Teacher guide · Curious Lab · Medium · about 30 min

🏛️ Romans in Britain

Pupils practise curiosity and problem solving through "Romans in Britain": Roads, baths and why the empire came here.

Lesson guide

1. Hook · 5 min
Show the 🏛️ mission title and read the opening: "Dig through the evidence from a Roman site.". Take three quick guesses.
2. Model · 5 min
Think aloud through the first step together. Use Sniff the Beagle's line as your prompt: "Great question! Ready to dig one layer deeper? Pick your next mission below."
3. Do · 10 min
Pairs work through the 4 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"
4. Discuss · 10 min
Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.
5. Reflect · 5 min
Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used curiosity today.

What was the hardest choice in "Romans in Britain", and why?
Why did the Romans build straight roads — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Which Roman invention would you miss most today? Say why — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Where could you use curiosity outside school this week?
If you did this again, what would you change?

Support: Read prompts aloud, pair with a confident partner, and accept spoken or drawn answers for writing steps.

Stretch: Ask pupils to create their own extra step for a partner and explain the correct answer.

National Curriculum: History: chronology, sources and significant people and events
National Curriculum: Science: working scientifically — asking questions and observing
National Curriculum: Geography/History: enquiry and using sources
PSHE: Living in the wider world: media literacy and checking information

Pupil sheet

Name: ____________________ Date: __________

1. Dig through the evidence from a Roman site.
Clue — Straight road: Roman roads run dead straight — armies could march fast.
Clue — Hypocaust: Hot air ran under the floor. Central heating, 2,000 years ago.
Clue — Coins: Coins with an emperor's face spread news and power.
Clue — Wall: Hadrian's Wall marked the empire's northern edge.
2. Put these in time order, earliest first.
___ Anglo-Saxons
___ Romans
___ Tudors
___ Victorians
___ Vikings
3. Why did the Romans build straight roads?
☐ They looked nice
☐ To move soldiers and supplies quickly
☐ To avoid hills
4. Which Roman invention would you miss most today? Say why.