Overview
In this lesson pupils will be encouraged to think of themselves as citizens with the potential to make a positive difference in society.
The lesson opens with the traditional tale of ‘Stone Soup’ which draws out themes of citizenship through illustrating how societies thrive when everyone contributes. Pupils consider what is meant by the terms citizen and citizenship. Pupils examine a child’s diary entry and reflect how in an ordinary day the actions of this young person have positively impacted on their family, friends, school and the wider world.
Finally pupils interview one another to discover how active they are as a citizen and reflect on opportunities for them to participate more in society.
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…
Being Part of a School Community
During this lesson pupils recap what we mean by the term active citizen. They consider what qualities and skills an active citizen should have and explore how these skills and…
Caring for Pets
This lesson starts with a simple story that helps children to explore what responsibilities come with owning a pet. Children then go on to look at what happens when pets…
More Community resources
Who Can Help?
In this lesson pupils will learn about the ‘special’ people who help in their community. They will consider who can help them in different situations and how they can ask…
Using Technology for Good
In this lesson pupils will consider the multiple uses of technology and how technology can be used to solve problems. Pupils will be introduced to the example of Trevor Baylis,…
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…
More Relationships resources
We Think Before We Act (poster)
We think about how our actions and words might affect other people, communities and the environment. To access this content, register for our Primary School Subscription.
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…
What is a Citizen?
In this lesson pupils will be encouraged to think of themselves as citizens with the potential to make a positive difference in society. The lesson opens with the traditional tale…
More Social Action/Active Citizenship resources
Homelessness
In this lesson pupils will think about what home means to them through writing a poem inspired by the line ‘Home is where the heart is’. They will consider the…
COP: Climate Action
In November 2021, COP26 took place in Glasgow. It was the most pivotal climate summit of all time. This resources will explore what COP is and what COP26 aimed to…
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. …
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
The Big Legal Lesson (ages 5-11)
Join the UK’s biggest legal education campaign during February 2026. To access this content, register for our Primary School Subscription.
Who Keeps us Healthy?
In this lesson pupils consider what being healthy means and who plays a role in keeping the population healthy. The coronavirus pandemic is given as an example of populations taking…
Conflict: Part 2 – Mediation
In this lesson pupils will discuss the principles of simple mediation strategies and apply these in role play scenarios to explore how people can voice and resolve their differences. The…