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
Learning About the Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson gives students an introduction to the legal system in the UK. During the lesson students will examine the roles of the various professionals involved in the law and…
Social Media and the Law (KS3) (SmartLaw Subscription)
Students explore the law in relation to social media posts, the types of offences that people are committing (whether knowingly or not) and the consequences of committing these offences. The…
Police Powers (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson examines the powers that the police have to stop and search, arrest and detain individuals. Students also have the opportunity to create their own ideal police force considering…
More Politics and Democracy resources
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...
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…
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Cyberbullying (SmartLaw Subscription)
According to research by the charity Ditch the Label, 7 in 10 young people have experienced cyberbullying, 20% of whom experience it daily. Support your students to know their legal…
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…
Magna Carta
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’…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
What is a Charity?
Pupils learn about the reasons why charities are created. They will be introduced to the main features of a charity and have the opportunity to research the work of a…
Treating People Fairly (certificate)
Our pupil certificates are linked to 12 ethos statements, such as We Treat Everyone Fairly. Each statement supports character development and the acquisition of key citizenship skills The values, skills and…