May 30-June 5, 2013, Current Events Lesson Plan
Current Event:
The United Kingdom celebrated the 60thanniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II with a service at Westminster Abbey in London on June 2, 2013. The queen and 25 members of her family joined 2,000 guests for the service honoring the queen’s “60 years of commitment” to her people. The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, praised the queen for her “utter self-sacrifice” and for her “single-minded devotion and servant leadership” for which the nation owed her its thanks. Westminster Abbey had several items on display from her coronation including the solid gold St. Edward’s Crown–removed from the Tower of London for the first time since 1953–and the Coronation Chair–one of the oldest pieces of English furniture still in use. Elizabeth became queen upon the death of her father, King George VI, on Feb. 6, 1952. After a period of mourning, the queen was crowned on June 2, 1953
Objective:
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London on April 21, 1926. Elizabeth’s father became King George VI in 1936 after his older brother, King Edward VIII, gave up the throne to marry a divorced American woman. During World War II, Elizabeth trained as a mechanic to repair military vehicles for the war effort. Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten, a British naval lieutenant and member of the Greek royal family, on Nov. 20, 1947. King George VI died on Feb. 6, 1952, and Princess Elizabeth succeeded him as the British monarch. The queen’s chief public role is to attend ceremonial state occasions and to represent the United Kingdom in visits throughout the country and the world. She is also head of the Commonwealth of Nations. Elizabeth is Britain’s second-longest reigning monarch, behind only Queen Victoria. Elizabeth and Prince Philip have four children. Their oldest child is Charles, Prince of Wales who is heir to the throne. Prince Charles’s older son, Prince William, is next in line after his father as the heir. The Behind the Headlines news stories and related World Book articles explore Queen Elizabeth II, the royal family, and other monarchs.
Words to know:
- Archbishop of Canterbury
- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
- Commonwealth of Nations
- Edward VIII
- Elizabeth II
- Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
- George VI
- London
- Prince Charles
- Prince Philip
- Prince William
- Royal Family of the United Kingdom
- Tower of London
- United Kingdom
- Westminster Abbey
Discussion Topics:
1. Ask your students if they can name other famous kings and queens. (Students might say Elizabeth I; Louis XVI; Henry VIII; Marie Antoinette; Nefertiti; Victoria.)
2. Ask your student what they know about the United Kingdom. (Students might say it consists of four political divisions–England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland; London is the capital and largest city; the English Channel cuts off the country from the rest of Europe; the British Empire was once the world’s most powerful nation.)
3. During World War II, Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, and the royal family endeared themselves to many British people by remaining in London during the German bombings. Ask your students to debate, “During dangerous times it is more important for world leaders to share their people’s hardships than to seek safety in order to govern their country.”
4. Ask your students to use the World Book’s Timelines feature to create a timeline of the life of Elizabeth II. (Students may wish to use World Book’s Elizabeth II article for help.)