Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022

Dear teachers,
here you’ll find some activities to speak about the Queen and the Monarchy with your students.

What do you know about Queen Elizabeth? (Brainstorming – Write on the blackboard what your students already know about her)
Add some important facts that your students may not know.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2022/sep/10/the-queen-a-life-in-official-portrait-photos Give your students some time to go through the photo gallery and ask them to choose the picture that most impresses them.
Ask your students to describe the picture and to answer the following questions
- What do you think this picture tells us about the figure of the Queen and her reign?
- Why have you chosen this picture?
- Why do you think so many people around the world follow the British Royal Family?
Use the last part of the lesson to ask your students to share what they’ve written

Create a word wall with your students with some of the most important words needed to speak about the Royal Family.
- Here you’ll find some useful words: Aristocracy, dinasty, palace, prince, princess, Queen, King, Earl, Duke, highness, crown, castle, fortress, Monarchy, Accession…
After explaining the meaning of the words you’ve chosen, ask your students to write one sentence for each word

Divide the class into small groups and let each group choose an obituary to read
Ask your students to read the obituary they’ve chosen and to note the things they didn’t know about Elizabeth II
After sharing what they’ve learnt, start a class discussion with the following questions
- Do you think this is the moment of truth for Britain? Why?
- Why do you think so much attention is paid to the protocol?
- Many journalists claim that Elizabeth was a pop Queen. Do you agree? Why? Why not?

Ask your students if they know what “operation London Bridge” is. Share opinions, give them an answer
Watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXSiURyi7do
Ask your students to write down the main steps of the protocol
Class discussion
- Do you think that such a protocol is important? Why? Why not?

Ask your students what they know about the National Anthem
- Here you’ll find some information https://www.royal.uk/national-anthem
Listen to the National Anthem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkauHNAPUdg
- What do they notice? Discuss about the fact that this is the only National Anthem that changes according to the monarch who is ruling
What else has to change when the Monarch dies? Class discussion
Introduce the fact that currency and stamps change once the Monarch dies
Read the article https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/08/queen-death-cash-stamps-flags
Class discussion