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
Climate Action: Using the Law to Drive Change
In 2021, COP26 was hosted in Glasgow. It was seen as a pivotal moment in tackling the global climate...
Tongue: The Power of Words
In this lesson pupils will read a tale adapted from Carib tradition which tells of how words can be used for good or bad. In discussion, pupils will consider the…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Mock Trials Classroom Pack
The Mock Trial Competitions are our longest-running active citizenship experiences. Since 1991, we have provided unparalleled exposure 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…
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...
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…
Children’s Rights
In this lesson pupils will learn that there are specific rights for children which are set out in the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child. Pupils will…
Who’s to Blame? (SmartLaw Subscription)
This activity is based on the case of R v. Dudley and Stephens (1884) – two sailors accused of murdering cabin boy Richard Parker, after being cast adrift on the…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
What Happens When Laws are Broken?
During this lesson pupils explore what happens when laws are broken, learn about the different types of sentences that are given and the main purposes of sentencing. Before taking part…
Being an Explorer (certificate)
Our pupil certificates are linked to 12 ethos statements, such as We Explore the World Around Us. Each statement supports character development and the acquisition of key citizenship skills The values,…
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…