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
Filter Bubbles: Tell Me What I Want To Hear
A “filter bubble” describes how algorithms limit and skew the information users see on the internet. In this lesson,...
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.
Understanding Cancer
Many children in classrooms all around the country are dealing with cancer in one way or another at any given time. This lesson seeks to answer some of their questions…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
Law Makers (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students examine what the rule of law is and why we need it. They consider how and why laws are made in the UK and what the…
Ethics, Innovation and the Law
Aimed at KS4 and Post-16, your students will: Explore the way technology is developing and the impacts this has...
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Law in Wales
Did you know that the age of criminal responsibility in Wales is ten? In Scotland it is 12. In...
Police Powers (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson examines the powers that the police have to stop and search, arrest and detain individuals. Students also have the opportunity to create their own ideal police force considering…
Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of their legal rights and responsibilities and explores how the law impacts their daily lives. Students explore the different ages that various laws…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Preventing Infectious Diseases
This lesson should be delivered as a follow-up to the lesson ‘What is an infectious disease?’ In this lesson pupils will recap their knowledge of infectious diseases, they will then…
Climate Change
Learners explore what climate change is and what is causing it. They consider who is responsible for climate change: individuals, politicians, businesses? They are then challenged to think of a…