Why do we need laws and where do they come from?
I can explain why laws are needed and also where our laws come from.
Why do we need laws and where do they come from?
I can explain why laws are needed and also where our laws come from.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Laws ensure justice, fairness, safety and clarity, protecting rights and providing rules for society.
- Legislature creates laws through Parliament, with Bills going through stages before becoming Acts.
- The legislative process ensures laws reflect society's needs and values.
- Common law is created by judges in cases where no legislation exists, setting legal precedents.
- This allows the law to adapt to new issues quickly, without waiting for Parliament's action.
Keywords
Legislation - a law or a set of laws that have been passed by Parliament; the word is also used to describe the act of making a new law
Legislature - the lawmaking body of the state, i.e. Parliament in the UK
Common law - law made by the decisions of judges over the years
Precedent - a legal decision made by a judge that must be followed in future similar cases
Common misconception
Pupils may think that the Prime Minister and their government make the laws in the UK, single handidly.
Although the Government have mandate to drive their manifesto intentions, laws still pass through the whole of Parliament.
To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: Why do we need laws and where do they come from?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: Why do we need laws and where do they come from?, 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 4 citizenship lessons from the Does our legal system protect citizens' rights? 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 sexual content
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
the age at which you can do something as defined by the law
the minimum age someone can be legally responsible for a crime
rules made by Parliament to order the way in which a society behaves
Exit quiz
6 Questions
the lawmaking body of the state, i.e. Parliament in the UK
law made by the decisions of judges over the years
legal decision made by a judge that must be followed in the future
2010
1997
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2016