Lowell — The clash of swords, cheers and jeers of seventh-graders, and the clapped percussion of the 1977 Queen song “We Will Rock You” filled the social studies classroom during the recent Lowell Middle School-style Gladiator Games.
Minutes earlier, teacher Drew Struckmeyer had entered the arena, or, to be literal, the space inside a circle of tables at which students sat.
“Welcome, everybody, to the Gladiator Gaaaaames!” he shouted, hoisting his own sword high and launching the fifth annual competition in which students faux-fight each other and are eliminated until the last gladiator is standing in the bracket-style tournament.
Struckmeyer recently received a grant from the Lowell Education Foundation to replenish the toy medieval weapons.
‘History can be the best or worst subject depending on how it’s taught.’
— teacher Drew Struckmeyer
The ferocious games, tempered by the fact that swords and shields are plastic and most matches last only a few seconds, brought to light a dark part of history when to-the-death battles took place in the Colosseum in Rome.
“I find it very interesting. I like learning about what life was like a long time ago,” said seventh-grader Elinor Flowers after the simulation. “I’m surprised at how violent these tournaments were. People were killed for entertainment.”
From 105 B.C. to 404 A.D., during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire, the games were a brutal way to demonstrate wealth and control, Struckmeyer told the students.
“They were put on by the emperor to entertain the people and show them how powerful he was,” he said.
Examining Elements of History
Students pointed out ways the Gladiator Games reflected Roman society at the time.
“The emperor sponsored the games,” said one student, noting the government involvement.
The tournament was part of a unit on Ancient Rome. Struckmeyer said seventh-grade World History class focuses on events occurring from the beginning of time until 1500 A.D. Every unit includes the eight elements of society: culture, education, language, geography, religion, social structure, government and economy.
Students also looked at a primary source from Seneca the Younger about the games, considering the observations and details of witnessing “pure murder” in the arena.
Interactive Challenges throughout the Year
Struckmeyer said he likes to tie learning to visual and physical experience, breaking up the routine of lectures and reading. He also has students compete in classroom Olympics while studying ancient Greece, and has a yearlong Ultimate Warrior competition, during which students compete in challenges as they learn about the Spartans in Greece, the samurai in Japan and the knights of Europe. One student is crowned the Ultimate Warrior at the end of the year.
“History can be the best or worst subject depending on how it’s taught, so this is about breaking the stigma that history is memorizing a bunch of dates and taking a test,” Struckmeyer said.
He also noted how much of what people see, read and watch today is reflected by past events, which he wants his students to have reference for.
“History is story; that’s where our books come from, our video games, our movies. These are the inspirations.”
Strukmeyer said he challenges students to view history through critical thinking, analyzing sources and bringing information together to form a conclusion.
“I tell them you probably aren’t going to need to know who the first emperor of China is ever again, but the skills we use to learn about those things are skills they’ll use anywhere they go.”
Carter Bell said that’s a memorable way of learning
“It’s really fun, and it’s a great way to get it ingrained in your memory, like the Colosseum was where they fought each other; we did that in class.”
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