The Romans in Britain

Roman mosaics

Looking at examples of Roman mosaics and reading and learning about who had these and what they indicated about the owners place in society.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To investigate Roman mosaics, discovering where they have been found and what they depicted.
• Understand the role of archaeologists in uncovering remains and how the past can be pieced together.
• To explore and discuss mosaics as an art form brought to Britain by the Romans, looking particularly at borders.
• To explore and develop different border patterns to use for a large printed mosaic.

Children will:

• Know the significance of mosaics in Roman art.
• Generate a repeating mosaic style pattern of coloured squares on a grid.

• Image showing a selection of simple L shaped border examples

• Photographs or PowerPoint of finished printed mosaics
• Strips of cm squared paper, 5 squares wide, including some L shaped pieces to design corners
• Felt tip pens or coloured crayons
• Access to the internet

How archaeology uncovers Roman remains including mosaics from bbc.co.uk
How archaeology uncovers Roman remains including mosaics from bbc.co.uk
Close up images of Roman mosaics from bbc.co.uk
Design your own mosaic from gwydir.demon.co.uk

Thinking about printing techniques and practising these as well as investigating further the importance of Roman mosaics to historians.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To review knowledge of Roman mosaics from the previous session and consider their importance to historians.
• To develop and practise the technique of printing individual small squares using a printing stick.
• To finalise their chosen border design.

Children will:

• Print a neat repeating border design with good technique.
• Understand how historians learn about the Romans through studying mosaics.

• 3 images of Roman mosaics depicting scenes
• Instructions for printing a Roman mosaic style picture

• Wooden printing sticks
• Strips of black or brown sugar paper
• Printing rollers
• Trays
• A selection of the finished border designs from last session

Close up images of Roman mosaics from bbc.co.uk

Studying the borders of mosaics, and starting to design a border for their own mosaic.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To perfect the technique of printing individual small squares and review progress, analysing style and technique.

Children will:

• Make informed choices on colour and design based on prior knowledge and experience.
• Print a neat repeating border design with good technique.
• Evaluate and analyse their work and that of others.

• Examples of mosaics

• Several photographs of completed printed mosaics
• Visual access to the border-practice strips
• Wooden printing sticks some with a smaller end
• Printing rollers and trays
• White pencil crayons
• Some card border templates (60cm x 9cm)
• A large sheet of sugar paper per child (60cm x 45cm)

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

Carrying our further research into the different types of Roman mosaic and what they depicted.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To research and discover information on Roman mosaics and present it effectively.

Children will:

• Carry out further investigations into Roman mosaics, looking at different types and relating these to their different locations, content and functions.
• Select and record some facts about a chosen mosaic, relating these to its content, location and function.

• Task sheet

• Access to computers and reference books

Gallery of Roman mosaic images from bbc.co.uk
Images with interesting associated facts from gwydir.demon.co.uk
An interactive, animated question-answer activity from ramtimetrail.org.uk
Good information page from primaryfacts.com
Roman mosaics from wikipedia.org

Designing a Roman-style mosaic and using printing techniques practised earlier to create their own mosaic.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To design a central motif for a printed mosaic and to evaluate the finished piece.
• To review knowledge of Roman mosaics and consider their importance to historians.

Children will:

• Design and finish printing a large scale mosaic style picture.
• Evaluate the finished work and plan how to exhibit it to a wider audience.

Examples of mosaics

• 3 photographs of completed printed mosaics
• A completed printed mosaic style border
• Sketch books
• Wooden printing sticks
• Some printing sticks with a smaller end
• Printing rollers
• Trays, poster paint

Gallery of close up images of Roman mosaics from bbc.co.uk