Resource Transition
Resource Transition
Transition activities
Who was Queen Elizabeth I?
Elizabeth I was born in Greenwich on 7 September 1533 and was Queen of England and
Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death on 24 March 1603. Anne Boleyn was her
mother and Henry VIII was her father.
Elizabeth was a highly educated and accomplished woman, but as a female queen she
would have been in a perilous position and felt insecure and vulnerable. At that time,
people assumed women were not as powerful and important as men. She would have
known this and she said in a very famous speech, “I know I have the body of a weak and
feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king and a king of England too!”.
She showed herself as an effective and powerful leader through speeches and portraits.
She was trying to inspire awe and wonder to her people and demonstrate that her
strength and authority came from within.
Despite many challenges throughout her time on the throne, the period of Elizabeth’s
reign is now referred to as a ‘Golden Age’ and she is considered one of the country’s most
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popular and successful royals. She was an extremely savvy manager of the royal court
and saw England through a succession of religious, financial and political disruptions.
Elizabeth modelled to the world the fact that women can cope, and indeed thrive, in
power after all.
Like many Tudor portraits, it is packed with meaning and metaphor. Elizabeth chose
powerful symbols to express her identity.
Globe: The globe represents England’s striving for power in the Americas. Elizabeth is
pointing to Virginia, which was named after her.
Ruff and sun decoration on her dress: Her sleeves and dress are full of golden suns. The
circle of ruff extends from Elizabeth’s face like the sun’s rays. She is shown as the centre
and source of warmth, beauty, and goodness.
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Sea scenes: The sea scenes over her right shoulder represent the calm seas and English
ships. Over her left shoulder, she turns away from the stormy waters where the Spanish
ships are struggling and shipwrecked against the rocks.
Mermaids: Mermaids were thought to tempt married sailors at sea, so the inclusion of a
mermaid could show Elizabeth’s might against the Spanish seaman and her command of
the seas.
Provide a copy of the painting to each student or in pairs. Using a rough piece of paper
or their books, ask students to write as many concrete nouns as they can.
What do you see in the painting? Make a list of the concrete nouns.
Concrete nouns: names an object or a person you can see and touch e.g. crown and
globe.
Next, ask your students to name as many different adjectives as possible to describe the
nouns. Alternatively, ask your students to draw their concrete noun examples and list all
the adjectives they can think of to describe them.
Adjectives: describing words
Noun: face Adjective: luminous
Noun: crown Adjective: heavy
Next, ask your students to write a paragraph with fuller sentences inspired by their work
so far to expand and illustrate the painting. They should describe the features and
qualities of what they see and convey an idea of what Elizabeth was like. They could
include how the painting makes them feel and what qualities Elizabeth displays.
• e.g. I think Elizabeth’s face reminds me of the Moon, as it is luminous, showing
her brilliance and beauty.
• The contrasting views behind her demonstrate her power, status and
determination to be a successful queen.
• I think Elizabeth looks determined and courageous despite not having the
physical strength of a man.
• Elizabeth looks wise and had a reputation for being a caring queen with immense
pride in her people.
• Elizabeth must have had a massive ego to portray herself as a divine and
powerful religious icon!
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Classroom activity – Character Traits
This is a useful exercise for analysing characters in stories, their traits and what makes
them exhibit these traits. This can help with empathy and seeing another’s perspective.
What you will need: character trait table and character trait template of Elizabeth I.
Explain to students that emotions are thoughts and feelings and can be a response to
things happening around them. Traits are usually seen through actions and behaviours.
Emotions can be indicative of traits, but not always. Elizabeth might have appeared
confident and brave on the outside due to her accomplishments, however, perhaps on
the inside she was feeling scared and anxious.
As a class, discuss examples of positive and negative character traits, both physical and
emotional, and what they might look like, in more detail.
Negative character traits e.g. tactless, disruptive, impatient, domineering, cruel, rude,
know-it-all, bossy, rude, selfish, aggressive.
Ask your students to discuss if they think character traits can change over time.
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In pairs ask students to reflect on another and make a character assessment, listing each
other’s positive character traits, both physical and emotional.
Student Name:
Positive character/personality
traits:
Negative character/personality
traits:
Physical character traits:
Now your students know more about Elizabeth and the Armada Portrait, explain to them
that they are going to create a character analysis of Elizabeth I and describe what
evidence they have for presenting her with a particular trait. Ask students in pairs to
make a list of her traits and feelings/emotions to help students to describe Elizabeth I.
What are her positive and negative traits? We obviously do not know everything about
her, so your students will need to you use their inference skills.
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Write a list of Key:
character
emotions in
Elizabeth’s ruff.
Write a list of
her character
traits in the larger
circle.
