Overview
During this lessons pupils will look at the history of the Magna Carta and consider how it has helped shape the laws we have today.
Pupils consider what ‘fairness’ and ‘justice’ mean by taking on the role of head teacher at a new school, deciding what rules the school should have. The lesson concludes with pupils exploring what is meant by the following clause from the Magna Carta, ‘no free man shall be imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions … except by the lawful judgement of his peers’ and how this is put into practice in today’s justice system.
You might like to run this lesson as a precursor to the lesson ‘Why do we have rules?’ which looks at how laws are made in the UK in more detail.
More Lessons resources
Crime and its Impact (SmartLaw Subscription)
Students explore the impact of crime on those surrounding the victim and the perpetrator and consider the financial, physical and emotional ripples that crime can have on a community. Please…
Law in Wales
Did you know that the age of criminal responsibility in Wales is ten? In Scotland it is 12. In...
Employment Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
During this lesson students explore the law that applies to young workers and what they can do if they believe their legal rights at work are not being upheld. To…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Who’s Really Paying for COVID?
Young people are, and will continue to be, some of the most impacted by COVID. However their voices have...
Why Do We Pay Taxes? (Part 1)
Pupils will learn that public services are largely funded through the payment of taxes to the government. To access this content, register for our School Subscription.
An Introduction to Human Rights
In this lesson students will explore our rights and responsibilities and how they are protected in law. They are...
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Keeping Safe At Home
In this lesson pupils will spot potential risks in the home. They will learn how they can help adults to keep them safe by reporting problems and keeping the home…
Mock Parliament Debate
Aimed at students in KS4 and 5 (13-18 year olds) the pack is designed to be delivered over a...
Digital Footprints
In this lesson, pupils explore what a digital footprint is. They consider what is and isn’t appropriate to share online thinking about the impact of this information both now and…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Home Learning Pack
This home-learning pack has been designed to support SMSC, Citizenship and PSHE learning within a home environment. All the activities described have been taken from Go-Givers resources and adapted to…
Belonging to Groups
This assembly asks children to think about the groups they belong to, and how groups can be used for good or bad. It includes ideas for demonstrating how we can…
How Can I Make a Difference?
In this lesson pupils will think about how they can plan a social action project. They will be led through key steps by following the example of the Go-Givers. …