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
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…
Family Life
In this lesson pupils will think about what it means to be part of a family and how they can make a positive difference in their family life. Pupils will be…
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 Politics and Democracy resources
Democracy Ambassadors
What was Democracy Ambassadors? Between April 2018 and March 2019 Young Citizens worked with youth leaders to recruit 1,000...
Brexit: Part 1 – Referendum
Pupils will be given a brief introduction to the European Union. They will learn about why people’s opinions about the EU are divided and the results of the EU referendum.…
Brexit: Part 2 – Negotiations
Through the example of Brexit talks, this lesson introduces pupils to the concept of negotiation and the skills required to succeed in negotiations. Activities are designed to give pupils the…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Discrimination
In this lesson pupils will develop their understanding of the term ‘discrimination’. Pupils will consider what makes them unique and learn which characteristics are protected under the Equality Act. Pupils…
An Introduction to Discrimination Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson looks at the history of anti-discrimination law, the different types of discrimination (i.e. direct and indirect discrimination) and how the law deals with discrimination. It can be delivered…
Biodiversity: Using the Law to Drive Change
During this lesson, students consider what biodiversity is, why it is essential to all life on Earth and what...
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Citizenship and the Wider World
During this lesson pupils consider what it means to be a global citizen and what rights and responsibilities come with this. They consider a range of global issues; analysing…
Make a Difference in a Day
The Make a Difference in a Day resource pack has been created for teachers who want to deliver a...
We Bounce Back (poster)
When faced with challenges we keep on trying and learn from our mistakes. To access this content, register for our School Subscription.