What was life like in the Roman Army? Teddy Bear Project

This lesson is titled “What was life like in the Roman Army? Teddy Bear Project”

The lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity which introduces the class to some fun facts about the Roman Army. The Key Question is then introduced along with aims and graduated lesson objectives (all will/most will/some will). Students will have been asked to bring in a toy bear or similar the previous lesson (it can work with printable cutouts too). There are slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition about Emperors, Generals, Centurions, and Soldiers. There is then a heads and tails card sort activity in which students tell the story of a day in the life of a member of the Roman Army. Students then begin their main model making activity using the bears. Aluminum foil is highly recommended, but they can use anything they want (toys, props, drawings) as they attempt to dress up their bears as one of the four ranks. Slides are given explaining items they can use (laurels, gladius, satin robes, greaves, breastplates etc) and printables of these are provided also (these might need to be adapted depending on the size of the bear!). After this the lesson objectives are revisited. There is then further information on battle tactics (testudo, phalanx etc) and the students pair up with friends to add some of these to create group dioramas (it’s a lot of fun getting them to get bears to throw pilums!). The lesson objectives are again revisited, and the class concludes with a plenary in which they are invited to come to the board and add knowledge they have learned on a group bear. This is a lesson students love and one that makes for a wonderful corridor display afterwards. I hope your class enjoy it as much as mine do.

Wishing you a terrific day.