Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies Example Scheme of WorkDear Colleague
We hope you find this scheme of work a useful tool for planning and teaching the new GCSE. You should, of course, look carefully at the Specification and Sample assessment materials to ensure you understand the new content and level of demand.
This has been written by an experienced teacher to demonstrate how you might approach the changed requirements of the new specification. The author assumes that this GCSE course will be delivered over two years in two lessons a week, with a total teaching and learning time of 120 GLH. This document is not intended to prescribe a best way to teach the subject, and we’re sure you’ll want to amend it to meet the needs of your students and school. For example, you could identify the main terms, concepts and ideas involved in each theme and incorporate them into your own scheme of work. The need to adapt to your own requirements also applies to the links to online resources – we suggest you check these websites to ensure they are suitable for your students. You will notice that more time has been allocated to Theme A ‘Living together in the UK’ than to Theme B and Theme C. This is because the author intends, at this stage, to introduce many of the important concepts, such as democratic values and rights, underlying Theme B ‘Democracy at work in the UK’ and Theme C ‘Law and Justice’, and then subsequently build on them. You may wish to adopt a different approach and allocate fewer lessons to Theme A, and more to the subsequent sections.
It is also important to note that the author has placed Theme E ‘Taking Citizenship Action’ towards what is presumed to be the end of Year 10 and the start of Year 11. It has been sandwiched between two parts of Theme D ‘Power and influence’. This has been organised in such a way in order to ensure that students can enrich their action with an understanding of how people can effectively contribute and have influence in a democratic society. However, you should feel empowered to run Section E when you see fit and at a time where it is most appropriate to your students.
If your students want to investigate a particular part of the specification or are stimulated by a topical issue, you may wish to adapt your planning and run the Citizenship Action at a different point in the course.
To understand why learning about Citizenship is important and to consider how the course will be structured.
Ask students why Citizenship classes are important. Watch video as stimulus followed by a group brainstorming session.
Discuss content of the course and overview of future lessons.
Video: Why Citizenship matters (6 mins)
2 What is a community?Theme A3
To understand what community means.
To identify a range of communities that exist in Britain.
To recognise which communities they might belong to.
Brainstorm the word ‘community’ and establish a shared definition. This should incorporate the idea that it includes people sharing common interests or characteristics.
Interview fellow students in the class and discover which communities they belong to. They should consider school, family, sports teams, music, religion, etc.
Two truths and a lie activity – ask students to write down three facts about communities that they belong to, with one of those ‘facts’ being a lie. Play this with small groups or the whole class.
Video: What Community means (4 min 38 sec)
3 A melting pot?Theme A1
To consider whether Britain is a melting-pot society
To investigate another society as a means to stimulate discussion about Britain.
Read Benjamin Zephaniah’s poem ‘The British (serves 60 million)’.
Ask students to consider: what Benjamin Zephaniah is trying to
say. how many different groups they can
identify within the poem. what positives and negatives they can
identify from the poem.
Use the case study of the United States and its melting-pot society. Pick out a selection of questions from the article. How does it compare to the UK?
Using the definition available online, would you
Benjamin Zephaniah’s ‘The British (serves 60 million)’:http://benjaminzephaniah.com/rhymin/the-british-serves-60-million/
BBC article: ‘Melting pot’ Americahttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4931534.stm
Ask students to create an acrostic poem about diversity.
4 Religious understandingTheme A1, A2
To appreciate similarities and differences between religions.
To start to understand the multitude of religions in the United Kingdom.
To start to make links between religious freedom and human rights.
Share symbols of all the main world religions and ask students to name them.
Look at charts and raw data from the ONS.
Group work: prepare a short introduction to the world’s main religions on different cards and ask students to work together to decide which aspects of religions might be similar.
Discuss why some communities have been running interfaith week events and what benefits this might have.
Introduce students to the UN Declaration of Human Rights statement that everyone should be free to follow their religion. Ask students to consider whether people have religious freedom in the UK, and compare and contrast it to other settings around the world.
Religious symbols:http://www.religious-symbols.net/
Office for National Statistics data on religions:http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rpt-religion.html#tab-Changing-picture-of-religious-affiliation-over-last-decade
Liverpool Interfaith Week:http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/liverpool/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8366000/8366974.stm
Prince Charles says Christian persecution in Middle East ‘a tragedy’:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29899571
5 Changing patternsTheme A1
To start to understand the changing composition of the UK population.
To investigate national migration trends using data.
Brainstorm the word ‘migration’ and establish a shared definition.
Share a map of the world, as well as a more detailed map of the UK. In groups, ask students to identify links they or their friends and family might have to different parts of the world. In less diverse groups, ask students to focus on their links to different parts of the UK.
Take notes on the flows of migration whilst watching this video. Ask students to consider whether Britain is alone in taking in migrants
Video: Migration (2 mins 34 sec) https://youtu.be/hcoOENLfpUI
UK population increased by 500,000 official figures show:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33266792
Read the BBC’s article about the UK’s population increase. Either discuss as a class or set students questions to answer on the key trends. Focus on the key trends including migration, an ageing population and regional differences.
6 Study of changing patterns locallyTheme A1
To develop skills of using primary research to investigate changing population patterns locally.
Using data from the ONS’ website and by searching for ‘census’ or ‘population’ on your local council’s website, ask students to guess some of the major population trends in the local area.
Book ICT equipment/room. Guide students to use primary sources from the ONS’ website and data from the census on your local council’s website to create a short presentation on population patterns within your locality. Students should be asked to consider:
population increases/decreases changes in the age profile of local
residents any notable changes in the ethnicity of
residents.
Ask students to consider whether some of the information they have gathered may lead to differing needs within the local population that decision-makers might need to consider (e.g. an ageing population might result in greater demand and funding requirements for adult social care).
ONS population change:http://ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=Population+Change
7 Migration – why does it happen? (economic refugees/asylum seekers)Theme A2
To consider why different people move to the UK.
To gain an understanding of what it means to be a refugee/asylum seeker.
