Lesson ideas for your classroom
Many thanks to Susan Wilcock, who responded to Sarah’s blog post about topic collections, with a list of requests. Susan teaches a Year 3 class and she’s looking for resources to help her bring fresh interest to her lessons. One of her top 3 requests was for resources on Romans and Celts so here’s how KnowledgeBox can help.
Coliseum in Rome as it is today
Credit: http://flickr.com/photos/argenberg/
Follow a Question path
Type Question path Romans into Quick find and you’ll find a resource called “Romans”. This resource contains a selection of photos, pictures, maps, text and web-links, all chosen to give your pupils an introduction to the Romans.
Click on the T button in the right hand corner of the resource and you’ll see some really useful teacher notes telling you exactly what questions to ask and what activities to do on each screen of the path. So it really couldn’t be easier and having all of these resources collected together is a real time saver.
Romans Question path from KnowledgeBox
Bring the Romans alive with video
But if you really want to get stuck into the Romans and Celts I recommend that you use Romans in Britain – a Whiteboard Active module from BBC Active (only a video demo!).
Romans - BBC Active
If you have this, I don’t think you’ll need anything else.
It’s a fantastic collection of BBC videos, games and activities for you to use on your whiteboard and covers everything from the Celts, to Boudicca, from Roman settlements and domestic life to when the Romans left.
I think the video clips are fantastic (there are Roman reconstructions and dramatised accounts of battle scenes) and if like Susan you’re looking for resources that will give you a fresh approach to your teaching – this has got to be the resource for you.
If you would like to get Romans in Britain for your KnowledgeBox, just call 0800 567 8032 or email enquiries@uk.knowledgebox.com . Or maybe you could become a KnowledgeBox blogger and claim your free module..?
Use the best of the web
Romans - KS2 weblinks
If you’re looking for good websites for pupils to do research about the Romans, save yourself time and go to the KnowledgeBox KS2 Web-links module, select Subjects/History and take a look in the Romans folder.
There are some great sites here and we’ve done all the hard work and found them for you. My favourites are Birmingham Museum’s Dress a Roman soldier which does what it says on the tin, and Headline History where your pupils can become journalists and report on historical events – including the Roman invasion.
Hey! Don’t forget the Celts!
As if we would. Take a look at Iron Age Celts from the BBC. This is a great, interactive site with sound and animations, games and activities – it will keep your pupils engrossed for hours!
Another site that we liked was resourcesforhistory.com which contains a useful interactive map, how they lived section and a recommended list of books for children on Celtic history.
Or perhaps you want to do something more on the mysterious world of Celtic mythology? Try drawing, dressing up or writing about the boisterous Dagda, the heroic Cuchulainn or the or the enigmatic goddess Morrigan? If any of you do a lesson on mythology and let us know what you did, you will definitely get an article posted on the blog!
Stimulate with Star Writer
Romans - Star Writer from KnowledgeBox
And finally, don’t forget that the Starwriter Year 4 module has a great unit on plays which focuses on centurions before a Roman battle. Just type “Romans play” into Quick find, watch the animation and use it to stimulate some good literacy work.
If you would like to get Starwriter for your KnowledgeBox, just call 0800 567 8032 or email enquiries@uk.knowledgebox.com.
I hope all the above helps provide a few ideas, inspiration and practical resources to help you teach Romans and Celts.
And if you want to know what the Romans actually did for us it was sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health. Not peace though 
Catharine, Producer
Filed under: Lesson ideas | Tagged: BBC Active, Celts, Lesson ideas, Mythology, Question path, Romans, Star Writer, topics
Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for – loads of new resources to explore and use with my class. I have been teaching Romans and Celts for about 8 years now and was looking for some inspiration to approach the topic from a different perspective. The resources listed here will certainly help me to do just that. I’ll let you know how it goes.
You’re very welcome Susan. Your input has given us confidence that this is worthwhile thing to do. It’s only our first Topic post but I think there will be many more to come, and we will refine the process as we go so it provides maximum support for you. Stay in touch and good luck with the topic.