Overview
This short activity challenges young people’s perceptions of current sentencing guidelines. It can be run as a standalone activity or as an extension activity as part of a mock trial competition.
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Why Do We Have Rules?
In this lesson pupils will think about the purpose of rules by reflecting on what life might be like without them. Pupils will discuss different types of rules in the…
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…
COVID and the Economy
During this session, students will critically examine some of the key economic considerations of the pandemic. They will explore the actions the Government has taken to save lives and what…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Magna Carta
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’…
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…
Conflicting Rights
In this lesson pupils will revisit their knowledge of human rights to consider situations in which people’s rights may appear in conflict with one another. Pupils will debate how they…
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Controversial issues: guidance for schools
Children are alert to information and images they see in the media. These may graphically influence their view of the world, and not always positively. Graphic images on TV and…
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...
Magistrates’ Mock Trial Competition – Support Videos
Use the links below to jump to the right section Beginning of the trial Opening speech – Prosecution Examination-in-Chief of Prosecution Witness 1 Cross-examination of Prosecution Witness 1 Examination-in-Chief of…
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Democracy Ambassadors
What was Democracy Ambassadors? Between April 2018 and March 2019 Young Citizens worked with youth leaders to recruit 1,000 Democracy Ambassadors. The programme aimed to give young people a better…
Law in Wales
Did you know that the age of criminal responsibility in Wales is ten? In Scotland it is 12. In Wales you can legally leave full-time education at sixteen, whereas in…
The Big Legal Lesson (ages 11-18+)
Join the UK’s biggest legal education campaign during February 2026. To access this content, register for our Secondary School Subscription.
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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 is causing its loss. They examine who has responsibility for minimising…
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 crisis. Help your students understand the impact the COP26 had and…
The Big Democracy Lesson (ages 11-18)
Every year, Young Citizens runs The Big Democracy Lesson, giving young people the skills, knowledge and confidence to be active citizens, both before and beyond the ballot box. Download the…