Use the Refugee Council’s advice to help clarify the distinction between refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants.
Watch ‘A Bosnian Refugee’s Story’ together and write a short paragraph explaining the factors which pushed the family out of their home country.
Look at and discuss the key points about the Syrian refugee crisis after watching video.
Play Amnesty’s ‘The Great Escape’ board game and then debrief students.
citizenx/being/rights/animation.shtml
Video: The European Refugee Crisis:
Amnesty International’s ‘The Great Escape’ board game: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/activity-great-escape#.Vf8E1HhFB94
8 Migration – advantages/ disadvantagesTheme A2
To understand the impacts of migration on the UK.
To be able to critically analyse sources of information on migration.
Display a picture of an individual on the screen. Explain that he is called Jakok and is a Polish worker now living in the UK. Ask students to brainstorm the advantages that he might bring to the UK.
Read article about the Polish Blood campaign. Ask students to consider what positive contributions Polish people have said that they make to the UK.
Print out a variety of sources, asking students to highlight positives and negatives in each article, and then record their answers in a table. Use the BBC’s bitesize website as a basis for those who struggle with the task.
Ask students to consider their response to the statement ‘Overall migration is positive for the UK’. Invite them to position themselves on a continuum line between ‘strongly agree’ and ‘strongly disagree’. They must back up and explain their thinking with facts. During the feedback, ask students to consider alternative points of view.
Understand what identity means and what factors are important to people.
Understand multiple
Use the BBC’s ‘create a pop group’ game with the class and consider what makes up different people’s identities. As feedback, ask students to brainstorm different parts of their own identity.
BBC pop group identity gamehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/citizenx/being/identity/activity.shtml
identities and what sometimes causes conflict between identities.
Watch ‘What does it mean to be Canadian?’, and ask students to consider what might be important to Canadian people and their identities.
Make a card-sort activity, showing pictures of people with different ethnic, religious, gender, sexual and national identities. Some of the individuals may have dual identities. Ask students to fill in a table explaining possible conflicting identities and the possible consequences.
Use extracts from the BBC’s ‘Who’s British Now?’ to stimulate discussion or answer pre-prepared questions from the programme.
radio-and-tv-18086952
Who’s British Now Radiohttp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0496bg9
10 What is respect? Introduction to human rightsTheme A3, A5
To consider what rights children should be entitled to receive.To understand the link between rights and responsibilities.
Play ‘Respect’ by Aretha Franklin as students enter the room and ask why being respected is so important to individuals. Using a card-sort, ask students to consider the difference between the basic wants and needs of someone their age. As part of the debrief establish the link between basic needs, human rights and respect.
Distribute copies of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and play UNICEF’s video introducing them.
Ask students to highlight in different colours which rights might be the responsibility of other children and which might be responsibilities of the state or authorities.
Video: What are child rights? (Unicef)
Convention on the rights of the child:http://www.unicef.org/rightsite/files/uncrcchilldfriendlylanguage.pdf
11 How did human rights begin?Theme A6
To understand the historical development of human rights.
To start to consider which human rights might matter the most to themselves and others living in different
Distribute copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and play the ‘story of human rights’ video. Ask students to brainstorm key points in the development of human rights or produce a gap-fill on the key points in the video.
Diamond 9 ranking exercise: either as a card-
Case studies, Equalities and Human Rights Commission:http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/private-and-public-sector-guidance/education-providers/secondary-education-resources/useful-information/human-rights-
To appreciate how human rights can apply in a variety of real-life cases.
sort or in student’s books, ask students to rank which human rights are the most important to their own lives. Repeat the activity with another hypothetical example about someone living in very different circumstances. As part of the feedback, ask students to consider the differences and similarities.
Using the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s case studies as a basis, split students into groups and ask them to:
look at the cases provide an overview of the key points highlight which particular human right is
being denied in the circumstance think of another situation in life where
this particular right might be denied.
case-studies
12 Human rights in the community/equality and discriminationTheme A3
To understand discrimination and how it impacts on people’s everyday lives.
Refer back to the list of human rights in the UDHR and ask students to highlight which rights relate to discrimination (you may need to provide a definition of discrimination on the board).
Create a joint list of different types of discrimination with the class.
Display some of the key statistics or quotes from Stonewall’s School Report. Ask students to write a definition of homophobia and consider how discrimination on the grounds of sexuality (or perceived sexuality) can affect people.Class to watch ‘Reggie Yates’ Extreme Russia – Gays Under Attack’. In a table, ask students to list ways in which gay people are discriminated against in Russia.
Video: Reggie Yates Extreme Russia – Gays Under Attack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2fWrlvTHrY
Stonewall’s School Report 2012: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/sites/default/files/The_School_Report__2012_.pdf
13 How can we develop community cohesion?Theme A3
To consider ways in which discrimination can be overcome.
To understand how a lack of
Starter: in your view, what causes discrimination? Is it ignorance, parents’ views, individuals’ own insecurities, fear, or another factor?
Kick It Out:http://www.kickitout.org
Community cohesion case study of the Brixton Riots:
community cohesion can be a problem, and what can be done to improve such a situation.
Ask students to research the Kick It Out campaign. Students should consider:
the aims of the organisation the extent of discrimination evident in
football examples of how they have campaigned
to overcome discrimination in football.
Display a definition of community cohesion and, using the video and BBC article about the Brixton Riots, ask students to consider the consequences of poor community cohesion and what can be done to improve it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGrBIwt1YMg
BBC Brixton Riots Report:http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/25/newsid_2546000/2546233.stm
14 Can human rights conflict with each other?Theme A5
To consider how one person’s rights can often impact on others.
Looking at the BBC’s coverage of the smoking ban in cars carrying children, to what extent do students agree with Lucy Hardcastle? Might they have concerns about the rights of the children also travelling in her vehicle?
Choose a contentious issue such as abortion. Either create a class debate looking at the rights of different people who might be involved, such as an expectant mother, father or family member. Alternatively, ask students to write a newspaper article or blog post, highlighting how one person’s rights can sometimes conflict with others in this area.
