Take your class on a royal journey and explore the lives of three famous queens from British History: Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. These KS1 History 'Famous Queens' lessons will teach your children what a monarch is and what they do, before diving deep into the reigns of each significant queen.

Your class will explore the lives, reigns and accomplishments of Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II and understand that, while Queen Elizabeth II ruled within living memory, both Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth I ruled much further back in the past.

With lesson plans, informative slides, activity ideas, differentiated worksheets and much more, these Year 1 and 2 'Famous Queens' lessons contain everything you need to teach your children about the history of Britain's most famous queens. A Knowledge Organiser is available to support the learning in this scheme. It is included in the Complete Series download or can be purchased individually.

You might also be interested in our Special People three-lesson pack, Queen Elizabeth II, for Year 3 and 4 children.

Lesson 1

The Three Queens

In this first lesson, children will learn what a monarch is and what they do. They will learn that the current monarch of the UK is King Charles III before travelling back into the past to find out about three famous queens from British history: Elizabeth I, Victoria and Elizabeth II.

There's plenty of opportunity for research and rehearsal in this lesson to give your children a superb foundation for the learning to follow.

This instantly downloadable lesson pack comes with everything you need to begin investigating famous queens of British history, including: a detailed lesson plan with a range of activities, PDF slideshow with example timelines and printable resources.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Fact Sheets
Royal Happy Families Cards

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Lesson 2

Queen Elizabeth II

In this next lesson, children travel back into the past to find out more about our most recent famous queen: Queen Elizabeth II. They will learn about Queen Elizabeth II’s family tree, the length of her reign and about the jubilees she celebrated.

As well as applying their understanding in independent activities, children are also given the opportunity to research how the Platinum Jubilee was celebrated in their local area for home learning.

This instantly downloadable lesson pack comes with everything you need to teach your children about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, including: a detailed lesson plan with a range of activities, PDF slideshow and printable resources.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Fact Sheets
Pictures Cards
Royal Family Tree
Templates
Research Sheet

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Lesson 3

Queen Victoria

Children will travel back, beyond living memory, to find out all about Queen Victoria and her reign using sources such as paintings and diary entries.

They will use the paintings of Victorian artist, James Stephanoff, to explore Buckingham Palace and find out how Queen Victoria used Buckingham Palace to perform her royal duties.

This complete lesson pack comes with everything you need to teach your class about finding out about Queen Victoria from historical sources, including a detailed lesson plan, PDF lesson slides and a range of printable resources offering a variety of access points for your learners.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Fact sheets
Royal Happy Families Cards
Scenario Cards
Word Bank

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Lesson 4

Changes in the Victorian Period

In this lesson, children will learn about the Victorian period in more depth. They will learn about some of the changes that occurred during the Victorian period, such as new laws and technological advances.

They will use their developing historical skills to describe the key changes and discuss their impact on ordinary Victorians.

This complete lesson pack comes with everything you need to teach your class how to develop their historical enquiry skills, including a detailed lesson plan, PDF lesson slides and a range of printable resources offering a variety of access points for your learners.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Statement Cards
Worksheets
Freeze Frame Cards

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Lesson 5

Queen Elizabeth I

Children will learn about Elizabeth I and how she became queen at a time when the crown was passed down through the male line. They will find out about some of the key events and developments of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, including the Age of Exploration and the Spanish Armada.

Then, children can apply their new knowledge and assess the relative value of the discoveries and creations of the Elizabethan period by participating in a court role-play or a game of ‘balloon drop’.

This complete lesson pack comes with everything you need to teach your class about the key events and dvelopments of Queen Elizabeth I's reign, including a detailed lesson plan, PDF lesson slides and a range of printable resources offering a variety of access points for your learners.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Drama Cards
Challenge Card
Balloon Cards

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Lesson 6

Comparing and Contrasting Different Time Periods

This oracy-rich lesson sees children use their knowledge to compare and contrast the time periods associated with the reign of each of our famous queens. By discussing the similarities and differences between the time periods, children will develop a robust understanding of how some aspects of our daily lives have changed over time.

This complete lesson pack comes with everything you need to teach your class how to compare and contrast life in different time periods, including a detailed lesson plan, PDF lesson slides and a range of printable resources offering a variety of access points for your learners.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Image Cards
Topic and Time Period Cards
Speech Bubbles
Fact Templates
Date Cards

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Lesson 7

Comparing and Contrasting the Three Queens

In this last lesson, children use paintings and photographs to compare and contrast the three famous queens and to discuss how each queen has been represented. Children will also find out why there are no photographs of Queen Elizabeth I.

Children apply their understanding through an oracy-rich discussion of given images or, more creatively, through poetry.

This instantly downloadable lesson pack comes with everything you need to teach your children how we know to examine paintings and photographs to find out about the past, including: a detailed lesson plan with a range of activities, PDF slideshow and printable resources.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Picture Sheets
Templates
Word Bank
Poem Posters

View Lesson 7

Famous Queens Knowledge Organiser

This Year 1/2 History Knowledge Organiser has been created to complement our History Significant Individuals strand. It is designed to support your children’s understanding of key vocabulary linked to this scheme of work. Enquiry questions have been included to encourage your children to think like a historian within this topic.

View Knowledge Organiser

Changes in Living Memory

Childhood Then and Now

Toys Past and Present

What are we remembering on Remembrance Day?

Homes in the Past

Famous Queens

Communication Then and Now

Intrepid Explorers

The History of Transport