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
The Internet: a Power for Good
In this lesson pupils consider how the internet can be a power for good and support active citizenship. Pupils explore a range of case studies before being challenged to identify…
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the concept of democracy. Each pack can be delivered independently of each…
I Am Unique
This lesson focuses on celebrating diversity and respecting differences. During the lesson pupils will gain an understanding of what it means to be unique through participating in a range of…
More Politics and Democracy resources
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.…
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...
Create a Local Council Budget
Students critically consider the needs of a fictitious town and how to spend it’s £250 million budget wisely. Working in teams, students evaluate the local needs and priorities of the…
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…
Social Media and the Law (KS4) (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 these offences. Finally, students…
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
Working as Part of a Team (certificate)
Our pupil certificates are linked to 12 ethos statements, such as We Work as a Team. Each statement supports character development and the acquisition of key citizenship skills The values, skills…
We are Part of a World-Wide Community (poster)
We all play a part in caring for the world and those that live in it. To access this content, register for our Primary School Subscription.
The Value of Trees
This lesson is one of a collection which examine environmental issues. In this lesson pupils will learn about the role trees play in supporting life on Earth and their importance…