The longest reigning British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died last week. I have received a few messages asking for reliable sources to draw on to plan your lessons, so here we go: my list of lesson ideas on Queen Elizabeth II.
It includes articles, videos, photo albums, social media accounts and more!
Lesson Plans
First off, here are three lesson plans on the life of Queen Elizabeth II and monarchy:
- Lesson Plan: The Life and Legacy of Queen Elizabeth II – The New York Times
- Queen Elizabeth II – Famous People Lessons
- The role of a monarch – BBC
The Sapphire and Platinum Jubilees
The Queen died during her 70th year as a monarch, i.e. her Platinum Jubilee. Prior to this, she celebrated 65 years as a monarch, i.e. her Sapphire Jubilee. Here are some Queen Elizabeth II lesson plans on the jubilees:
- Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – Breaking News English
- Why is the Platinum Jubilee important? Primary Lesson Plan – Historic Royal Palaces
- The Queen’s Jubilee – Canadian Geographic Education
A life in pictures and words
Have a look at the following resources on which you can base a short lesson going over the Queen’s life via pictures and key remarks from her speeches:
- Queen Elizabeth II, in her own words: Her most memorable remarks – The Washington Post
- UK’s Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96 – Al Jazeera Newsfeed
The Royal Family websites and social media
These are perfect sources to do a WebQuest activity where students can find information on their own:
- The Royal Family – website (where your students can also sign a book of condolences)
Controversy and colonialism
Although Queen Elizabeth’s death has had huge resonance worldwide, it has not been without controversy: not only has the republican cause in the UK gained traction, but many have been quick to point out how the monarch was a symbol of and an aide to British colonialism, the consequences of which are still felt by many today. Here are some resources you may want to look at if you want to have a Queen Elizabeth-themed lesson on these issues:
- Republic – website of the Republican movement, with resources on how and why they want the monarchy abolished
- Five ways the monarchy has benefited from colonialism and slavery – The Conversation
- Elizabeth II Was an Enduring Emblem of the Waning British Empire – Smithsonian Magazine
- ‘Monarch of a thieving empire…’: Carnegie Mellon Prof’s tweet on Queen Elizabeth II sparks fury – Mint
I hope you have enjoyed this post and let us know if you use any of these ideas. If you want to find out more about how you can turn these ideas into lessons, have a look at our lesson planning courses!
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