BBC smoking in cars ban:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34413716
15 What’s the difference between legal and moral rights?Theme A5
To understand how the law is used to protect people’s human rights.
To consider what discriminatory actions people might need protection from.
To consider how the state can protect people.
‘At what age?’ activity. Distribute a number of different activities on cards and invite students to get up and suggest the age at which people have the legal right to do each one. Examples of things to consider might be: the age of criminal responsibility (10), the ability to buy a pet and get a part-time job (13), to get married with your parents’ permission and the age of consent (16), to drive a car (17), to vote, buy tobacco and make a will (18).
Ask students to consider: Why the law has age limits? Whose human rights are being protected
by the age limit? Are there any age limits that seem unfair
or illogical, that should be changed?
Plan and design a leaflet for younger students, showing their legal entitlements at different ages.
Display a variety of photos and ask students to consider what moral right these individuals might have (select someone who uses a wheelchair, a woman in a job that is stereotypically associated with men, someone from a black minority ethnic community, etc.). Focus on the disabled person in the photo. What barriers does she/he face? Ask students to identify what legal rights under the Disability Discrimination Act protects her/his moral rights.
Extension activity: research age and law in other countries. Do they differ? What age would you want to see for each different activity? Explain why.
16 Political rightsTheme A5
To investigate political rights and be able to explain their significance.
To understand how political rights are under threat today.
To discuss how political rights can be safeguarded.
Display article 21 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which states that ‘Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through a freely chosen representative’. Ask students to explain what political rights are, using this definition.
Create a mind-map of different political rights using the UN’s International Covenant of Political Rights as stimulus. Use video stimulus to help discussions.
Using Amnesty’s resources, ask students to read the case studies of political rights under threat around the world. Students should work together to create their own Digital Rights Charter.
Video: CBS, The fight for free speech in China
International Covenant of Political Rights:http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx
Amnesty digital rights resource:http://www.amnesty.org.uk/sites/default/files/amnesty_international_uk_digital_human_rights_march_2015.pdf
Discussion: how can we encourage countries to take human rights seriously? E.g. not buying products, excluding from international meetings/sporting events.
17 Should we scrap the Human Rights Act?Theme A6
To understand how the Human Rights Act influences the lives of people in the UK.
To consider cases both for and against scrapping the Human Rights Act.
To participate in a debate.
Order free copies of Amnesty’s pocket guide to the Human Rights Act, asking students to look at the material provided by this pressure group and find out what the Human Rights Act is and what case they make for its continued existence in UK law.
Show Jon Snow’s short video explaining the debate to scrap the Human Rights Act. Ask students to consider possible arguments for and against scrapping the Act and replacing it with a British Bill of Rights (as per the Conservative Party’s 2015 election pledge).
Split students into two groups and ask them to prepare for a debate on the motion: ‘This house believes that the Human Rights Act should be scrapped’. Provide students with research material to help them make the case for and against.
Run the debate, using this guide to help you. Ask students to vote.
Ask students to write a reflection of their viewpoint and consider whether it has changed.
Amnesty’s Pocket Guide to the Human Rights Act:http://www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/save-human-rights-act-mini-guide#.Vg4huHhFB94
Video: Jon Snow explains the debate to scrap the Human Rights Act
Liberty’s Human Rights Act mythbuster:https://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/human-rights/what-are-human-rights/human-rights-act/human-rights-act-mythbuster
The Express Britain 'to scrap human right laws that let terrorists and criminals stay in UK': http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/605512/European-Court-Human-Rights-Britain-Michael-Gove-terrorists-criminals-Jeremy-Wright
Cambridge University Guide to Debating:http://cambridgeschools.cus.org/cambridge_schools_bp_debating_guide_2013.pdf
18 Rights in the workplaceThemes A5, D2
To understand that there are laws which protect employees.
To know about the protection that is offered by these laws.
To stand in other people’s
Use the TUC’s ‘Unions in schools’ resources to guide students’ understanding of the role of trade unions in society. Use the different case studies and tasks provided, which are supported by various relevant clips.
shoes to experience issues relating to employment law.
19 Rights and duties of citizens / rule of lawThemes A5, C2
To understand and explain how the rule of law is important.
To consider what duties people have under the rule of law.
Show students the video of Professor Jeffrey Jowell explaining the rule of law and ask students to make bullet-pointed notes on:
What is the rule of law? How does fairness relate to rule of law?
Present students with a list of human rights and ask them to explain each corresponding ‘duty’. Suggest that students focus on the right to education, or perhaps driving a vehicle.
Present students with a list of ‘wants’ and ‘needs’. Ask students to sort them into the correct category. Ask students to consider what duties individuals and the state have in helping people access their basic needs in life.
Class debate: to what extent do you agree that people have a responsibility to protect others’ rights?
Video: Professor Jeffrey Howell’s explanation of the rule of law
20 Who represents us?Theme A7
To understand how decisions are made about your local area.
To find out about the councillors who are responsible for the local area.
To consider whether local decisions should be made locally.
Display a fictitious scenario about a local community. Perhaps the area might have a litter problem, someone needs help with planning permission or a group would like to see the law changed. Ask students to consider who would be the appropriate person to contact: their local councillor, Member of Parliament (MP) or Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Who would be the most appropriate to speak to?
Either individually or as a whole class, ask students to visit www.writetothem.com, enter their postcode and find out who represents them locally. What political party are they from?
Using the BBC’s videos about the work of a councillor and/or ‘A day in the life of a councillor’, ask students to brainstorm the role.
Write to them:http://www.writetothem.comThe work of a councillor:http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z3rn34j
A day in the life of a councillor: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z8yf9j6 (remember to stress that this video is from Scotland and mentions MSPs).
Local Government Association’s (LGA) ‘Be a councillor’ websitehttp://beacouncillor.co.uk / http://beacouncillor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/suport-councillor-development-Be-a-
Using either the LGA’s website or the downloadable guide, ask students to produce their own poster encouraging people to stand to be a local councillor. Ask them to reflect on the role and how they might encourage under-represented groups, like young people or members of Black Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, to stand.
councillor.pdf
21 Exam technique practice
To understand the layout and structure of the exam paper.
