Perspectives of Rome

Context and Alignment with NSW Curriculum

This lesson is designed for Year 11 students studying Social Sciences with an emphasis on History/Humanities & Social Sciences (HASS), tailored to the NSW syllabus and inclusive of a multi-categorical class undertaking a life skills program. The lesson content is pitched to align approximately with Year 9 level complexity but respects the cognitive needs and abilities of students with mild intellectual disabilities, autism, and other learning differences while maintaining challenging, age-appropriate content.

The learning content addresses the historical inquiry and analysis process, focusing on evaluating different social group perspectives — a core element of the NSW History syllabus (Stage 5) and HASS learning outcomes. It explicitly fosters skills of comparing perspectives, understanding social hierarchies, and historical empathy, consistent with outcomes relating to analysing different viewpoints and recognising social contexts impacting these views.

Lesson Details

Lesson 20 of 25 in Unit: Exploring The Roman Games Lesson Title: Perspectives of Different Social Groups Duration: 60 minutes Class Size: 5 students Educational Focus: Analyse and compare perspectives of citizens, gladiators, and slaves regarding the Roman Games. NSW Curriculum References:

History Stage 5: HT5-3 (Analyse different historical interpretations)
HASS Years 9-10: Develop and modify questions, locate and use sources, analyse perspectives
Literacy and communication outcomes appropriate for life skills learners

Learning Intentions

Students will understand and explain how different social groups (citizens, gladiators, slaves) viewed the Roman Games in Ancient Rome.
Students will develop skills to compare and discuss differing social perspectives influenced by class and status in Roman society.

Success Criteria

I can describe the Roman Games and identify three main social groups involved.
I can explain the different feelings or opinions citizens, gladiators, and slaves had about the Roman Games.
I can participate in a group discussion sharing my ideas clearly and listen to others’ viewpoints.

Lesson Structure and Activities

1. Introduction and Context Setting (10 minutes)

Teacher Brief: Brief recap of the Roman Games, explaining them as a form of public entertainment involving gladiators, with a diverse audience including citizens from different classes, slaves, and the gladiators themselves.
Visual Aid: Use a picture or diagram showing the Colosseum and the crowd sections to contextualise social strata.
Discussion Prompt: "Who might have enjoyed these games? How might the people involved have felt about them?"
Check-for-Understanding: Ask students to name who they think went to the games and how they might have felt about it.

2. Group Reading and Role Cards (15 minutes)

Activity: Students receive simple, clear role cards describing perspectives of one of three social groups:
Citizens (e.g., rich, poor, supporters of the games)
Gladiators (fighters and entertainers)
Slaves (mostly prisoners forced to watch or fight)
Role cards contain 3-4 simple statements on feelings and reasons about the games tailored to student age and ability (e.g., "Some citizens loved the games for fun. Some thought they were unfair.").
Task: Students take turns reading aloud their role card and highlighting one thing they think is important or interesting.

3. Sorting and Discussion: Perspectives Comparison (20 minutes)

Visual Chart: On a whiteboard or poster, create a 3-column chart — Citizens, Gladiators, Slaves.
Class Activity: Students place written statements or sticky notes from their role cards under the correct group column.
Guided Questions:
Why do you think citizens enjoyed the games?
How would it feel to be a gladiator?
Why might slaves have different views?
Encourage students to speak about feelings, fairness, freedom, and danger—drawing links to social status and personal experience.

4. Reflective Writing or Drawing (10 minutes)

Task: Students choose one group and write a few sentences or draw a picture explaining how that group felt about the Roman Games, using words or symbols to express perspective.
Differentiation: Provide sentence starters for writing, or allow drawing plus oral explanation for students needing alternative modes of communication.

5. Wrap-up and Review (5 minutes)

Recap key points about how views differed depending on social roles and why social status changes perspectives.
Exit Question: Ask each student to share one new thing they learned about Roman society today.

Assessment and Feedback

Ongoing formative assessment through observation of participation in discussion and role reading.
Use the written/drawn reflection as evidence of understanding different perspectives.
Provide feedback highlighting their ability to identify perspectives and link these to social class and experience.
Encourage respectful listening and valuing all group members' ideas to scaffold social and communication skills.

Adjustments and Supports for the Life Skills Program

Materials are simplified with clear, concise wording and visuals to support comprehension.
Use of oral reading and peer support to scaffold reading challenges.
Multimodal expression options (drawing, speaking, writing).
Small class size allows individualised support and pacing flexibility.
Emphasis on concrete examples and feelings to connect to personal experience—use social-emotional learning principles for engagement.

Summary

This lesson integrates NSW curriculum requirements by engaging students in historical inquiry and empathetic analysis of social perspectives from ancient Rome’s societal groups. It respects the intellectual and social learning needs of the cohort, tackles complex content with scaffolded support, and provides active, varied learning experiences within a single 60-minute session.

Curriculum goals targeted:

HT5-3: Students analyse perspectives in history and explain influencing factors.
Development of historical inquiry, comprehension and communication skills appropriate for a life skills context.

This approach aids students in understanding not only historical facts but also the human experience behind events, preparing them with critical thinking and empathy relevant in contemporary civic and community contexts.

Teaching Instructions