Students in Upper 4 had the unique opportunity to create their own curse tablets in an interdisciplinary lesson which fused Latin and Design together. Pupils learnt about the history of Roman curse tablets in their Latin lessons prior to their interdisciplinary session: if someone had done something to particularly offend you in Roman times it was common practice to scribe a curse that you wished to be bestowed upon the offender onto a lead tablet and nail it to a door frame (or throw it in a spring). They often dedicated the curse to one of the many Roman gods.
The girls had to select an inanimate object to dedicate their curse to; particular favourites were homework, phone batteries and vegetables! Students used thin sheets of copper which were then aged artificially as, of course, lead is toxic. Messages were then inscribed before girls nailed them into a post. If homework is suddenly removed from the Talbot Heath curriculum then we know they worked…
Thanks go to Mrs Jones, Mr Morris and the Design department for organising another inspirational and interactive lesson.
