Her Majesty The Queen: Teaching resource

Published 12/09/2022.  Last updated 14/04/2023
sourceLearning resources schoolSocial Studies

This resource focuses on the reign of Her Majesty The Queen, which began in 1952. The Queen was the longest serving monarch in British history. This resource considers the role that the Queen had in Britain, how the country has changed since the beginning of her reign, and the lasting legacy she will leave. Each individual activity has learning intentions and success criteria.

Explore this resource

Activity one: level one learners

Who was the Queen and what did she do?

Experiences and Outcomes

Having selected a significant individual from the past, I can contribute to a discussion on the influence of their actions, then and since (SOC 1-06a).

Learning intentions

To find out about Her Majesty the Queen.

Success Criteria

  1. Find out basic facts about the Queen. For example, where and when she was born? Who was her father? When and why did she become queen?
  2. Understand the role that the Queen had in the UK, and some of the things she did.

Suggested activity

  1. Show the learners images of the Queen from different stages in her reign.
  2. Ask the learners to think of questions they might like to ask about the Queen and write them up for the class to see.
  3. Try to allocate the questions into groups of similar types, e.g. family, home, what she did, why she was Queen.
  4. Split the class into groups. Allocate each group some questions and using the websites on page 1 ask them to answer the questions.
  5. The Queen had the longest reign of any British king or queen, starting in 1952. Split the class into 7 groups and give each group a decade, 1960s, 1970s, etc. (Check understanding of the word decade and add to word bank as appropriate). Ask each group to create a poster about the Queen in their decade. Their posters could include:
    • images of the queen during their decade
    • any royals trips or tours she made
    • any other world leaders she met.
  6. Ask each group to talk to the class about their poster and place them in date order.
  7. Finally ask the class to think about the things that the Queen did and how they think she will be remembered around the world.

Activity two: level two learners

The Queen and her role in WW2

Experiences and Outcomes

  1. I can use primary and secondary sources selectively to research events in the past (SOC 2-01a).
  2. I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence (SOC 2-06a).

Learning intentions

To find out about Her Majesty the Queen.

Success Criteria

  1. Find out basic facts about the Queen. For example, where and when she was born? Who was her father? When and why did she become queen?
  2. Understand the role that the Queen had in the UK.
  3. To find out about her role during the Second World War.

Suggested activity

  1. Show the class an image of the Queen, ask them to write everything they know about her.
  2. Ask learners to find a partner to compare their list. Ask them the tick the things they agree about. To mark a cross where they disagree and to put a question mark beside things that don’t appear on both of the lists. Ask learners to write down things they would like to know about the Queen.
  3. As a pair, they should participate in a class discussion about the things on their list. This enables a fact check to take place both with the class and the teacher.
  4. The Queen played a role in WW2. At the time she was Princess Elizabeth and only 13 years old when the war started. The experience that Princess Elizabeth had during the war is said to have inspired her life of service to the people of the United Kingdom. Create diary of day in the life of Princess Elizabeth during the war. Try to include the concerns her father the King might have had about what she was doing. Use the following websites to research what she did during the war:
  5. Her Majesty the Queen was the furthest travelled monarch in history. Much of that travel was to the countries of the Commonwealth. There are 54 countries in the Commonwealth today, many more than when the Queen began her reign. Use the following website to research the Commonwealth, and create a newspaper front page, detailing the history of the Commonwealth:

Activity three: level 3 learners

What is monarchy and what role did Queen Elizabeth play in the UK

Experiences and Outcomes

  • I can use my knowledge of a historical period to interpret the evidence and present an informed view (SOC 3-01a).

Learning intentions

To find out about Her Majesty the Queen.

Success Criteria

  1. Find out basic facts about the Queen. For example, where and when she was born? Who was her father? When and why did she become queen?
  2. Understand the role that monarchy plays in the UK and role the Queen undertook.

Suggested activity

  1. Learners could use the websites on the first page of this resource to research the life of the Queen. They should create a timeline of her life, including significant events.
  2. Learners could choose one of the significant events in their timeline and research in more depth. They should create a fact file of this event.
  3. Learners could research what a monarchy is, and how it works. The Queen was the monarch of the UK learners could find out what the official duties the Queen performed in that role, and present them in a PowerPoint or similar way.

Resources

Bereavement support

The death of the Queen can bring up questions for children about death and for those who are already bereaved it can potentially trigger this grief. While by age 10 just over 60% of children will have experienced the death of a close family member, for some this might be their first experience of death. The children’s charity Winston’s Wish has produced helpful advice on explaining death to children, why it can be helpful to talk to them about the death of the Queen and how to look after yourself when a prominent person has died and you are remembering someone.

For further information on supporting grieving children and young people - see Supporting children and young people through bereavement.

Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) experiences and outcomes

  • I can use primary and secondary sources selectively to research events in the past (SOC 2-01a)
  • I can use my knowledge of a historical period to interpret the evidence and present an informed view (SOC 3-01a)
  • having selected a significant individual from the past, I can contribute to a discussion on the influence of their actions, then and since (SOC 1-06a)
  • I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence (SOC 2-06a)
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Her Majesty The Queen: Teaching resource

Published 12/09/2022.  Last updated 14/04/2023
sourceLearning resources schoolSocial Studies

This resource focuses on the reign of Her Majesty The Queen, which began in 1952. The Queen was the longest serving monarch in British history. This resource considers the role that the Queen had in Britain, how the country has changed since the beginning of her reign, and the lasting legacy she will leave. Each individual activity has learning intentions and success criteria.

Explore this resource

Activity one: level one learners

Who was the Queen and what did she do?

Experiences and Outcomes

Having selected a significant individual from the past, I can contribute to a discussion on the influence of their actions, then and since (SOC 1-06a).

Learning intentions

To find out about Her Majesty the Queen.

Success Criteria

  1. Find out basic facts about the Queen. For example, where and when she was born? Who was her father? When and why did she become queen?
  2. Understand the role that the Queen had in the UK, and some of the things she did.

Suggested activity

  1. Show the learners images of the Queen from different stages in her reign.
  2. Ask the learners to think of questions they might like to ask about the Queen and write them up for the class to see.
  3. Try to allocate the questions into groups of similar types, e.g. family, home, what she did, why she was Queen.
  4. Split the class into groups. Allocate each group some questions and using the websites on page 1 ask them to answer the questions.
  5. The Queen had the longest reign of any British king or queen, starting in 1952. Split the class into 7 groups and give each group a decade, 1960s, 1970s, etc. (Check understanding of the word decade and add to word bank as appropriate). Ask each group to create a poster about the Queen in their decade. Their posters could include:
    • images of the queen during their decade
    • any royals trips or tours she made
    • any other world leaders she met.
  6. Ask each group to talk to the class about their poster and place them in date order.
  7. Finally ask the class to think about the things that the Queen did and how they think she will be remembered around the world.

Activity two: level two learners

The Queen and her role in WW2

Experiences and Outcomes

  1. I can use primary and secondary sources selectively to research events in the past (SOC 2-01a).
  2. I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence (SOC 2-06a).

Learning intentions

To find out about Her Majesty the Queen.

Success Criteria

  1. Find out basic facts about the Queen. For example, where and when she was born? Who was her father? When and why did she become queen?
  2. Understand the role that the Queen had in the UK.
  3. To find out about her role during the Second World War.

Suggested activity

  1. Show the class an image of the Queen, ask them to write everything they know about her.
  2. Ask learners to find a partner to compare their list. Ask them the tick the things they agree about. To mark a cross where they disagree and to put a question mark beside things that don’t appear on both of the lists. Ask learners to write down things they would like to know about the Queen.
  3. As a pair, they should participate in a class discussion about the things on their list. This enables a fact check to take place both with the class and the teacher.
  4. The Queen played a role in WW2. At the time she was Princess Elizabeth and only 13 years old when the war started. The experience that Princess Elizabeth had during the war is said to have inspired her life of service to the people of the United Kingdom. Create diary of day in the life of Princess Elizabeth during the war. Try to include the concerns her father the King might have had about what she was doing. Use the following websites to research what she did during the war:
  5. Her Majesty the Queen was the furthest travelled monarch in history. Much of that travel was to the countries of the Commonwealth. There are 54 countries in the Commonwealth today, many more than when the Queen began her reign. Use the following website to research the Commonwealth, and create a newspaper front page, detailing the history of the Commonwealth:

Activity three: level 3 learners

What is monarchy and what role did Queen Elizabeth play in the UK

Experiences and Outcomes

  • I can use my knowledge of a historical period to interpret the evidence and present an informed view (SOC 3-01a).

Learning intentions

To find out about Her Majesty the Queen.

Success Criteria

  1. Find out basic facts about the Queen. For example, where and when she was born? Who was her father? When and why did she become queen?
  2. Understand the role that monarchy plays in the UK and role the Queen undertook.

Suggested activity

  1. Learners could use the websites on the first page of this resource to research the life of the Queen. They should create a timeline of her life, including significant events.
  2. Learners could choose one of the significant events in their timeline and research in more depth. They should create a fact file of this event.
  3. Learners could research what a monarchy is, and how it works. The Queen was the monarch of the UK learners could find out what the official duties the Queen performed in that role, and present them in a PowerPoint or similar way.

Resources

Bereavement support

The death of the Queen can bring up questions for children about death and for those who are already bereaved it can potentially trigger this grief. While by age 10 just over 60% of children will have experienced the death of a close family member, for some this might be their first experience of death. The children’s charity Winston’s Wish has produced helpful advice on explaining death to children, why it can be helpful to talk to them about the death of the Queen and how to look after yourself when a prominent person has died and you are remembering someone.

For further information on supporting grieving children and young people - see Supporting children and young people through bereavement.

Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) experiences and outcomes

  • I can use primary and secondary sources selectively to research events in the past (SOC 2-01a)
  • I can use my knowledge of a historical period to interpret the evidence and present an informed view (SOC 3-01a)
  • having selected a significant individual from the past, I can contribute to a discussion on the influence of their actions, then and since (SOC 1-06a)
  • I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence (SOC 2-06a)
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