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Year 4’s Roman Soldier Day
The Year 4 children thoroughly enjoyed their recent Roman Soldier Day which enriched their understanding of what life would have been like in one of the most successful armies of all time! We’d love to share some of the photos and activities to show you what their day entailed.
Throughout the day, the children took on the persona of a soldier in the Roman army. They were given a new age, a new name and also a ranking in the army. Did you know that Roman female names usually ended in -a such as Julia and male names ended in -ius such as Julius!
We loved seeing all the different costumes and accessories. Many of the children were prepared for battle with their protective shields and swords!
Being in the Roman Army wasn’t an easy job, and men were put to the test to ensure that they were physically and mentally strong enough. The teacher ‘Generals’ put the children through their paces by checking that they were fit enough for the job. The children were instructed to march following orders – in Latin though! As well as this, they had to lap the playground carrying a heavy object to replicate the 30kg of kit that soldiers would have carried for up to 20 miles per day! A soldier was also expected to throw a pilum (like a javelin) up to 30m. General Thomas even got her class doing some push ups…
The Romans were great inventors and problem solvers too. Building on the children’s existing knowledge of Roman Numerals, they solved some Mathematical challenges which involved using a set number of lolly sticks to make a Roman Numeral that represented the lowest and highest values possible.
Although invented by the Greeks, the Romans relied heavily on the use of catapults in battle. The children were asked to create a catapult using lolly sticks, elastic bands and a bottle top as well as their design technology skills. Each class then went outside and tested their catapult by seeing how far they could launch a ping pong ball. They had great fun testing them out! Can you spot Leo and Elouise celebrating as their catapult was the most successful in 4PG?
After lots of hard work and learning, the children ended their special day by learning about and playing some popular Roman board games. They learned how to play ‘Delta’ and also a chess-like game called ‘Ludus Latrunculorum’. They had to use logical thinking to try and defeat their opponent.
We still have a week left of our project ‘Rule of the Rotten Romans’ but what a wonderful term the children have had so far. They have gained a wealth of knowledge about the Ancient Romans and their invasion of Britannia in 43AD. Hopefully they have been able to share some of their learning with you at home.