Write a list of her Character analysis of Queen Elizabeth I
physical traits in
the smaller
circles.
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Next, ask students to create a fictional story about Elizabeth that demonstrates her
feelings and inner thoughts, her traits, actions and motivations.
In advance of the session, collect a range of objects such as a ball, toy, book, bucket
and spade, anything that could evoke a memory, and place them in a bag so students
cannot see them. Ask students to come to the front of the class (or the middle if a circle
activity), and pick an object from the bag. Their task is to create a short story about a
memory connected to the object. What can they remember, hear, see or smell? This
could be a true or fictional story, and it will encourage them to improvise on the spot.
The rest of the class can decide if the story is true or fictional. Students must return the
object so it can be reused by another student. Alternatively, if you don’t have a
collection of objects, ask them to think about a place that evokes a memory or story, or
have a list of places they could describe, e.g. forest, beach or a family member’s house.
What you will need: 2 x A4 pieces of paper to make a cube and a chatter box, additional
paper for drawing and writing, scissors, glue stick, pencils and/or pens.
Make your cube: Cut out the template complete with sections of the Armada Portrait.
Alternatively, on the blank version, draw the objects: crown, ship, globe, sun, mermaid,
feather.
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Make a cube
With a pair of scissors,
cut along the solid black
lines, fold at the dashed
lines, and stick together.
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A blank version for you
to draw your own
Armada Portrait cube
With a pair of scissors,
cut along the solid black
lines, fold at the dashed
lines, and stick together.
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Make your chatter box: click on this link (or do a google search) for a step-by-step guide
to make a chatter box: On the top of the chatter box, choose eight words inspired by the
painting, for example, magnificent, pure, status, power, aspire, warm, beauty, leader,
youthful, victorious, mythical, vulnerable, enchanting.
On the top of the inside tab of the chatter box, write four characters and four locations,
for example, sea, forest, rooftop, garden, celebrity, cat, alien, grandmother. You could
also make up your own here.
On the inside tab of the chatter box, write eight emotions, such as happy, sad, calm,
excited, angry, fearful, frustrated, lucky.
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Explain to your students that they will take turns as the storyteller:
• The storyteller rolls the cube four times and writes down each object, e.g. globe,
feather, ship and crown.
• Chatter box task 1: choose a word e.g. status. Spell out the word by opening the
chatter box with each letter e.g. status = six letters.
• Chatter box task 2: choose a location or character for your story. Write it down.
• Repeat chatter box tasks 1 and 2. Write them down.
• Chatter box task 3: open the inside tab of the chatter box to reveal an emotion.
Write it down.
Your students should end up with nine words in total. Explain they need to tell a story
that links together all nine words. Their words might take them on a funny or scary
adventure, it is totally up to them.
They could:
• Begin with 'Once upon a time'
• Imagine their protagonist (leading character) as a hero or a villain
• Invent rules for their game
If you think your students are up for another challenge, they could try linking all the
different stories together to build one super-long story and/or write a story or play, act
it out and/or design a storyboard for a film.
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Classroom activity – Values Portrait
This activity will enable your students to analyse the painting and to consider life values
that are important to them. The Armada Portrait shows us the power of symbolism in art
to express things about our identity. Explain to your students they are going to be
inspired by the Armada Portrait and create their own self-portrait.
What you will need: missing pieces portrait template, values table and a sketch for your
self-portrait sheet.
Ask your students to identify the difference between a portrait and a self-portrait? Next,
ask them to
look at the painting and discuss what stands out the most:
• What is the effect of including different objects and themes within the painting?
• What do you think the objects symbolise?
• Can you find examples of symbols in your own home or classroom?
• In our modern world which objects signify luxury or status?
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Drawing activity:
As your students to colour in and draw the objects that are missing in the portrait.
Activity: What am I?
A riddle is a question and a form of non-rhyming poetry. A riddle describes an object
and uses words that can have a double meaning for the viewer to guess what it is.
Choose one object within the painting, e.g. mermaid, and write a riddle to describe it.
Your role is to write clues about the object.
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Here are some for your students to solve:
I am round, but I am not a football; I have a core, but I am not an apple; I have a crust,
but I am not a loaf of bread. What I am I?
The answer: Globe
I start my life as a tiny speck. I’m a jewel in the sea as small as a seed. One day I will
be brought out of the darkness, hanging with some friends on a rope. What am I?
The answer: Pearl
I am bright and golden and shine brighter than any star. I keep you warm. What am I?
The answer: Sun
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Values Activity:
Next, ask your students if they were king or queen for a day what would they do? What
would their aspirations be to change the world and what difficulties might they face?