To consider how to do well in the final exam.
Use the Edexcel sample assessment material to guide students into how best to answer questions. What should they expect and how can they maximise their performance?
To understand who runs services and how local councils function.
Go to your local council’s website. Download a list of councillors and their wards. Ask students to consider who runs the council, based on which political party has the most councillors (remember to note that some areas have elected mayors, which significantly changes how a local council operates).
Print out text from the government’s website about how local councils work and place it in various places around the room. Produce a corresponding worksheet and ask students to get out of their seats and research.
Ask students to find definitions of chief executive, elected mayor, cabinet, majority and committees.
The work of a councillor:http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z3rn34j
A day in the life of a councillor: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z8yf9j6 (remember to stress that this video is from Scotland and mentions MSPs).
23 What does the council do?Theme A8
To understand which services are provided by the council.
To investigate where the council's funding comes from.
Brainstorm: what services does the council provide?
Ask students to fill a blank pie chart about what they think the council spends its money on.
Local council spending graphs:http://www.ukpublicspending.co.uk/year_spending_2016UKbc_15bc1n#ukgs302
To develop an awareness of the trade-offs councils have to make when setting a budget.
To consider the factors that affect decision-making.
Show students an example of income and expenditure available on your local council’s website or as a booklet sent through every door with council tax bills.
Ask students to consider why spending on different areas might be different, such as inner city, suburb, small town, rural.
Discussion: should we have a local referendum to allow the council to raise council tax significantly to pay for local services? (It’s important to ask students to consider both sides of the argument here.)
Use extracts from the LGA’s ‘Under Pressure’ report to help stimulate debate.
LGA’s Under Pressure report:http://www.local.gov.uk/documents/10180/5854661/Under+pressure.pdf/0c864f60-8e34-442a-8ed7-9037b9c59b46
24 Identifying local problems/solutionsTheme A8
To consider how best to make your voice heard with the local council.
To look at a variety of local problems and consider possible solutions.
Prior homework: ask students to take a photo of something in their community that they would like to see improved. Ask students to consider which of these is the most significant issue.
Brainstorm effective ways of raising issues with the local council or create a card-sort asking students to rate the most effective. Some possible options to consider might be:
speak to councillors or officers attend a full council meeting go to a cabinet meeting complain go to the council’s website demonstrate outside the council building attend a local meeting.
Ask students to prepare short presentations about local problems and solutions to show to the visiting local councillor next lesson.
25 Presentations and Q&A with local councillorTheme A7, A8
To understand the day-to-day work of a local councillor.
To present issues of local concern to a decision-maker.
Facilitate a session with your local councillor. You may wish to invite them into school or organise this session as part of a school visit to your local council chamber.
26 End-of-module internal assessment
To evaluate your understanding of this unit.
You may wish to use some of the sample Edexcel assessment material that students will sit for their final exam, as a basis for constructing your end-of-module internal assessment.
To understand the process of getting elected to Parliament.
Play the Parliament Education Service’s ‘General Election Explained’ video. Ask students to consider how candidates get selected and elected to Parliament.
Produce a cartoon strip template for students and ask them to explain how a candidate gets elected. What steps do they need to go through?
Brainstorm what a candidate needs to consider to get elected.
Research key terms: candidate, constituency, canvassing, selection.
General Election Explained in nearly 60 seconds:http://www.parliament.uk/education/teaching-resources-lesson-plans/general-election-60-secs/
28 Does every vote actually count?Themes B1, B2
To investigate the worth of individual votes in different parts of the UK.
To consider the problems in our current voting system.
Share an edited version of the Guardian’s article ‘Five million votes, two seats: smaller parties demand a change in the rules’. Ask students to consider why smaller parties might be frustrated (and what could be done to solve the situation).
Guardian article, ‘Five million votes, two seats: smaller parties demand a change in the rules’:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/09/margate-ukip-greens-electoral-reform-farage
To investigate possible solutions such as different voting systems.
Book a computer room and ask students to research their vote and compare it to others living in different constituencies using the ‘Votepower’ website.
Pick out key graphics and statistics from the Electoral Commission’s Report and share with students.
Consider different voting systems using videos online. Ask students to complete a spider diagram about the pros and cons of each.
Votepower:http://www.voterpower.org.ukElectoral Commission Report, the 2015 General Election: a system in Crisis:http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/sites/default/files/2015%20General%20Election%20Report%20web.pdf
Video, 12 voting systems explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsq-sRBmMjA
29 Who shall I vote for?Theme B1
To recognise the main political parties in the UK.
To investigate what political parties stand for and recognise similarities and differences.
To consider their own views in relations to political parties and policies.
Display the logos of a selection of UK political parties and ask students to match them with their correct names. Can they identify the party leaders?
Prepare a card-sort of key manifesto commitments made by each political party at the last General Election. Can students spot any key differences?
Students to complete either the ‘Who Should I Vote For’ quiz or the ‘Vote for Policies’ survey. Ask them to consider whether they were surprised by its suggestions for who they should consider voting for, based on their answers?
Party manifesto policy guide: where the parties stand?http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2015/manifesto-guide
Who Should You Vote For:http://www.whoshouldyouvotefor.com
Vote For Policies:https://voteforpolicies.org.uk
30 Getting into powerTheme B1, B2
To consider what it takes for candidates to win elections.
To look at how General Elections are fought.
To be able to explain an overview of how candidates get elected to Parliament.
Provide a definition of campaigning and create a mind-map with the class, exploring the different ways in which candidates can try to win votes.
Watch the ‘General Election Explained’ video with the class, asking them to add additional points and explanations to their mind-map.
