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
Why Do We Pay Taxes? (Part 2)
Pupils will learn that councils are responsible for local spending decisions and can raise additional funds for public services through council taxes. To access this content, register for our Primary…
An Introduction to Human Rights
In this lesson students will explore our rights and responsibilities and how they are protected in law. They are challenged to consider if there are circumstances when human rights could…
Migration of People
To help you engage your students in the topic of migration Young Citizens have developed a flexible teaching resource for delivery during curricular or extra-curricular sessions. This resource: explores the…
More Politics and Democracy resources
What is a Vote?
In this lesson pupils will learn what it means to vote by looking at relatable examples in the lives of the Go-Givers. They will consider why and how votes are…
Fake News: The Evolution of Media
In this lesson, students explore how media has changed since the 1900s and the impact this has had on...
Create a Local Council Budget
Students critically consider the needs of a fictitious town and how to spend it’s £250 million budget wisely. Working in teams, students evaluate the local needs and priorities of the…
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…
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
Caring About Other People’s Feelings (certificate)
Our pupil certificates are linked to 12 ethos statements, such as We Care About How Others Feel. Each statement supports character development and the acquisition of key citizenship skills The values,…
Challenging Stereotypes
This lesson is divided into two parts. In the first section of the lesson pupils will develop an understanding of the term ‘stereotype’, identify examples of stereotypical opinions and discuss…