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 Media Bias?
During this lesson students explore what bias within the media is and how it differs from fake news. They...
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…
Caring for Pets
This lesson starts with a simple story that helps children to explore what responsibilities come with owning a pet. Children then go on to look at what happens when pets…
More Politics and Democracy resources
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...
What is Democracy?
This resource pack is the first of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
The Economy Quiz
In this short, 15 minute activity students use all they have learnt from earlier lessons to complete a quiz...
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Sentencing Guidelines (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson asks students to consider the key findings of a harassment trial and conclude what sentence should be given to the guilty party. During the course of the lesson…
Consumer Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson explores the law concerning buying and selling goods and services highlighting what their rights and responsibilities are as a consumer. The lesson gives students the opportunity to practice…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Home Learning Pack
This home-learning pack has been designed to support SMSC, Citizenship and PSHE learning within a home environment. All the activities described have been taken from Go-Givers resources and adapted to…
Caring for our World (certificate)
Our pupil certificates are linked to 12 ethos statements, such as We are Part of a World-Wide Community. Each statement supports character development and the acquisition of key citizenship skills…
Democracy (Part 3): Why Do We Have Laws?
This lesson forms the final part of a three-part unit on democracy. Pupils learn about democracy and the rule of law. They discover the different roles of parliament, government and…