Introduce students to Britain’s youngest MP using this article and video. Ask students to consider whether they think that Mhairi could do the job of representing her constituents at such
The general election explained:http://www.parliament.uk/education/teaching-resources-lesson-plans/the-general-election-explained/8-minutes/
Mhairi Black becomes Britain’s youngest MP:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/SNP/11568878/SNP-firebrand-in-line-to-oust-Douglas-Alexander-in-one-of-Labours-safest-
Based upon Mhairi’s journey getting elected and after watching the General Election Explained video, students should complete a cartoon explaining the process of getting elected to Parliament.
seats.html
31 Class mock election preparationTheme B1, B2
To consider the different roles involved in fighting an election.
To decide what policies might appeal to the electorate.
Using the Parliamentary Education Service’s Mock Election Toolkit as a guide, set students the challenge of participating in a mock election and competing for votes. You may wish to deviate from the resources provided by requesting that students stand for the political parties that they have researched in previous lessons.
To consider the different roles involved in fighting an election.
To decide what policies might appeal to the electorate.
Continue to prepare for a class mock-election vote. Run a hustings event and give each candidate an opportunity to speak to the electorate (their classmates). Hold a vote using the ‘first past the post’ voting system. After announcing the outcome, ask students to consider whether they can think of a fairer voting system. This is an ideal opportunity to discuss different voting systems that are more proportional.
33 Forming a governmentTheme B3
To consider how governments are formed in the UK.
Watch the BBC’s guide to UK elections for non-Brits, (2-minute video), paying particular attention to how governments are formed (remember to note the difference in 2010, when no political party had an outright majority and a coalition was formed between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats).
Ask students to consider what happens in a hung Parliament situation.
Students create a guide to the process of forming a government.
Video: UK elections and forming governments
Forming a government under a hung Parliament:http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/elections-and-voting/general/hung-parliament/
UK election 2015: A guide for non-brits:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32152504
34 Exam technique practice
Understand the layout and structure of the exam paper.
Using sample exam papers on Edexcel’s website, spend the lesson focusing on helping students to improve their exam technique. Consider how
long students might be expected to spend on each question and how best to address the extended writing questions in the paper.
35 How are laws made?Themes B5, B6
To investigate where laws come from.
To consider how laws are made in our parliamentary system and the different stages involved.
Ask students to consider what law they might make given the opportunity. What particularly annoys them about life? (Perhaps provide an example that might annoy adults, such as making it illegal to play music aloud on public transport.) To stimulate discussion you might want to consider asking them what particular laws impact on their lives (perhaps compulsory education/training until they are 18?).
Watch the videos from the Parliamentary Education Service about where laws come from.
Using Newsround’s guide, ask students to complete a diagram outlining how laws are made. You may wish to provide students with a basic template for this.
Get students out of their seats. Allot each a different stage in the law-making process, such as Green and White Paper and the various readings in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. Invite students to stand in the correct order and explain to their peers what part they play in making laws. Higher-level questioning might focus around the pitfalls of such a system, how could it be improved (which leads very well into the next lesson on reforming Westminster).
Videos: Making laws: where do laws come from?
Newsround guide to how laws are made:http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/uk/how_laws_are_made/newsid_2131000/2131845.stm
36 Westminster – does it need reforming?Theme B4
To form a view on whether Parliament needs reforming.
To investigate a variety of different cases for and against Parliamentary reform.
What did the parties pledge to do to reform Parliament if elected at the 2015 General Election? Ask students to use the resources available on the BBC’s website to look at this. Alternatively, depending on the existing knowledge and interest of the group, you may wish to mind-map the various things they would like to see improved in our political system.
Positions of the main political parties on parliamentary reform at the 2015 General Election:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32430193
Reforming the House of Lords:http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/
Ask students to work in small groups to identify the issue that they have been allocated and make a case for: (a) reform of the House of Lords, (b) more women in Parliament, (c) more working-class MPs, (d) scrapping the monarchy and introducing an elected head of state. You may also wish to consider other topical issues depending on current events, such as reform of the voting system, English votes for English Laws (EVIL) etc.
Ask students to vote on the most convincing case put forward by their peers for reforming the Westminster system.
reforming-the-house-of-lords
Women in Parliament:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21231000
More working-class MPs:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/23/jeremy-corbyn-plans-grants-aspiring-labour-mps-less-wealthy-backgrounds
Abolition of the monarchy:https://republic.org.uk
37 Preparation for visit by Peers in Schools Programme or local MPThemes B4, B5, B6
To discuss topical issues with a Peer or MP.
To learn about the role of a Peer or MP.
Use the contact details on Parliament’s website to book a Peer to visit your school as part of the Peers in Schools Programme. You may also wish to invite an MP to come and speak to the class on a separate occasion or instead of this. These can be contacted directly through their office, which is listed on Parliament’s website.
Facilitate a session around preparing questions from students for the next session. You may also wish to use resources available on Parliament’s website about the role of Peers.
Peers in Schools programme:http://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/lord-speaker/outreach-programme/peers-in-schools/
38 Q&A session led by Peers in Schools Programme or by local MPTheme B4, B5, B6
To discuss topical issues with a Peer or MP.
To learn about the role of a Peer or MP.
Students interact with either a Peer or MP and ask pre-prepared questions.
39 Apart or together? The United KingdomTheme B7
To consider how the history of the United Kingdom impacts the present day.
To understand how devolution has impacted the UK.
To look at the case for English City Region devolution.
Start the lesson by looking at the Scottish Independence Referendum. Ask students to consider why it was so significant and use it as an opportunity to briefly reflect back on the history of the creation of the United Kingdom.
Using the BBC’s Beginner’s Guide to Devolution, as well as topical articles, students should work in teams to present an introduction to the
Online article: Scottish Independence Referendum
BBC’s Beginner’s Guide to Devolutionhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/first_time_voter/8589835.stm
Scottish Parliament, or the Welsh or Northern Irish Assemblies.
You may wish to look at devolution to English City Regions. Look at the arguments for or against devolving more powers to our own areas.
40 How are we governed?
Theme B3To understand how governments function through departments and ministers.
To consider what issues departments focus on.
To discuss how civil servants help the work of ministers.