Ask them if they think anything is missing from the Armada Portrait that they would add
into their own self-portrait? Using the template provided, ask how they could represent
the symbols of the values that are important to them, or what they care about, e.g.
diversity, equality, respect for others, kindness, trust, honesty, friendship or love.
Example Draw your symbol here Your own Draw your symbol here
of a value value
respect
kindness
trust
honesty
equality
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A sketch for your self-portrait.
What makes up your identity?
I will be wearing…
My personality is…
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I am most proud of…
Because…
Self-portrait activity:
Next, ask your students to draw their self-portrait, incorporating the symbols they have
designed.
They should include the symbols, ideas and their favourite objects from their ‘a sketch
for your self-portrait sheet’.
Do they wear them, hold them or look at them? Are they hidden in the fabric of their
clothes?
How will they grab their audience’s attention?
Ask your students to write: In my portrait I have included symbols such as….. and
objects such as …… as it shows me as………
Glossary Answers
Portrait Portraits are drawings, paintings or photographs of a person’s face
Self-portrait A self-portrait is a portrait that an artist has produced of themselves
Spanish Armada A fleet of ships sent by the Spanish to invade England in 1588
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Colony A country under control by another and occupied by settlers from
that country
Empire People or a nation that are ruled by a different monarch from
another country
Collection Unique objects and artworks in a museum
Identity Our personality, beliefs and desires
Vulnerable Fear of being attacked physically or emotionally
Symbolic/symbolism Representing things by a symbol
Composition The way in which something is made
Golden Age A time when a high level of achievement is reached
Representation The description of someone or something and how it is portrayed
Status Someone who is considered important
Values Principles that are important to you
Equality Being equal in rights, opportunities and status
Make learning fun with this dressing-up activity. Your students will be able to
construct Elizabeth’s image by choosing outfits from Her Majesty’s extensive wardrobe.
What you will need: templates, paper, pens or pencils, tape, a toilet-roll tube and
scissors.
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Queen Elizabeth I wore very elaborate garments and dressed to impress. As a follower
of fashion her wardrobe was full of gowns made from rich fabrics adorned with jewels
and elaborate surface detail communicating her wealth, luxury, and status.
Ask your students to cut out the Elizabeth base template and fix her to a toilet-roll tube
to help her stand up. Next, ask your students to cut out the dress templates and use the
tabs to attach each one to Elizabeth so they can dress her in different outfits. Your
students can colour in the dresses to enhance her garments. They could draw jewellery
and elaborate details! Remind them that her clothes were hugely symbolic and amplified
her power. The final dress allows them to cut up the centre areas and find their own
inspiration for fabrics from images in magazines or nature and then they can take
photographs.
If your students are up for another challenge, they could design what she might wear
when meeting her friends, her subjects, her court or the great and good of the Elizabethan
era. They could take Elizabeth on an adventure and create a story about what takes place,
who she meets and what they say.
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Cut around Elizabeth,
including her hands hair and
her feet. You will be able to
attach each dress by folding
the tabs.
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Cut around the black lines,
not forgetting the tabs, as
you will use these to fold
around Elizabeth.
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Cut the grey criss-cross areas.
In order to cut sections in the
middle of a piece of paper,
make a small fold in the area
you want to cut and snip to
make a small hole.
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Classroom activity – Our Favourite Things
This activity will enable your students to analyse the portrait and create their own with
objects that are significant to them.
Ask your students to analyse the painting and use the following questions to start a
discussion:
• How do your eyes move around the composition and what stands out the most?
• Her clothes and objects fill the composition, what does that suggest?
• Does the image create a strong identity? How do you think the queen wants to
be seen?
• What is the effect of including different objects and themes within the
composition?
• In our modern world, which objects signify luxury or status?
• How do we manipulate images in the present day? Do you think you can change
what people think of you? Does it matter what other people think of you?
• Would Elizabeth look more powerful if she were a man?
Discuss with your students how objects are containers of stories and carry traces of our
own personal story and individual identity. Ask your students what their personal
favourite objects are and why? Which objects can’t they live without, are they
sentimental about, or remind them of a funny memory? Perhaps an object represents
their hobbies or is precious because someone very special gave it to them.
Ask your students to choose three or four objects that best represent them and state
why the object is important and their favourite. They could take photographs or draw
the objects if they are too precious to bring into school. Ask them to write a piece to
describe each of their favourite objects. Here are some ideas.
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It previously belonged to…
It makes me feel…
It has been in my possession for…
It reminds me of… (person, time or place)
It lives in my house…
It symbolises me and/or it best represents me by…
If it could speak it would say…
If you could ask your object a question what would you ask?
You could take pictures of their portraits with their objects or ask them to make a visual
response. Or you could ask half the group to create a freeze-frame gallery of their
portraits for the other half of the class to view. Equally they could become the curator.
