Medium Term Plan
Year 3 History – The Roman Empire‟s Impact on Britain
SMSC Links throughout unit
Social: Children working in mixed ability groups; reflection on social groups in Roman Britain;
differences between Romans and Celts
Moral: What was life like in Britain at the time of the Roman invasion? Was it a fair society? How
different/similar was it to life in the Stone Age to Iron Age?
Spiritual: Belief systems Christianity and Paganism; link to RE studies
Cultural: Legacy of Roman Empire; language links (place names and Latin origins to words)
National Curriculum Objective:
To study the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain
Objectives/Key
Questions
Why did the Romans
leave Italy to invade
Britain?
(2 lessons)
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To understand
the Romans
came from Italy
and place them
on a timeline
To find out
about the
Roman invasion
Activities/Key questions

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Slow reveal picture of Italy.
Where is this?
What do you know about this country?
Children to discuss what they think they know about
Italy.
Explain that the Romans lived in what is now Italy.
Locate Italy and Britain on a globe and compare some
pictures of the landscape. Include use of IWB map and
globe.
Use a timeline to show children what period of History
we are looking at- try to emphasise the idea that these
events occurred thousands of years ago.
Ask children what they think the word “invasion”
means- record answers as they may be useful later. Tell
Resources &
Cross Curricular
links
SMSC
Whiteboard
Active unit 1:
The Romans
invade Britain
Channel 4 DVD
„Romans, Celts
and Vikings‟
Hampshire
Resource Pack
Outcomes
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Children understand that
the Roman invasion of
Britain happened a long
time ago
Children are able to ask
questions about why
Claudius wanted to
invade Britain
Children can give some
reasons why the Romans
invaded Britain
(more able) Children can
prioritise reasons and
give some justification
of Britain from a
range of sources
Identify and
describe reasons
for historical
events

them about Julius Caesar and the first invasion of
Britain.
Watch dvd “The Romans in Britain” or use BBC
Whiteboard Active. Explain that nearly 100 years later,
Emperor Claudius decided to invade Britain again, we
want to know why?
“Why did the
Roman‟s
invade” covers
this topic in depth
and detail
for their ideas
SMSC

Whiteboard
Active unit 2:
Queen Boudicca

Task ideas
 Give the children copies of the cards on p.11 of “Why
did the Roman’s invade?” Ask them to read through or
read as a class and highlight any reasons why they
think Claudius may have wanted to invade Britain.
 Give the children the opportunity to hot seat you as the
Emperor Claudius about why you wanted to invade
Britain
 Give children a sheet to write about these facts. (Year 3
team suggestion)
What different
versions of Boudicca
do we have and
why?

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To understand
that there are
differences in
the ways
historical
characters have
been portrayed
To understand
that people’s
views affect how
they describe
events. Romans
would have
recorded things
differently to
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Ask children if they have heard of Queen Boudicca?
Watch BBC Whiteboard Active Unit 2 about Boudicca,
who she was and what life was like for her.
Use Hampshire Resource Pack “Boudicca” and look at
sections A and B to answer the key question. The pack
is aimed at Year 4 but differentiation activities are given
and may need to be used for the majority of the
children (Section C is an extension)
Hampshire
Resource Pack
“Boudicca”
Year 3 suggest You tube „Horrible Histories‟ video
Supporting DVDs
if useful.

Children can explain
who Boudicca was
and what she did.
Children can explain
what differences
there are in the ways
Boudicca is
portrayed.
Children can explain
why there are
differences in the way
Boudicca is
portrayed.
Celts
Consolidate
work on the
Roman invasion
by looking at
the reasons for
Boudicca’s
revolt and the
consequences of
her actions
How did the Roman
invasion change life
for the Celts?

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To describe the
changes within
the period
studied.
Find out about
characteristic
features- ideas,
beliefs, attitudes
and experiences
of the period
studied

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How do the Romans
still affect our lives
today when they left
over 2000 years
ago?

