New
New
Lesson 6 of 6
  • Year 1

Saying goodbye and remembering a reign

I can talk about how Britain changed during Queen Elizabeth II’s life and why people remember her reign.

Lesson 6 of 6
New
New
  • Year 1

Saying goodbye and remembering a reign

I can talk about how Britain changed during Queen Elizabeth II’s life and why people remember her reign.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022 after a long life.
  2. Many people watched or attended her state funeral.
  3. Her son Charles became King Charles III when she died.
  4. People remembered her duty and kindness.
  5. Britain had changed a lot since Elizabeth was a child.

Keywords

  • Funeral - a ceremony to remember someone's life

  • Reign - the time a monarch rules

  • Change - when things become different

Common misconception

Pupils might think that Queen Elizabeth II is still alive.

Remind pupils that she died in 2022, but we remember her life and service.


To help you plan your year 1 history lesson on: Saying goodbye and remembering a reign, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Create a visual timeline on the floor using pictures from each lesson. Walk through it together, pausing at each point for children to recall key facts about Elizabeth's life. This physical journey helps cement chronological understanding and revision.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

5 Questions

Q1.
What sort of parties did Elizabeth throw at Buckingham Palace for people who helped their local communites?

house parties
Correct answer: garden parties
silent discos
roller discos

Q2.
What is the name given to the group of countries that now work together as friends?

Correct Answer: the Commonwealth, Commonwealth, Commonwealth countries

Q3.
What famous building did Elizabeth open when she visited Australia?

Golden Gate Bridge
Eiffel Tower
Three Gorges Dam
Correct answer: Sydney Opera House

Q4.
What does 'charity' mean?

Correct answer: helping others
helping yourself
hurting others
hurting yourself

Q5.
Put the events from Elizabeth's life in the correct order. Start with the earliest event.

1 - World War II begins and Elizabeth is evacuated to Windsor Castle.
2 - Elizabeth delivers a radio broadcast to evacuee children.
3 - Elizabeth is crowned queen.
4 - Elizabeth becomes the first queen to go to Australia and New Zealand.
5 - By the end of her reign, Elizabeth supports more than 600 charities.

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to the correct definition.

Correct Answer:funeral,a ceremony to remember someone's life

a ceremony to remember someone's life

Correct Answer:reign,the time a monarch rules

the time a monarch rules

Correct Answer:change,when things become different

when things become different

Q2.
When did Queen Elizabeth II die?

Correct answer: September 2022
October 3222
November 1902
December 256

Q3.
Where was Elizabeth's state funeral held?

Belfast
Cardiff
Edinburgh
Correct answer: London

Q4.
Elizabeth was queen for 70 years, making her the reigning king or queen in the history of the United Kingdom.

Correct Answer: longest

Q5.
How was the next king, Charles III, related to Elizabeth?

Correct answer: he was her son
he was her brother
he was her uncle
he was her nephew

Q6.
What are some of the changes that Elizabeth saw in her lifetime?

Correct answer: Most people now own televisions.
Almost everyone now owns a jetpack.
Correct answer: The internet and mobile phones were invented.
X-ray glasses and flying cars were invented.
Correct answer: More people live in the United Kingdom.