Public Entertainment Rome

Lesson Overview

This 60-minute lesson for Year 11 students focuses on public entertainment in ancient Rome, exploring how the Roman Games fit within the broader social and cultural context of public events and spectacles. Students will consider the social implications, including the role of entertainment in Roman society, class, and power structures.

This lesson specifically aligns with the NSW History and Social Sciences K–12 Syllabus outcomes and content relevant to early ancient history, catering to a multicategorical class including students with mild intellectual disabilities and autism. Activities are scaffolded for accessibility but maintain depth appropriate to Year 10–11 life skills students, reflecting a Year 9 complexity level as per the teacher's request.

Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area:

History, within Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) – Ancient History strand

NSW Syllabus Outcomes:

AITIHAS11: The student explains and analyses the significance of cultural expressions and practices in the ancient past and their relevance today.
AITIHAS12: The student explains the causes and effects of cultural practices and social structures in the ancient world.
HT11-2: Describes and analyses the effects of causes and the causes of effects of events and developments in the ancient past.
HT11-3: Describes and analyses different perspectives on and interpretations of the past.
HT11-5: Plans and conducts investigations into the past using sources and evidence.

Key Competencies:

Critical thinking and analysis
Communication (oral and written)
Research and inquiry
Social interaction and respect for diverse perspectives

Learning Intentions

Students will understand the role of public entertainment in ancient Roman society beyond the Games themselves.
Students will analyse how these entertainments reflected and influenced social hierarchy, power, and cultural values.

Success Criteria

I can explain different types of public entertainment in ancient Rome and their social significance.
I can discuss how entertainment was used as a tool for power and social control in Roman society.
I can support my ideas using sources and examples discussed in class.

Lesson Breakdown (60 Minutes)

1. Introduction & Context Setting (10 minutes)

Activity: Teacher-led discussion introducing the spectrum of public entertainment in ancient Rome, including, but not limited to, gladiator games, chariot races (Circus Maximus), theatrical performances, and religious festivals.
Use visuals (images/artifacts) to provide concrete examples.
Ask students to share any prior knowledge of Roman entertainment to build engagement.

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and set the stage for deeper understanding.

2. Social Implications Exploration (15 minutes)

Activity: Small group work (pairs or groups of three within the 5-student class):
Each group receives a simple profile of a Roman societal group (e.g., patricians, plebeians, slaves, women).
Using provided source cards (text and images), groups discuss and list how public entertainments might have affected or been experienced differently by their assigned group.
Teacher circulates, facilitating reflections and prompting linkages to power, social status, and inclusion/exclusion.

Objective: Understand diverse societal perspectives in ancient Rome linked to public entertainment.

3. Whole Class Discussion – Power and Entertainment (10 minutes)

Groups share their findings.
Teacher guides the class to connect entertainment to political power and social control (e.g., 'bread and circuses' - providing free grain and games to appease the population).
Highlight the role of emperors and politicians in sponsoring games for popularity and control.

Objective: Analyse the broader societal function of public entertainment.

4. Source Analysis Activity (15 minutes)

Activity: Students analyse one or two primary and secondary source excerpts related to the Roman Games or other entertainments.
Questions provided to guide analysis:
What does this source tell us about the audience for the entertainment?
How might this form of entertainment influence people's views of the rulers or society?
Students write brief responses or discuss verbally depending on their preference and ability.

Objective: Develop skills interpreting historical sources and connect them to social implications.

5. Reflection and Exit Task (10 minutes)

Activity: Each student writes or verbally presents a short response to the question:
“Why was public entertainment important in ancient Rome beyond just providing fun?”
Teacher can provide sentence starters or scaffolds as needed:
“Public entertainment was important because…”
“It helped rulers by…”
“Different groups in society experienced it differently because…”

Objective: Consolidate learning and assess understanding aligned to success criteria.

Resources Needed

Images and short readings on Roman entertainment types.
Role cards for different social groups.
Source excerpts for analysis (e.g., descriptions from ancient texts, modern historians).
Worksheets or scaffolds for guided questions and reflections.

Teacher’s Notes and Differentiation

For students with mild intellectual disabilities or autism, differentiate by providing:
Clear visual supports and simplified texts.
Sentence starters and graphic organisers.
Frequent breaks if needed.
Encourage verbal discussion and ensure all students are supported to contribute via multiple communication modes.
Scaffold critical analysis by modelling how to approach sources and think about perspective.
Use concrete examples relevant to students (e.g., comparing to modern sports or community events).

This lesson enriches students’ historical understanding by framing the Roman Games within the broader social framework of ancient public entertainment, focusing on social meaning and structures of power, which is essential for developing historical empathy and critical thinking within the NSW curriculum for Stage 6 History and Social Sciences.

Teaching Instructions