Cops and robbers - How did the Romans improve Britain?

In an interactive classroom activity titled "Cops and Robbers," pupils are encouraged to explore and share their knowledge on the impact of the Roman occupation on Britain. The activity is designed for groups of four, where each pupil starts by taking two minutes to jot down everything they can recall about the ways the Romans improved Britain on one side of a chart. This initial step allows students to independently document their understanding of the historical changes brought about by the Romans.

Following their individual recall, each pupil is given 60 seconds to review the contributions made by their peers. During this time, they look for any new information that they haven't already noted in their own recall. Pupils then have the opportunity to 'steal' this knowledge by adding it to a designated 'stolen knowledge' section on their chart. This collaborative part of the activity not only encourages learning from one another but also promotes active listening and the synthesis of information. Pupils can earn points for each new piece of information they record, turning the learning process into a fun and engaging competition. The entire exercise is designed to last approximately 15 minutes and aims to deepen the pupils' understanding of the significant transformations that occurred in Britain from the end of the Iron Age to the end of the Roman occupation.