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
The Government and the Economy
By the end of the lesson students will: Understand key economic terms including taxation, welfare benefits, public spending and the budget; Assess the impact of changes to taxation and welfare…
Sexting and the Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson explores what the law says in relation to the sending of sexually explicit images by those aged under 18. The lesson examines two scenarios of young people involved…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Mock G7 Pack
The UK hosted the G7 Summit in June 2021. Young Citizens wants to engage young people across the UK in this world event where topics of global importance, from trade…
All at Sea: a story about fairness and the rule of law
During this lesson pupils use the story ‘All at Sea’ to explore how a group of citizens should organise a new society under a challenging set of circumstances. Each chapter…
COVID and the Economy
During this session, students will critically examine some of the key economic considerations of the pandemic. They will explore the actions the Government has taken to save lives and what…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Martin Luther King: Sacrificing All for the Dream
This lesson looks at discrimination against African Americans in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement and how Martin Luther King achieved change through peaceful…
Difficult Decisions
Over a series of short sessions, pupils will have the opportunity to consider simple social and moral dilemmas which may arise in day to day life. Pupils will be encouraged…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
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…
Inspirational People
In this lesson pupils will learn about what it means to be inspirational. They will develop their understanding of the term through looking at real life examples in the media.…
We Care About How Others Feel (poster)
We try to understand other people’s thoughts and feelings. To access this content, register for our Primary School Subscription.