Show a clip from Yes Minister or an extract from The Thick of It (be careful to pre-watch anything from the latter in order to filter out any inappropriate material). What is the stereotypical view of the civil service?
Create your own mock Cabinet table. Give every student a role in government and a badge stating their position. Using the government’s list of ministers, as well as other information from departmental websites and other sources, students should create a fact file about their own department. This could be presented to the class or displayed. What does their department focus on? What might be its key challenges? How much does it spend?
Discuss how civil servants help the work of Ministers after watching a clip about the Civil Service Fast Stream. Ask students to watch the video and consider what civil servants do. Depending on the make-up of your group, some of the students in your class may have parents who work as civil servants. You may wish to consider how best you can use these people. Could you invite them to speak to your class?
Government’s list of ministers:https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers
Video: The Civil Service Fast Stream
Video: What is the role of the Civil Service
41 How are we governed?Theme B8
To consider the different pressures facing decision-makers in allocating budgets.
Using guidance on the Chance to be Chancellor website, ask students to participate in activities role-playing what it is like to be Chancellor of the Exchequer. What will your students prioritise?
Chance to be Chancellor activities and resources:http://www.payingforit.org.uk/chance-to-be-chancellor/
42 Review and breathing An opportunity to review some of the key
To investigate why laws are needed in society and how they impact on people’s everyday lives.
Ask students to draw a picture of what they imagine a world without laws would look like. Compare and contrast different pictures in the class. Would it be a libertarian paradise with everyone free to decide their own destiny, or anarchy?
Using this stimulus for teacher understanding, facilitate a mind-mapping session with the class to consider why we have laws in society. Ask students to explain their answers with some deep thinking. Constantly ask students ‘why’ in order to dig deeper.
Considering their schedule for a typical day, ask students to decide what laws impact on their typical day from the moment they wake up in the morning, all the way through to going to bed. An example might be vehicle safety laws, while taking the bus to school, food-standard laws, about the quality of food they eat in the school canteen, etc.
What’s the point in having laws?https://hsienminglaw.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/what-is-the-purpose-of-having-laws-in-our-society/
46 What is the law?Theme C2
To consider a basic definition of the law.
To investigate how law-making and different parts of the justice system are interlinked.
Provide students with a basic definition of law as a set of rules that society should follow.
In groups, ask students to construct a large flow diagram of the law-making and criminal justice system on big sheets of paper. Remember to emphasise that laws are made in Parliament and then enforced by the Police. Guilt is proven (or not) in a court (either Magistrate’s or Crown Court).
You may wish to ask students to make a basic guide to the criminal justice system for victims of crime.
47 Criminal and civil law: what’s the difference?Theme C3
To investigate the key differences between civil and criminal law.
To apply this knowledge to different situations and decide whether they are matters to be dealt with under civil or criminal law.
Summarise the key differences between civil and criminal law with the class.
Produce a card-sort activity with different situations that are either civil or criminal. Ask students to decide what category they should be placed in.
Select some topical criminal and civil cases covered in the media and ask students to consider why they are either criminal or civil and summarise the key points.
48 Who puts the law into practice?Theme C4
To consider the various different roles involved in the criminal justice system.
This is an opportunity to bring in different costumes and props from the criminal justice system, e.g. a judge’s or barrister’s wig, a police officer’s hat, etc. Ask students to consider what
62 How to contribute and have influence in a democratic society?Theme D1
To consider the different ways that people can contribute and engage in a democratic society.
In anticipation of Theme E ‘Taking Citizenship Action’, it is important that students have a knowledge of the range of approaches and methods that can be used to influence decision-makers and have an influence in society. This lesson will start to prepare students for this forthcoming challenge.
Display a variety of images around the classroom, with text underneath explaining how they contribute and/or make a difference in society. You might want to consider including individuals who do a variety of different activities, which might include:
a volunteer at their local church someone who writes to their MP about
cuts to local services a person who reads the local newspaper someone who signs a petition against
animal testing an individual who clicks ‘like’ on a
Facebook post criticising poor local bus services
someone who posts a message of support for a cause on Twitter
someone who goes on a protest against the closure of a local school
a worker who goes on strike for better conditions in the workplace
someone who makes cups of tea for old people in their community.
Ask students to consider whether any of these actions are more active than others. It’s important to consider the difference between being a ‘nice’ citizen and an active citizen.
Is ‘clicktivism’ destroying the meaning of social activism? (37 minutes):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN1dzX8Kr20
How ‘clicktivism’ has changed the face of political campaigns:http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/24/clicktivism-changed-political-campaigns-38-degrees-change
Making cups of tea for old people is laudable, but what about looking into why old people are lonely and subsequently campaigning for more day centres to help them?
After this discussion, ask students to work either individually or as part of a group to draw and label their ideal active citizen. What contribution would they make and how might they behave?
Extension/follow-up activity: You may wish to further investigate digital democracy with your students by looking at the issue of whether click-ing ‘like’ on Facebook is a form of ‘slactivism’ or whether it enhances democratic engagement. Have they personally participated in any online campaigns? Following on from the #Kony2012 (which you may wish to show students) you could opt to show Al Jazeera’s coverage of the debate as stimulus for students.
63 Having your say in other parts of the world: comparing democracies and dictatorshipsTheme D1
To compare the key differences between dictatorships and democracies around the world.
Brainstorm dictatorships as a starting point for the lesson with the class. What do students already know? Use this as a discussion point to tease out some of the key differences between democracies and dictatorships, which are investigated in greater detail during the next task.
Produce a card-sort showing the key differences associated with democracies and dictatorships. Ask students to split the cards into two piles, representing the different systems.
How is Alois’ experience of living in a dictatorship different from our experience in Britain? Ask students to write a short reflection.
You may wish to focus on a topical story about whether or not the British government should cut its links with dictatorships around the world, as argued by some human-rights campaigners.
