fit movements to
music to mime being gladiators. Choose some fighting music, e.g. music from the film Gladiator.
First let chn listen to the music & then individually try some fighting dance moves to the
music. You should ask them to be different types of gladiators, e.g. move using an imaginary
sword, or net, or blindfolded, etc. How does this affect/change your movements? Discuss how
the movements appear threatening & dramatic. Build chn up to working in pairs to create a
routine.
Plenary
Watch chn’s routines let the class make positive comments reflecting on how
they move like gladiators, using the music as a guide, working together.
We have looked at gladiators & thought about other forms of Roman entertainment, e.g. plays,
music, poetry recitals. Gladiator battles were a popular form of entertainment for the Roman
masses which tells us they really enjoyed competitive sports – particularly violent ones! Have
any of the chn seen pictures or read about Chariot racing? What was it? It was men, or boys as
they are lighter, racing on stand up chariots pulled by horses. Show the chn a picture of a
chariot racer (session resources). The most famous racecourse in the Roman empire was the
Circus Maximus in Rome. Like the amphitheatres there were racecourses all over the empire.
Use a non-fiction text to show a picture of the Circus Maximus & its position in old Rome (Life
in Ancient Rome p44-45). Explain to chn that the races could be violent, it was not uncommon
for participants (people/horses) to be injured or even die. A day out at the races was even
more popular than the gladiators. The Circus Maximus actually seated up to 250,000 people.
Roman families sat together, unlike in the Colosseum where women sat separately. They liked to
bet.
You need construction equipment with wheels
Split the chn into 4 groups, depending on how much construction equipment is available.
Rotate the groups through all activities:
1) Use construction equipment (Lego®, Mecano®, etc.) to build a chariot.
2) Use non-fiction texts to find pictures of Roman chariots & racecourses.
3) Draw & colour pictures of a Roman chariot with rider, label the pictures.
4) Use non-fiction texts to find out more fact about Roman chariot racing.
TD as appropriate
Plenary
Chn show the chariots they have constructed & explain what they’ve used to
build them, do they work? Share the new info the chn have discovered.
© Hamilton Trust 2005 This activity may be adapted for use by a teacher in his/her own class. It may not be reproduced for any other purpose.
LKS2 – Rs – S4_5 – Legends of Rome