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
What is Tax?
During this lesson, students will look at the purpose and collection of taxes. They will explore how public services...
The Power of Giving
In this lesson pupils will read a tale from Japanese folklore which tells of how one small act of generosity leads to big gains. They will think about whether generous…
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.…
More Politics and Democracy resources
The G7 (Lesson Plan)
During this two lesson resource pupils learn about the G7 and take part in a mock G7 Summit meeting. During the first lesson pupils explore the history and function…
Who’s Really Paying for COVID?
Young people are, and will continue to be, some of the most impacted by COVID. However their voices have...
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…
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…
Who Owns Your Data?
This ready-to-teach double lesson pack is aimed at students in key stages 4 and 5. During the course of...
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...
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Inspirational People – Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole
This assembly is an introduction to the lives of Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole. You may like to run it in conjunction with the lesson ‘Inspirational People.’ To access…
Digital Footprints
In this lesson, pupils explore what a digital footprint is. They consider what is and isn’t appropriate to share online thinking about the impact of this information both now and…
We are Change-Makers (poster)
We stand up for what we believe in and use our voice for good. To access this content, register for our School Subscription.