Key Stage 1 Famous for more than Five Minutes - NEW LOOK
Monarchs - NEW LOOK

Compare the lives and reigns of Queen Elizabeth 1 and Queen Victoria, two fascinating monarchs. Place their reigns on a chronological timeline. Identify the key roles of a monarch and use images, stories and role-play to learn more about these fascinating characters and what life was like in Elizabethan and Victorian times.

Session 1 The role of the monarch

Objectives

History

  • To compare aspects of life, identifying similarities and differences between different periods.
  • To identify and sort English/British monarchs on a timeline.
  • To describe some of the key roles of a monarch.

Enquiry question
Would you like to be a monarch? Why?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Order pictures of some significant English/British monarchs on a timeline.
  • Identify some key roles of a monarch and write these in the form of a job description.

You Will Need

Information books on monarchs and eras (particularly Elizabethan and Victorian eras)
5-6 pieces of A3 paper cut in the shape of a crown (see resource for an outline)
Mock throne and crown

Session 2 Queen Elizabeth I

Objectives

History

  • To compare aspects of life, identifying similarities and differences between different periods.
  • To investigate Elizabeth I’s life and legacy.

Enquiry question
Why are objects so important to historians?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Begin to develop knowledge and understanding of the life and role of Elizabeth I through exploring images and objects.
  • Use mystery items to investigate some significant developments of English life during Elizabeth I’s reign.

Session 3 Queen Elizabeth I – enquiry skills

Objectives

History

  • Learn about the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.
  • Compare aspects of life, identifying similarities and differences between different periods.

Enquiry question
What can historians find out from looking at pictures?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Begin to investigate and improve our understanding of Elizabeth I and Elizabethan England through the detailed examination of images.
  • Explore what type of queen Elizabeth I was.

Session 4 Queen Victoria

Objectives

History

  • To learn about the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.
  • To explore Victoria’s legacy through investigating mystery items.
  • To use stories and images to role-play aspects of Victorian life.

Enquiry question
What changed during Victorian times?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Begin to develop knowledge and understanding of the life and role of Victoria through the use of images, role-play and stories.
  • Use mystery items to explore significant developments of English life during Victoria’s reign .

Session 5 Queen Victoria - enquiry skills

Objectives

History

  • To compare aspects of life, identifying similarities and differences between different periods.
  • To investigate Victoria’s life and legacy.

Enquiry question
Why are photographs and paintings so important to historians?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Begin to develop knowledge and understanding of the life and role of Victoria through analysing different images.
  • Explore what Victoria might have been like as a queen.

Session 6 Comparing queens

Objectives

History

  • To use pictures to make comparisons between Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, and what life was like during the Elizabethan and Victorian reigns.
  • To decide whether it would have been better to live in Victorian or Elizabethan times and explain why you think this.

Enquiry question
What was similar and what was different about the two queens?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Use images to compare Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, and what life was like in Elizabethan and Victorian times.
  • Write explanations about why we think it would have been better to live in either Victorian or Elizabethan times.

You Will Need

Scissors
Glue
Crowns (see Session 1)
Coloured pens or pencils