Roman Britain – KQ6 – What have the Romans ever done for us? Under the cloth

This activity is a good fun way of concluding a study of the Romans.  It is called ‘under the cloth’.  A local museum has sent a display on the Roman legacy to the local village hall, but in transit the pictures became muddled.  Can the children sort them into those aspects of life today that came from the Romans and those that did not?  Pupils sit around the outside of a central group of tables.  On the table is a very large cloth. Under the cloth are cards with pictures on.  Each card relates to an aspect of Roman legacy, except they don’t immediately know what it might be because there is no text. Pupils working in pairs have to put their hands under the cloth to withdraw an image, compare views and then say what the item is and if it is a legacy of the Romans.  To add to the complication place some red herrings in there too!  To show their understanding in a creative way, pupils design a set of 5 different value stamps each featuring a different aspect of the Roman legacy.