To ask and
answer
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Look at the website www.bbc.co.uk/wales/celts/ -it is a
very good interactive site that clearly shows how the
Celts lived and has a section about the Roman invasion.
Initially it should be looked at as a whole class, but can
be used in an ICT lesson as follow up. It could also be
put onto the school blog for children to access at home.
(Year 3 suggestion) Discuss with children how Celts
lived and how their lives might have changed when the
Romans invaded.
Give children a copy of a table with 3 columns, headed
Lifestyle, Celts and Romans. In Lifestyle column put key
ideas such as “clothes”, “houses,” “appearance.” In the
next two columns, compare the Celt way of life and the
Roman way of life. See also BBC Whiteboard Active
Unit 5 – Domestic Life and Culture to aid
comparison.
Writing opportunity – Diary of a Celt.
Bring children together and ask them the key question
again. What would they answer?
SMSC

Explain why the Romans left Britain (BBC Whiteboard
Active unit 6)
Look at evidence of Roman settlements. Work of
archaeologists in finding and interpreting evidence (see
BBC Whiteboard Active Romans invade Britain,
units 4 & 5).
Ask children if anything we do today is because of the
Romans? They may know about Roman numerals or
SMSC

Whiteboard
Active unit 6:
The Romans
leave (explains
why they left,
who took over

ICT
Research
Whiteboard
Active unit 1:
The Romans
invade Britain
(see section on
the Celts in
Britain, featuring
reference to
Butser Farm)


Whiteboard
Active unit 5:
Domestic Life and
Culture
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Children can use
different sources to
identify key
differences between
Celtic and Roman
ways of life.
Children can compare
specific lifestyle
features and say how
they differed when
the Romans invaded.
Children can prioritise
changes that would
have had the biggest
impact on Celts and
give reasons to
support their view.
Children compare and
analyse the reliability
of the sources used.
Children can explain why
the Romans left Britain.
Children understand that
the Romans had a great
impact on society and
this is still felt today.
Children can explain how
an object relates to the
questions.
Select and
record
information
relevant to the
enquiry.
Find out about
events and
people from a
range of
sources.
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6. Final outcome
 To make links
between the main
events, situations
and changes across
periods studied.
mosaics. Give children a sheet with examples of areas
where the Romans have influenced society e.g. Roman
numerals, Hypocausts, Roman influenced buildings,
Roman names, Mosaics, Roman roads etc.
Explain that as different groups settled in different parts
of the country, they named settlements in their own
language. Roman place names – cester or caster is
Roman for camp.
Give children maps (local or Britain?) to check for
names which indicate Roman settlement. Evidence could
be recorded in a table or highlighted on their maps.
Share findings at end of lesson and discuss idea that
this is proof that Romans invaded and settled in Britain.
Are there also words in the English language that have
Roman origins? (Latin roots – use dictionaries, see list
below)
A really nice activity is to find as many examples of
Roman influence as you can e.g. a watch with numerals,
a mosaic tile and pictures of others and hide them in a
big box or under a table with a sheet over it. Ask
children one at a time to pick an object. As a class try to
work out how they object is linked to the Romans (great
for speaking and listening!)
Give homework activity for children to find examples of
how the Romans affect us today.
Other ideas?
 Ask children to produce a short piece of writing
explaining how Romans still affect our lives today
(could be expanded into a week of literacy
activities)
and legacy)
Channel 4 DVD
„Romans, Celts
and Vikings‟

Romans using subject
specific vocabulary.
Children can link ideas in
a piece of writing.
Homework:
Children to find
examples e.g.
Roman numerals
on clocks.
Speaking and
Listening:
Children describe
objects or
pictures

Children demonstrate
their understanding
with a final product.
Useful resources: BBC Primary History – Romans; background information in file; http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/Romans.html
Relevant trips:
Latin language examples – see following
Latin origin
Latin meaning
Modern English words
strata
Street
Street
currere
To run
Current (e.g. river)
curriculum
Race, course
Curriculum (a course of
study)
recurso
To run back
Recurrent
luxurio
To grow fast, run riot
Luxuriant
excursion
To run out
Excursion
fuga
To run away, flee
Fugitive
fluentum
Running water, stream
Fluent, fluency