Queens of England

Overview

This is Lesson 1 of 5 in the unit “Queens of England: A Journey” for Reception and KS1 mixed-age class (ages 4-7). Students will be introduced to three queens of England—Elizabeth I, Victoria, and Elizabeth II. They will explore their importance and develop an initial understanding of chronology through a simple timeline activity. The lesson is designed to foster curiosity about history, leadership qualities, and develop communication skills through group discussion.

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National Curriculum Links

History

• EYFS (Understanding the World: Past and Present)
  • Talk about the lives of people around them and recognise similarities and differences.
• KS1 (History - Pupils should develop: )
  • Pupils should be taught about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally (The Great Fire of London, Queen Victoria, Elizabeth II). Introduce chronology and concepts of past and present.
  • Develop an understanding of key historical figures and begin to use historical vocabulary.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

• Consider the characteristics of a good leader and express their ideas clearly.

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Learning Objectives ("I can..." statements)

• I can name three queens of England: Elizabeth I, Victoria, and Elizabeth II.
• I can describe one characteristic of each queen.
• I can understand and talk about the order of past events using a simple timeline.
• I can share my ideas in a group about what makes a good leader.

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Success Criteria

• I can point to each queen on the timeline and say her name.
• I can say one thing about what made each queen special (e.g., Elizabeth I was brave).
• I can join in with group talk about leaders and share an opinion.
• (Extension) I can draw a queen and write one sentence about her.

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Resources

• Large timeline poster with simple images and dates for Elizabeth I, Victoria, Elizabeth II
• Queen portraits (child-friendly, colourful illustrations)
• Sentence starters cards (e.g., “Queen Elizabeth I was…”, “I think a good leader is…”)
• Paper, crayons, pencils for drawing activity
• Visual aid cards for leadership qualities (brave, kind, strong, fair)
• Name labels for queens
• Storybook or short video clip (2-3 minutes) on one queen (age-appropriate)

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Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

1. Engage and Introduce (10 mins)

• Warm greeting and circle time to brighten interest.
• Show portraits of Elizabeth I, Victoria, and Elizabeth II.
• Ask children if they know who these people are (encourage sharing).
• Play a short age-appropriate video or tell a simple story about one queen (e.g., Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation).
• Explain that today we will be meeting 3 queens and learning what made them special.

Rosenshine’s Principle: Begin with a daily review and presentation of new material clearly.

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2. Explore the Queens on the Timeline (15 mins)

• Show the large timeline poster. Point to each queen one by one, giving a simple fact about her (e.g., Elizabeth I ruled a long time ago, Queen Victoria helped make Britain bigger, Elizabeth II was queen recently).
• Use clear, repeated language and visual aids to support SEN learners.
• Allow children to come up and place pictures or name labels on the correct timeline spot (interactive activity).
• Use sentence starters to describe a single characteristic of each queen (e.g., Elizabeth I was brave, Victoria was kind, Elizabeth II was caring).
• Support less confident learners with visual prompt cards.

Rosenshine’s Principle: Show models and use clear, direct instruction combined with guided practice.

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3. Group Discussion: What Makes a Good Leader? (15 mins)

• Gather children in a circle. Introduce cards illustrating leadership qualities.
• Ask children: “What makes a good leader?” Write or scribe their ideas on a board or flipchart.
• Compare these qualities to the queens’ described characteristics.
• Encourage children to share which queen they like most and why, respectfully listening to others.
• Scaffold conversations using sentence starters for less confident children (e.g., “I think a good leader is… because…”).

Rosenshine’s Principle: Provide guided practice through discussion, encouraging active participation and formative assessment.

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4. Create a Queen Drawing and Sentence (Extension/Differentiation) (15 mins)

• Children choose which queen to draw.
• Provide visual reference cards and colouring materials.
• Ask them to write (or scribe) a simple sentence about the queen. Use sentence starters for support.
• For advanced learners: challenge them to write an additional sentence describing a leadership quality.
• Use mixed-ability pairs to support peer learning.
• SEN/younger children can complete just the drawing and verbally describe their queen.

Rosenshine’s Principle: Assist students individually and provide scaffolds when needed.

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5. Plenary and Review (5 mins)

• Quick “Show me” quiz: ask children to point to each queen’s picture on the timeline and say her name aloud.
• Recap the one special thing they learnt about each queen.
• Praise participation, effort, and kindness in discussion.
• Highlight the next lesson's focus: more stories about our queens.

Rosenshine’s Principle: Review previous learning for reinforcement and confidence-building.

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Differentiation

Learner Need	Strategy
SEN / EAL	Use visual aids, sentence starters, modelling, and one-to-one support. Incorporate gestures and repeat instructions clearly.
Lower ability EYFS	Focus on picture recognition, matching names, and verbal description rather than writing. Use wholesome storytelling and play.
Higher ability KS1	Encourage extended sentence writing and reasoning about leadership qualities. Offer a short independent research or memory challenge.
Mixed-age	EYFS focus more on picture and verbal tasks; KS1 involved in writing and deeper discussion. Use paired work to support sharing of knowledge.

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Assessment

• Observational notes during discussions and timeline activity assessing ability to name queens and recount characteristics.
• Review drawing and sentence for accuracy and understanding.
• Oral questioning checking comprehension of leadership qualities.

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Extension Ideas for Advanced Learners

• Research or recall one historical fact about a queen not mentioned in class and share.
• Write a short recount imagining being a queen for one day.
• Help peers by leading part of the timeline activity or discussion.

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Reflection Notes

• Consider repeating timeline activity in next lessons to reinforce chronology.
• Use outdoor space for a “Queens’ court” role-play next lesson to engage physical and imaginative learning.
• Incorporate local history elements in future lessons where possible to connect learning to the community.

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This plan suits your small mixed Reception/KS1 class, supporting your teaching approach inspired by Rosenshine, nurturing engagement, confidence, and holistic learning in historical awareness.