Magnificent Monarchs

Year 2

Unit Overview

In the Magnificent Monarchs project, your child will learn about English and British monarchs from AD 871 to the present day and consider how the power of the monarchy has changed over time. They will study six significant sovereigns; Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and the current monarch, Elizabeth II. Finally, they will choose which of the sovereigns that they have studied is the most significant.

❇ MEMORABLE MOMENT

Children will sort the different historical periods and be introduced to the different British and English Monarchs. They will be challenged to order the given information into different periods chronologically.

️✏️ WRITING OPPORTUNITIES

We will create fascinating facts board about the Monarchs that we are learning about.

🌳 LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

In this unit of work we will create a castle on the playground and provide suitable props and dressing up outfits to represent kings, queens, nobles and servants. The children will play imaginatively and explore the roles of the different characters in their royal residence.

Unit Sequence: Learning Intentions

  1. To learn about events beyond living memory that are significant or global.

  2. To understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference and significance , and use them to make connections, draw contrasts and analyse trends.

  3. To learn about changes within living memory and where appropriate should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life.

  4. To understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims.

  5. To gain and deploy a historically grounded of understanding of abstract terms.

  6. To learn about the lives of significant individuals in the past have contributed to national and international achievements.


APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF UNIT: 12 hours

🏁 BIG FINISH

We will create a class timeline showing the different monarchs throughout the time period.

📖 FOCUS TEXT(S)

The class will be reading Paddington at the Palace by Michael Bond.