This week in English, Year 5 travelled back over 2,000 years to Ancient Rome as we began our brand-new book – Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.
To help the children immerse themselves in the story, we started by acting out the dramatic scenes leading up to Caesar’s death. The sports hall was filled with energy as pupils took on the roles of Roman citizens, soldiers, and senators – cheering loudly for Caesar one moment, then whispering conspiracies the next!
It was a brilliant way to bring Shakespeare’s words to life and explore the tension, loyalty, and betrayal that drive the story. The children thoroughly enjoyed stepping into character and seeing how the atmosphere shifted as the plot unfolded.
To deepen their understanding, we then watched a short film clip of the same scenes we had performed, which helped the children visualise the setting and the characters.
It’s been a fantastic start to our new unit – and we’re looking forward to seeing how the children use this experience to inspire their writing in the weeks ahead!
