Students paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, imagining they have been commissioned for the project by the British government. The kids should look at a number of portraits of royal figures throughout history. The children must rely on up-to-date photographs of the queen from magazines, newspapers and the Internet for their inspiration. The object of the project is to create a true likeness of the queen. The work could lead onto work on self-portraits.
Have children make a giant sculpture of Queen Elizabeth II, using recycled items and easy- to-find objects such as plastic bags, rolled-up newspapers and aluminum cans. Students could use their imaginations to dress the queen in royal attire, such as using sparkling objects for a tiara. Adventurous students can attempt to use sand to sculpt Queen Elizabeth II.
Make a long mural or collage for a classroom wall depicting queens throughout history. For example, children could choose to make a collage including the warrior queen Boudicca, Queen Nefertiti of Egypt and Queen Victoria from Britain. Students should try to convey something of the historical period through the clothes each queen wears and her surroundings.
Packs of playing cards depict queens in each of the four suits. Have the children draw or paint a Queen playing card for a new pack. The children could make a giant card. Alternatively, children could invent a new Queen of Hearts, based on Lewis Carroll's creative children's book "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." The original Queen of Hearts is a mean monarch, fond of the phrase, "Off with their heads."