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…
Protecting Local Habitats (KS1)
In this lesson pupils will learn the meaning of the word habitat and have an introduction to different habitats that can be found in the UK. Pupils will examine how…
More Politics and Democracy resources
How Does the Budget Impact Me and Others?
The resource consists of two activities. The first is a notation task based on the information provided about the...
Where do you stand?
Over a series of short sessions, pupils will have the opportunity to consider topical issues related to their school life. Pupils will consider the strength of arguments for and against…
Who Runs the Country?
In this lesson pupils explore who runs the country and how they are elected. Pupils will learn about the important role that MPs play in representing the people who live…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Family Law – Cohabitation and Marriage (SmartLaw Subscription)
During the course of the lesson students will learn the difference between marriage and cohabitation and consider what legal rights come with both. Students will explore the changing attitudes in…
Relationships and the Law
During this lesson pupils explore the concept of marriage and civil partnerships focusing on the fact that they are a legal commitment between two people and what this means. Pupils…
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…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Inspirational People – Gandhi
This assembly is an introduction to the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Some of the themes that the assembly looks at can be further explored in the lessons: Inspirational…
How Should We Farm?
In this lesson pupils will learn about different farming methods. They will consider the advantages and disadvantages of these methods and learn how to identify labels that indicate how food…
Cultural Diversity in the UK
In this lesson pupils will be learning about cultural diversity in the UK and some of the historical factors that have contributed to the diversity of the UK population. Pupils…