What do political parties do?
I can explain why political parties exist, what they do and how they can be categorised.
What do political parties do?
I can explain why political parties exist, what they do and how they can be categorised.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A political party is an organised group of people who share similar beliefs and goals about how society should be run.
- Political party policies align with their values. This influences what their manifesto is.
- There are many UK political parties to ensure that different ideas are represented and that every voice can be heard.
- The political spectrum shows where parties stand on political issues, from left wing to right wing.
Keywords
Political party - an organised group of people who share similar beliefs and goals about how society should be run
Policies - courses of action or goals that people plan to carry out, or are in the process of carrying out
Political spectrum - a concept that models political beliefs and ideologies as a continuum (from left wing to right wing)
Common misconception
Political parties are all either left wing or right wing.
Many parties mix both views or focus on specific issues, like regional concerns. Some parties are centrist or have ideas that don’t fit neatly into either side.
To help you plan your year 8 citizenship lesson on: What do political parties do?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 citizenship lesson on: What do political parties do?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 citizenship lessons from the How does the political system work in the UK? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
when people vote to choose their leaders or representatives.
holds more than half of the total seats in a legislative body
the political parties that challenge the Government
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a group who share similar beliefs about how society should be run
goals that people plan to carry out
a concept that models political beliefs and ideologies as a continuum