A curator is responsible for the museum’s collections with specialist knowledge about a
specific subject. Ask the students to either present to the rest of the class the
significance of the objects and/or allow the other students to guess the symbolism
each object represents.
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Classroom activity – Puzzle it Out
This is an activity designed for your students to use their observational skills and to get
to know the portrait. Divide the portrait into nine sections and give each student a
section to recreate. Ask your students to draw their section and colour it in. Depending
on which artists your students are studying, task them with recreating it in a style and
put together like a puzzle for a classroom display.
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Classroom activity – Ruffs and Cuffs
This is a fun activity and will enable your students to make their own ruffs and cuffs
inspired by the Armada Portrait.
What you will need: each student will require 3 x A4 pieces of paper, 2 x A3 pieces of
paper, scissors and tape.
To make a cuff, take a piece of A4 paper and pleat it backwards and forwards as if you
were making a fan.
Fold it tight and cut and cut small shapes as if you were making a snowflake.
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Take a hole punch and make holes in the middle of your fold (you may have to do it in
sections as the paper will be too thick) and thread your string or gift ribbon Open it
out to reveal your design. You will be able to tie it around your wrist. Next, make a
second one, so you have two cuffs.
In order to make your ruff, take an A3 piece of paper and fold it in half longways. Cut
down the fold. You will have two long lengths. Then, stick both pieces together at the
shortest end to make one long piece of paper.
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Take your long piece of paper and pleat like you did before. The pleats can be bigger this
time. Repeat the process of making holes with a hole punch and threading your string or
ribbon.
Once again, fold it tight and cut small shapes as if you were making a snowflake.
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The string or ribbon will enable you to tie it around your neck. Make a second one, to
ensure your ruff goes all the way around your neck and wear with pride.
To make a feather, fold a piece of A4 paper in half. Draw half a feather shape. Cut slits
and open out. You can now be Elizabeth!
What you will need: symbol template, pattern from a drawing template and
pens or pencils.
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Explain to your students that they are going to design their own pattern for a new
dress to be worn by Elizabeth I. She is going to wear this dress for a significant event,
so it needs to be magnificence!
Diamonds: The dress in the Armada Portrait is covered in diamonds. They are painted as
black jewels and they also feature in the feathered headpiece she wears on top of her
wig. Diamonds were believed to have magical powers and could work as a defence
against quarrels, contentions and nightmares. Elizabeth suffered greatly from night
terrors.
Sun in Splendour: On her skirt and her sleeves there are numerous golden suns. The sun
is an ancient artistic symbol, a signifier of power, enlightenment and life. The ruff around
her face acts as a kind of halo or radiating sun.
Colours: The queen’s favourite colour scheme was black and white. White represented
purity and black loyalty. Colour was loaded with meaning in the 16th century. Red
represented blood and power, yellow represented the sun and fruitfulness, green
denoted youth and hope, whilst blue represented friendship.
Fabrics: Her gown would have been embroidered with metal threads woven through a
piece of fabric, usually silk, to produce the most expensive fabrics known as cloth of
gold or cloth of silver. These textiles were restricted to the nobility by legislation in the
16th century. Elizabeth’s ruff and cuffs were made of exquisite reticella cutwork lace – a
technique in which the linen is cut away and the holes are filled with embroidery. Fine
work like this usually came from Italy but it may have been made more locally.
Elizabeth’s dresses and fabric incorporated the natural world and semi mythical sea
creatures and beasts, similar to those found on maps and globes from the period. It was
a commonly held belief that mythical sea beasts inhabited the North Sea and the
Atlantic. Including these images in her dress was a means of claiming them as her own.
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Handout the template, so your students can start to consider their ideas. Ask your
students to draw the diamond and sun that feature in the fabric of Elizabeth’s dress, so
they can include in their pattern. Next, ask them what they own or what is important to
them and how they could represent their values as symbols.
Symbols Draw your symbol here: Values Draw your symbol here:
Sun E.g.
respect
Diamond kindness
What do trust
you own
e.g. a pet
or a
precious
object
What equality
colours
will you
use?
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Next, your students must consider which elements they want to include in their
pattern design and how they will go about making it as a repeat pattern. Here is an
example of a method they can use, but they may also have their own ideas. Equally
they could use tessellations, mirrors and apps to create a kaleidoscopic effect.
Choose a section of your drawing or a combination of your symbols. For example, the
diamond with equal parts represents equality and the swirl represents respect.
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The Armada National Outreach project
has been a partnership between Royal
Museums Greenwich and Speakers Trust
to support secondary schools in oracy and
public speaking. The starting point and
inspiration was the Armada Portrait of
Queen Elizabeth I and her Tilbury speech.