Homeschool Guide: These lesson plans are a guide for parents. Content may contain errors — always cross-reference with official exam board specifications.

the founding of rome & early kings

FoundationHigherAll Boards

4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.

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Lesson Overview

Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA

Learning Objectives

Prerequisites

Materials & Equipment

Lesson 1: Introduction: the founding of rome & early kings

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Write down everything you already know about the founding of rome & early kings. Then check against the key terms: key terms from the founding of rome & early kings. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: key terms from the founding of rome & early kings.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: the founding of rome & early kings. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Ancient History because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look

Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: explain the key ideas of the founding of rome & early kings

Plenary (5 minutes)

Check Out

Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about the founding of rome & early kings.

Lesson 2: Core Concepts: the founding of rome & early kings

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Review Previous Lesson

Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on the founding of rome & early kings. Check them against the notes below.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Key Fact: Roman legend traced Rome's origins to Aeneas (Trojan refugee) and the founding by Romulus and Remus (753 BC)
Key Fact: The seven kings ruled Rome from its founding until the overthrow of Tarquin the Proud (Superbus) in 509 BC
Key Fact: The last king, Tarquin Superbus, was a tyrant whose son Sextus raped Lucretia, triggering the rebellion led by Brutus
Key Fact: The Republic (res publica = 'public thing') replaced the monarchy: power was held by elected magistrates and the Senate
Key Fact: Roman society was divided between Patricians (aristocratic families) and Plebeians (common citizens); the plebeians struggled for political rights
Key Fact: The early Republic established key offices: two consuls (chief magistrates with one-year terms), the Senate (advisory council of patricians)

Practice (10 minutes)

Q: explain the key ideas of the founding of rome & early kings

Answer:

Plenary (5 minutes)

Explain Back

Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.

Lesson 3: Application: the founding of rome & early kings

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Recall the key terms: key terms from the founding of rome & early kings. Define each in one sentence.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.

Work through the practice questions on the revision notes page for this topic.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Error Review

Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.

Lesson 4: Exam Practice: the founding of rome & early kings

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Command Words

Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).

Main Content (35 minutes)

Exam-Style Question

Attempt a past-paper style question on the founding of rome & early kings from the exam board past paper finder (see Resources), then mark it against the scheme.

Exam Tips: 753 BC = legendary founding; 509 BC = Republic established | Lucretia = moral justification for overthrowing tyranny | Two consuls replaced the king — shared power prevented tyranny | Patrician vs Plebeian conflict = central theme of early Republic
Common Errors: ✗ Romulus and Remus are historical figures ✓ Romulus and Remus are legendary figures; there is no archaeological evidence for their existence. The founding date of 753 BC was calculated retroactively by Roman historians. The stories served to explain Roman identity, not to record actual events ✗ The Republic was democratic from the start ✓ The early Republic was controlled by the patrician aristocracy. Plebeians had no political power and were excluded from office. It took over 200 years of struggle (the Conflict of the Orders) for plebeians to gain political equality ✗ The seven kings were all tyrants ✓ Roman tradition held that the early kings (especially Numa Pompilius and Servius Tullius
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
  • Synoptic links: explain how the founding of rome & early kings connects to another Ancient History topic you have studied
  • Real-world: research one real-world use or example of the founding of rome & early kings
  • Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in the founding of rome & early kings?"

Plenary (5 minutes)

Assessment Criteria
  • Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
  • Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
  • Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2

Homework & Consolidation

Recommended Resources

🎓 Smart Lesson (Guided)