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Y1/2 (B): What is a monarch?
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Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Recall that a monarch is a king or queen.
- Identify some of the monarch’s roles.
- Explain that a king or queen is crowned in a special ceremony called a coronation.
- Name some of the main steps in the coronation ceremony.
- Use sources to explain how William the Conqueror became King of England.
- Explain how William the Conqueror kept order and conquered England.
- Explain how castles have changed over time.
- Identify that the power of monarchs has changed over time.
- Make comparisons between past and present monarchies.
Suggested prior learning
Y1/2 (B): How was school different in the past?
Get startedLessons
Y1/2 (B): Lesson 1: What is a monarch?
- To explore monarchy by finding out about King Charles III.
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Y1/2 (B): Lesson 2: Who is our monarch today?
- To explore coronations by acting out the ceremony.
Y1/2 (B): Lesson 3: How did William the Conqueror become King of England?
- To discover how William the Conqueror became king by exploring the Bayeux Tapestry.
Y1/2 (B): Lesson 4: How did William the Conqueror rule?
- To explore how William the Conqueror ruled by investigating Norman castles.
Y1/2 (B): Lesson 5: How did castles change?
- To analyse how effective castles were by exploring their features.
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Y1/2 (B): Lesson 6: What was a monarch in the past?
- To evaluate how the monarchy has changed.
Related content
Resources
Unit resources

History
Knowledge organiser – History Y1/2 (B): What is a monarch?
Aimed at pupils, two pages providing key facts and definitions from the unit ‘What is a monarch?’

History
Vocabulary display – History Y1/2 (B): What is a monarch?
A display version of the key vocabulary from the 'What is a monarch?' unit.
Cross-curricular opportunities
- Art and design.
- English: Spoken language.
- Design and technology: Make.