1. Roman Senate Debate: Set up a mock Roman Senate where students can debate key issues during Julius Caesar’s time, such as the pros and cons of his rule and reforms.
2. Assassination Reenactment: Assign students roles to recreate the events leading up to and including the assassination of Julius Caesar, allowing them to experience the tension and political intrigue firsthand.
3. Latin Language Lessons: Teach students some basic Latin phrases and words relevant to Julius Caesar’s life and times, helping them better understand the Roman culture.
4. Roman Legion Training: Students can participate in a physical education class where they learn about Rome’s military strategies and replicate activities similar to those of Roman soldiers.
5. Create a Julius Caesar Timeline: Have the class create a timeline highlighting main events of Julius Caesar’s life, both personal and political.
6. Analyzing Primary Sources: Provide students with excerpts from Julius Caesar’s own writings (for example, “The Gallic Wars”) for analysis and discussion.
7. Coins and Currency: Teach students about ancient Roman coins, including designs related to Julius Caesar. Invite them to create their own coin designs featuring Caesar or other relevant historical figures.
8. Toga Party: Organize a fun activity where students can wear togas, learn about Roman fashion, and participate in various themed games.
9. The Ides of March Mystery Activity: Set up a scavenger hunt where students solve puzzles concerning Julius Caesar’s assassination to find “hidden” evidence around the classroom/school.
10. Create a Newspaper Article: Have students write newspaper articles reporting on significant events in the life of Julius Caesar as if they were contemporary journalists.
11. Dress as a Roman Citizen Day: Encourage the class to dress as ancient Romans for a day, experience their daily lives, discuss social classes, and their roles in society.
12. Gladiator Games: Host mock gladiator games in which students can participate safely and learn about Roman entertainment.
13. Roman Mosaics: Teach students about these ancient art forms and have them create a mosaic using Julius Caesar as inspiration.
14. Create a Diorama: Assign students a moment or event from Julius Caesar’s life and give them the task of creating a diorama to represent it.
15. “Friend or Foe?” Game: Divide your class into teams and give each team contrasting information about Julius Caesar’s personality, policies, and reign. Teams must argue amongst themselves to decide whether Caesar was a hero or villain from their assigned perspectives.
16. Triumvirate Theatre: Organize a play reenacting the power dynamics within the First Triumvirate (Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus).
17. Gaius Julius Caesar Biography: Students can read biographies of Julius Caesar, analyze his character traits, achievements, and motivations, and present their findings to the class.
18. Roleplay Interviews: Students take turns portraying Julius Caesar or his contemporaries; other students must conduct an interview to ask relevant questions about the historical figure’s thoughts, experiences, or actions.
19. Modern Political Comparisons: Ask students to discuss how the rise of Julius Caesar compares to modern political situations and leaders.
20. Assassination Investigation: Using forensic science methods applicable for middle school students (e.g., ink analysis), examine the assassination conspirators’ motives and roles in-depth, emphasizing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
