Overview
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 examine how the law surrounding marriages and civil partnerships has changed since the 18th century and what impact this might have on a set of fictional couples.
Prior to the lesson it would be useful for pupils to have a basic understanding of how the rule of law operates in the UK. You might therefore find it helpful to have delivered the two lessons listed in the related lesson section prior to delivering this lesson.
More Lessons resources
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...
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.…
Who’s to Blame? (SmartLaw Subscription)
This activity is based on the case of R v. Dudley and Stephens (1884) – two sailors accused of murdering cabin boy Richard Parker, after being cast adrift on the…
More Relationships resources
Brexit: Part 2 – Negotiations
Through the example of Brexit talks, this lesson introduces pupils to the concept of negotiation and the skills required to succeed in negotiations. Activities are designed to give pupils the…
Rights and Responsibilities
In this lesson pupils will develop an understanding of the terms ‘rights’ and ‘responsibilities’ and how they balance one another. They will then discuss and prepare a class charter that…
Getting to Know You
In this lesson pupils will share their likes and dislikes as well as what makes them special. Activities provide lots of opportunities for pupils to learn about their classmates and…
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…
The Big Legal Lesson 2026 (ages 11-18+)
Join the UK's biggest legal education campaign during February 2025.
Citizenship: a privilege or a right?
Students research what the law says about the rights of individuals to become UK citizens and critically examine whether...
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
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…
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…
We Treat Others with Respect (poster)
We treat others as we would like to be treated. We value listening to and learning from each other. To access this content, register for our School Subscription.