Roman Games Today

Lesson Overview

This 60-minute lesson explores how ancient Roman Games have influenced modern sports and entertainment, linking historical practices to contemporary culture. Tailored for Year 11 social sciences students undertaking a life skills program with mild intellectual disability and autism, it uses engaging, accessible activities aligned to the NSW Curriculum Framework. The lesson encourages critical thinking, verbal and written expression, and collaborative learning through differentiated, scaffolded tasks.

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Curriculum Linkage

Relevant Syllabus

• NSW History Stage 5 / Year 11 (relevant for life skills adaptation from Year 9 content standards)
• Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
• Life Skills Outcomes (applicable for mild intellectual disability/autism)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Identify and describe ways the ancient Roman Games influenced modern sports and entertainment.
2. Make connections between key features of Roman Games and contemporary practices in sports and popular culture.

Success Criteria

• Students can list at least three modern sports or entertainment examples influenced by Roman Games and explain the connection in writing or verbally.
• Students participate actively in group discussions and contribute thoughtful ideas about how ancient practices relate to modern life.

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Lesson Plan Details

Duration: 60 minutes

Class Size: 5 students

Differentiation: Visual aids, simplified texts, scaffolded writing frames, and hands-on group tasks to support diverse learning needs.

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1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Activity: Teacher-led discussion with visual stimulus (images/videos of Roman Games and modern sports events).

• Goal: Activate prior knowledge from previous lessons on Roman Games.

• Prompt questions:

• What were the Roman Games?

• What sports or events do you think come from these ancient games?

• Supports:

• Use clear, simple language.

• Visual timelines showing ancient to modern sport evolution.

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2. Exploration and Identification (20 minutes)

• Activity: Interactive Matching Game Students receive images and descriptions of Roman Games (e.g., chariot racing, gladiator fights, athletics) and modern sports/entertainment activities (e.g., Formula 1, boxing, athletics). Students work in pairs or small groups to match ancient activities with their modern equivalents and explain their reasoning.

• Learning focus:

• Identify similarities such as types of competition, audience involvement, use of arenas/stadiums.

• Discuss the role of entertainment and social functions then and now.

• Scaffolds:

• Provide sentence starters: “Both Roman chariot racing and ____ involve...”

• Use visual organisers (Venn diagrams or T-charts) to compare features.

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3. Connection to Modern Practices (15 minutes)

• Activity: Group brainstorming and short writing task As a whole class, brainstorm other aspects of modern entertainment that may have roots in Roman culture (e.g., public spectacles, rules, fan culture). Each student writes a short response or fills out a scaffolded template describing one modern practice linked to Roman Games.

• Support:

• Provide word banks and writing frames.

• Encourage verbal responses consolidated into written summaries if needed.

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4. Reflection and Sharing (10 minutes)

• Activity: Students share their writing or ideas aloud.
• Purpose: Consolidate learning and build confidence in expression.
• Teacher provides positive, specific feedback aligned to success criteria.

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5. Summary and Exit Task (5 minutes)

• Exit task: Each student states one way Roman Games influence life today (or completes a sentence prompt: “A modern sport that comes from Roman Games is...”)
• Collect responses informally for formative assessment.

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Resources Required

• Visual aids (printed images or projected slides of Roman Games and modern sports/entertainment)
• Matching cards or printouts
• Worksheets with sentence starters and writing frames
• Whiteboard or chart paper for brainstorming

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NSW Curriculum Standards and Competencies Addressed

• Knowledge and Understanding: Explain historical significance and influence of past societies on contemporary life. (Based on History Stage 5 Syllabus outcomes adapted for life skills Year 10-11)

• Skills: Interact with information and ideas, identify connections, and communicate understanding through supported writing and oral presentations.

• Values and Attitudes: Respect for cultural heritage and understanding of continuity and change in society.

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Teacher Notes

• Ensure all activities are pitched to the students’ level of cognitive and communication skills while maintaining intellectual challenge relevant to Year 9/10 level content.
• Use multimodal teaching approaches (visual, oral, kinaesthetic).
• Encourage peer support and collaborative learning.
• Monitor understanding frequently, adapting language and tasks as needed.
• Allow extra time or one-on-one assistance during writing tasks if necessary.
• Use positive reinforcement to build student confidence and engagement.

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This lesson plan aims to showcase how ancient Roman spectacles have permeated modern culture — not as a dry history lesson but as an active, meaningful investigation connecting past and present through social sciences inquiry. This fosters not only curriculum adherence but also engagement for diverse learners.