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.
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Democracy (Part 3): Why Do We Have Laws?
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Social Media and the Law (KS3) (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 committing these offences. The…
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Ethics, Innovation and the Law
Aimed at KS4 and Post-16, your students will: Explore the way technology is developing and the impacts this has on them and society Learn about the laws that regulate the…
Tackling Discrimination (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson asks students to explore whether or not we have a moral or legal obligation to tackle discrimination when we see it. It can be delivered as a stand-alone…
The Big Legal Lesson 2026 (ages 5-11)
Join the UK’s biggest legal education campaign during February 2026. To access this content, register for our Primary School Subscription.
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
What is a Citizen?
In this lesson pupils will be encouraged to think of themselves as citizens with the potential to make a positive difference in society. The lesson opens with the traditional tale…
We Make a Difference in Our Communities (poster)
We know that positive change starts with many small actions. To access this content, register for our Primary School Subscription.
Caring About Other People’s Feelings (certificate)
Our pupil certificates are linked to 12 ethos statements, such as We Care About How Others Feel. Each statement supports character development and the acquisition of key citizenship skills The values,…