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
Cancer – Early Detection and Prevention
This lesson has been designed in response to the Big Vote, where children voted on what issues they most cared about. The vote was to mark the ten year anniversary…
Citizenship: a privilege or a right?
Students research what the law says about the rights of individuals to become UK citizens and critically examine whether there are any circumstances where it is legally or ethically appropriate…
Money – Wants and Needs
Pupils will consider the difference between wants and needs and discuss how our wants and needs can influence how we spend money. To access this content, register for our Primary…
More Politics and Democracy resources
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 Primary School Subscription.
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 on them and society Learn about the laws that regulate the…
Mock Trials Classroom Pack
The Mock Trial Competitions are our longest-running active citizenship experiences. Since 1991, we have provided unparalleled exposure to the judicial system, its venues and access to senior legal professionals. Some…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Rights and Responsibilities
In this lesson pupils will develop an understanding of the terms ‘rights’ and ‘responsibilities’ and how they balance one another. They will then discuss and prepare a class charter that…
Controversial issues: guidance for schools
Children are alert to information and images they see in the media. These may graphically influence their view of the world, and not always positively. Graphic images on TV and…
Mock Parliament Debate
Aimed at students in KS4 and 5 (13-18 year olds) the pack is designed to be delivered over a two hour period and is split into three parts: Part 1:…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Online Opinions
During this lesson pupils explore why people see different results when searching for information online. Pupils find out about filter bubbles and consider what impact these have on peoples thoughts…
Thinking Before you Act (certificate)
Our pupil certificates are linked to 12 ethos statements, such as We Think Before We Act. Each statement supports character development and the acquisition of key citizenship skills The values, skills…
We Stand up for Others (poster)
We are always willing to help others and to speak up for people who struggle to make their voices heard. To access this content, register for our Primary School Subscription.