Can citizens change laws?
I can describe methods citizens use to influence lawmakers and provide an example of how a citizen has changed the law.
Can citizens change laws?
I can describe methods citizens use to influence lawmakers and provide an example of how a citizen has changed the law.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- In the UK laws are made by Parliament, also known as the legislature. Parliament is made of three parts.
- MPs debate and vote on proposed laws called Bills. A Bill must receive at least 50% support from MPs to become an Act.
- Citizens can influence lawmakers through methods like petitions, surveys, lobbying and media.
- PC Wardell is an example of a citizen who helped change the law, through the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act 2018.
Keywords
Citizen - a person who was born in a particular country and has certain rights or has been given certain rights because of having lived there
Law - rules, usually made by Parliament, that are used to order the way in which a society behaves
Lawmaker - a person who helps create, debate and decide on new laws; in the UK, lawmakers are MPs (Members of Parliament) and members of the House of Lords
Parliament - the body that makes laws in the UK, it is made up of the House of Commons, House of Lords and the monarch
Common misconception
Citizens have no power to influence the law in the UK.
Citizens in the UK do have the power to influence the law. They can use methods like online petitions, surveys, lobbying politicians and working with the media or charities to bring attention to issues and encourage lawmakers to make changes.
To help you plan your year 8 citizenship lesson on: Can citizens change laws?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 citizenship lesson on: Can citizens change laws?, 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 What is the law and how is it changed? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
a law or a set of laws that have been passed by Parliament
the age at which you can do something as defined by the law
law that deals with disputes between individuals or groups
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a person born in a particular country given rights due to living there
a person who helps create, debate and decide on new laws
rules that are used to order the way in which a society behaves
gathering signatures from the public to show support for a law
collecting public opinions on an issue to show support for change
asking MPs to support a law by writing to them