Alois' experience of living in a dictatorship:https://www.truetube.co.uk/film/dictatorship-democracy
Human rights ahead of the President’s visit: what is China accused of?http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34592336
Do students think that trade and good relationships should trump our support for democracy around the world? A good starting point for this would be looking at the 2015 visit of the Chinese President to the UK.
64 Group presentations: case studies of individual democracies and dictatorshipsTheme D1
To work together to produce a presentation about a dictatorship or democracy of your choice.
Either provide students with printed case studies of different dictatorships and democracies around the world, or arrange access to ICT facilities for this research.
Ask students to present their work to the rest of the class.
65 Review and breathing space
An opportunity to review some of the key concepts, topics or issues raised in previous lessons, or go into greater detail depending on the enthusiasm of students in the group.
Stage 1: Identify issue, form a team and carry out initial research
To begin to identify which issue to concentrate on.
To start to use initial research skills to guide your decision-making.
1. Introduce Theme E ‘Taking Citizenship Action’ and provide students with an overview.
2. Students may already have identified an issue, problem or cause through their previous studies of other parts of the syllabus. However, it may be necessary to provide more stimulus to help students make a choice.
Stimulus may entail students being provided with a selection of local and/or
national newspapers, and being asked to place post-it notes on the stories that they think are significant and worthy of action.
3. Depending on the nature of the class, students may wish to form small groups of two or more students to work together, or to work as a whole class to complete a bigger action.
4. Once students have decided which action to focus on, they should use ICT resources to carry out secondary research into their issue. They should focus on gathering and understanding one or more of the following: published sources of data; findings and official reports from public bodies; reports in the news or media; NEGs, groups and other organisations; opinion polls, statistics, videos. You may wish to ask students to present their primary research to their peers doing similar topics, in order to further inform their action.
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Stage 2: Carry out primary research (surveys, write letters, etc.)
To understand what is meant by primary research.
To conduct primary research to help shape your project.
1. Using the information that students have gathered from their primary research, they should work together to mind-map further ques-tions that remain unanswered about their topic. Ask students to bring these together in order to form an overarching question that will guide their project over the course of the next few weeks.
2. Explain what is meant by primary research. Looking back over the questions that students have identified, ask them to identify who they will need to contact in order to find answers. This might be fellow students, teachers, mem-bers of the public, local councillors, MPs, etc. Consider what would be the best means of gath-ering this information from different groups of people. Students should consider writing letters or interviewing individuals, while surveying lar-
3. Present a variety of different good and bad surveys and ask students to identify best prac-tice. Using this information, students could be asked to create their own surveys.
4. If they gave identified individuals to contact, they will need to prepare what they will ask and how. Individual interviews will need arranging, while letters will need to be planned, written and sent off.
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Stage 3: Review research and analyse different viewpoints held
To analyse your primary research.
To explain their own viewpoint on their topic and compare and contrast that with the views of others.
To investigate why people hold different viewpoints.
Get students to express their own viewpoint on their topic and write a short response.
Review the responses from the primary research that students conducted.
Investigate why people hold different view-points. Provide students with examples that might demonstrate how people are influenced by factors such as their education, family back-ground, area of the country where they grow up, etc.
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Stage 4: Plan action To identify the key decision-makers who could be influenced.
To consider different methods and approaches for addressing the issue.
To set success criteria and consider the goals of their action.
Conduct an exercise with students, identifying the main decision-makers on their particular topic. Does power rest with the local council, central government, businesses or other bodies? Consider why this matters in terms of planning their action.
Produce a card-sort of different possible meth-ods and approaches for issues. Give students a variety of fictitious or real issues and ask them to judge which method or approach is likely to have the greatest chance of success. You should try to include a wide variety of possible actions, from organising meetings to setting up a social enterprise or running a social-action project. Feed back and discuss amongst the class. Ask students to repeat the exercise with their own issue. Which action did they select and why?
Now that students have chosen their action, ask them to consider what success looks like. Is simply raising awareness of their issue enough, or do they need to actually see something change? Is it reasonable to see it change in the short term, or should they expect their contribu-tion to be part of a wider long-term shift? Stu-dents should be encouraged to work together to set their own success criteria, which should be agreed amongst themselves and recorded for later.
Supply students with a planning grid, including a timeline. Ask them to plan, sequence and priorit-ise their action. They should consider pressures of time and available resources. Roles should be allocated and any possible difficulties anticip-ated.
Introduce students to a template that records decisions taken in their group as minutes. Ex-plain that minutes are formal records of their (sometimes informal) meetings. They should fo-cus on how they made decisions and consider how they ensured the meeting was as demo-cratic as possible.
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Stage 5: Carry out action
To execute an action in order to bring about change.
Students use this time to execute their chosen action with the support of the class teacher. Try to encourage them to continue using whatever method you have set up to record decisions taken within their group, as well as constantly referring back to their planning grid. Ensure that students retain evidence of their action to look back at during their evaluation.
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Stage 6: Evaluate To critically analyse their own project.
Facilitate a group session with a number of large sheets of paper. Ask students to:
1) Consider what went well with their pro-ject.
2) Grade the effectiveness of their action on a scale of 1 to 10.
achieve their intended effect.4) Assess how well the method they selec-
ted for their action worked in practice and what they might do differently in a future citizenship project.
Ask students to write a short reflection on how their action contributed to their own Citizenship learning. Ask them to share this with the group in order to disseminate ideas.
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How best to write about your project in the exam
To learn how best to apply their own learning to the exam.
Share extracts from the sample assessment material provided by Edexcel. Consider asking students to brainstorm different ways in which similar questions could be asked in future exams. What techniques do they need in order to answer the questions? Prepare for the final exam by asking students to complete and retain a number of different past papers. Feed back model answers and share best practice from the group amongst the whole class.
86 What is the media and its role in society?Theme D3
To consider the role of the media and critically evaluate whether it is being met.
Brainstorm the role of the media or produce a card-sort depending on the nature of the class.
Issues to focus on might be: providing the public with information scrutinising the powerful providing entertainment making money bringing people together getting people involved in the
democratic process encouraging civic participation behaving lawfully.
