Roman town children make in the workshop

Background: The Romans in Britain

In 55BC Julius Caesar led his troops across the English channel in a first attack on the Britons. Despite several victories he abandoned a full scale invasion. It was not until almost 100 years later, in AD43, that Roman legionaries under orders from Emperor Claudius returned. This time they stayed, for 400 years, conquering almost the whole island.

The Romans brought with them a wide variety of arts and crafts, which over time were adopted by the Celts. However, the influence was in both directions, for the Romans were open to new ideas and new styles, and a mingling of Roman and Celtic arts and culture occurred.

Roman rule had a profound impact on the lives of the Britons. The first true towns were built, on a pattern repeated throughout the Roman world, with well-constructed stone roads and walls, villas, temples, amphitheatres, shops, forums, and baths. The Celts had never experienced anything like it.

Teachers' comments: "thoroughly enjoyable with great outcomes" (click for more reviews) 

Photos from workshops:

St. Peter's RC Primary, Feb 2016 - metal art

Withington Girls' School, Jan 2014 - the town

Withington Girls' School, Feb 2014 - mosaics

St. Richards RC Primary, Dec 2014 - mosaics

St. Joseph's Catholic Primary

Themes: towns, mosaics and metal art.

Pick 2 out of 3 sessions to make a full day.

Main activities (follow links for full details):

Towns

1. Learn about Roman and Celtic towns and types of Roman building from photos plus a game

Lesson Plan: Towns

1. Roman Towns & game (45 mins)

Look at pictures of reconstructed Celtic villages and houses. Compare to Roman towns and buildings.

Look at photos of real Roman buildings and discuss: houses, villas, shops, forum, theatre, amphitheatre, baths, temple, and city walls and gates.

Amphitheatre at Caerleon, S.Wales

Discuss what a citizen might have done in these locations, and how life might have been different for someone living in a Roman town versus a Celtic village.

Game: look at photos of buildings from the Roman empire and guess what sort of building they are.

My Italy photos, 2013

Another 'name the building' game

Before break we will set out the materials for the town making.

2. Make a Roman Town (90+ mins)

click to see larger version

Children make a model of a Roman town, by cutting out card 'nets' and folding and sticking them together. Different groups of children make the sorts of buildings discussed earlier (except for baths which are very complicated shapes). Two town planners paint a street grid on a piece of hardboard (approx 60X90cm), and decide where each building will go, thinking about ideal locations.

The town is a large and complex activity and it is unlikely the class will finish it by lunchtime.They will continue to work on it in the afternoon after making their artefact (weapon/armour or mosaic).

Photos of the model town

Note regarding difficulty:

Please note that the town and weapon making require complex skills such as cutting, folding and gluing accurately, as well as following written instructions. This means the workshop will be too hard for some year 4s. If you are in doubt, I recommend the mosaic option.

To help prepare children for the day you can do two things:

1. Practise some of the art skills in advance, especially scoring with scissors and ruler, and making 3D shapes from nets.

2. On the day of the workshop, have as many adults as possible in the class to help (for both the morning and afternoon). You could invite parents in if TAs are in short supply.

Frog mosaic from Pompeii (one of the large mosaic options)

Owl mosaic, another of the large options

Lesson Plan: Mosaics

1. Learn about Roman Mosaics (30 mins)

Leopard mosaic seen in lesson: click for large version

Children learn about mosaics through photos, which show them in situ in homes, and in museums. We see how and why mosaics were made, and children pass round 3 real mosaic tiles from Rome. We look at the various styles, from patterns to representations of real life and mythical figures and monsters. Children also see my leopard mosaic, as well as an example of the sort of mosaics they will be making.

Roman mosaic showing Medusa

For the rest of the session there are 2 options: small or large mosaics

2. Make Small Mosaics (90+ mins)

Lesson Plan: Roman and Celtic Metal Art

1. Look at Roman and Celtic Metal Art (30 mins)

Children see replicas of Roman and Celtic artefacts, and discuss what they are (function/use), who might have used them, what they are made of, and their artistic style (Roman art is realistic, Celtic art features curves, circles and less realistic representations of animals and people). I also show photos of real artefacts on the whiteboard.

Artefacts seen: Celtic torc, mirror, and shield, two Roman embossed silver plates (one is a copy of a plate from the Mildenhall treasure - see above, and the other is a copy of part of the Corbridge lanx showing goddesses), and real Roman coins. Children will also see my versions of the items they will make from foil. Click here to see these copies.

2. Make Embossed Metal Art (60 mins)

The children now make beautiful items of metal art using gold, silver or copper foil, specially designed for embossing. Most children work on their own item with a few working in pairs on more elaborate pieces (such as the famous Battersea shield).

Click here to see all the items as well as the originals on which they are based.

Copy of Celtic coin children will make

Using a pen, children trace over lines on a printed template onto the foil underneath. They then emboss the lines to make them stand out clearly, using a sharp pencil and a soft mat. Finally they cut out the foil and glue it to a card backing to protect it.

Dancing girl from the Mildenhall Treasure

The Old Warden Celtic mirror (for a pair to make)

As the foil is very easy to damage, children with difficulties in tracing over lines will use gold and silver card instead of foil. The card is still very effective, and they can make several different items as it is easier, quicker, and less costly.

3. Make Torcs (45 mins)

The Great Torc from Snettisham

Next, children work in pairs to make a Celtic torc. This is a necklace made from twisted metal, often worn by elite Celtic warriors. The pairs hold a loop of garden wire with sticks and twist. They add plasticine for the ends, shape the wire into a circle, engrave the plasticine with a pencil and paint the torc gold or silver.

Torc made by Y4 children at St. Joseph's RC Primary

4. Game (15 mins)

If any time remains we will play a game in which children see photos of Roman or Celtic metal art and try to say whether it is Roman or Celtic.

Game - can you tell if an artefact is Roman or Celtic?