Year 5 planning - The Roman Empire

The Roman Empire didn't collapse in 455AD when Rome was sacked by the Vandals!

As a change from normal planning about the Roman Empire, this unit focuses on the whole empire, from West, to East: on the ’Romanisation’ of İstanbul: the Roman Empire by AD 42 and the power of its army; the Hippodrome and obelisks; Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya); conversion from polytheism to monotheism (Christianity)

Key Questions for Key Concepts:
Similarity & Difference – How did the Romans change and develop the city [now İstanbul]?
Cause & Consequence – Why was a city first built where İstanbul now stands? Why do we call this city İstanbul?
Continuity and Change – When was [İstanbul] capital of the Roman Empire and why did the empire collapse?
Significance - Why did [İstanbul] become capital of the Roman Empire? Why was the Hagia Sophia built, and by whom? Has the Roman Empire had any lasting impact on the world?

NC Core Learning Standards for KS2 History: Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organization of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources and that different versions of past events may exist, giving some reasons for this.