Using case studies about phone-hacking, ask students to consider whether there might be legitimate concerns about whether the media is fulfilling its role in society.
Consider asking students to write a letter to the editor of one of your local newspapers, asking her/him to consider what role his paper plays in society. Students may wish to express their own views and concerns.
87 Why should the press be free?Theme D3
To consider why freedom of the press is important.
To investigate scenarios and countries around the world the freedom of the press to report is under threat.
Ask students to write a quick story about a contentious issue in school. Perhaps their views on school uniform, or the quality of school dinners. Move around the class with a large black marker, redacting fundamental points in their stories. Ask students to consider what you are doing (censorship) and why this might be an issue. If the press isn’t free, how can it reform any of its functions in society?
As further stimulus for students. Play the video about why press freedom is important.
Bring together case studies from Reporters Without Borders and ask students to investigate countries around the world where press freedom is under threat.
CBS Commentary Freedom of the Press:http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/commentary-freedom-of-the-press/
Video: Why press freedom matters:
Reporters Without Borders / Reporters Sans Frontières:http://en.rsf.org
88 Sampling media, telling fact from opinion exerciseTheme D4
To use newspapers to distinguish fact from opinion.
Display a variety of newspaper headlines from this website. Can students spot headlines that are more factual than others, as well as those that are more opinion-based? Which newspapers do these come from? Can they spot any correlations?
Ask students to collect a variety of papers prior to the lesson (or bring these into class yourself). Consider basic questions about the difference between newspapers. Which ones would they classify as tabloid/popular and which would be quality (or what used to be known as a
Newspaper front pages:http://www.thepaperboy.com/uk/front-pages.cfm
Use the newspapers as a tool to get students to highlight and present to the class stories that they have identified as being more factual and those that are more based upon opinion or commentary.
89 Is the media honest and truthful and how is it regulated?Theme D4
To develop critical awareness of the media.
To consider whether the ‘Hacked Off’ campaign is right to demand tighter media regulation.
Introduce students to the idea of spin by showing topical headlines that focus on the same story. It might be worth focusing on particularly contentious issues and comparing the coverage of, say, a migration or immigration story. Comparing the coverage of a newspaper such as the Daily Mail or Express to that of the Guardian in this regard may be a good starting point.
Explain that in the UK, newspapers are free to report comment and can be biased, whereas television news is highly regulated and needs to give multiple perspectives. If time permits, looking at the difference between US and UK television news is particularly interesting. You may wish to search online for clips from Fox News vs the BBC’s coverage.
Download information and use Hacked Off’s website. Ask students to investigate how the media is regulated in the UK at present and whether or not Hacked Off has legitimate concerns.
Newspaper front pages:http://www.thepaperboy.com/uk/front-pages.cfm
Hacked Off – the campaign for a free and accountable press:http://hackinginquiry.org
90 Exam technique practice
Understand the layout and structure of the exam paper.
Consider how to do well in the final exam.
Use the sample Edexcel assessment material to guide students into how best to answer questions. What should they expect and how can they maximise their performance?
You may wish to consider how best students should tackle questions that are synoptic in nature. Ensuring that they are able to think across the five themes of the course is essential, as some questions in the final paper will follow this way of working.
91 Does the media just report or shape public opinion?Theme D5
To examine case studies and consider whether the media shapes or simply follows public opinion.
Show students a copy of the infamous 1992 Sun newspaper’s front page, which claimed that it was ‘The Sun ‘wot won it’ following their high-profile backing of John Major’s Conservative election campaign. Is this an example of the sort of power that the media can exert, or is it just bravado? Maybe they were simply reflecting the public mood of the time.
Select two case studies for students to examine. To what extent did the media play a role in shaping public opinion, or did it just report?
Sarah’s Law - the News of the World's lengthy campaign to allow people to know the whereabouts of released sex offenders after the murder of Sarah Payne in 2000.
Snowdrop campaign to introduce greater gun control following the murder of school children in Dunblane, Scotland, in 1996.
It might be worth considering introducing any other topical issue into this to keep the debate relevant.
Look at newspaper circulation figures and ask students to consider whether the influence of the traditional media is in decline. Is social me-dia replacing it? Consider showing a video about the rise of social media.
Online article: ‘It Was The Sun Wot Won It’
News of the World’s Sarah’s Law campaign:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6540497.stm
Snowdrop campaign against hand-guns:http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/16/newsid_3110000/3110949.stm
ABC figures show paper’s efforts to stem circulation decline:http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/oct/10/abc-figures-show-papers-efforts-to-stem-circulation-decline
Video: Social media revolution 2015
92 What does the EU do (and how is it different to the Council of Europe?)Theme D6
To consider how the European Union works and how it impacts on the daily lives of people in the UK.
Order your free copy of the ‘EU Explained’ from the Hansard Society to assist with teaching students about the role of the European Union.
Using a map of the European Union, ask students to name or label the 28 member states.
Introduce the history of the European Union and ask students to consider why it was set up by
The EU Explained from the Hansard Society:http://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/education/eu-explained/
Video: A brief history of the European Union
Teaching resources from the UK Office of the European Parliament:
watching this video from the UK Office of the European Parliament. It's important to consider using their resource about how the EU impacts on the daily lives of people in the UK.
Use a variety of resources available from the European Parliament's UK office here.
Ask students to make their own diagram of how the European Union works, using this video as stimulus.
93 Benefits of EU membership and what its critics sayTheme D6
To consider arguments both for and against Britain's membership of the European Union.
Divide students into two teams. As preparation homework, ask them to research either the case for or against Britain’s EU membership. Consider using both the pro-EU British Influence campaign and the anti-EU Leave campaign from the referendum as a basis for research.
Facilitate a formal debate amongst the class with an opportunity for students to vote at the end.
Campaign to remain in the EU:http://www.britishinfluence.org
Campaign to leave the EU:http://leave.eu
94 EU simulation exercise part 1
Understand the work of the EU.
Consider how the EU operates across its member states.
Use the European Parliament’s Crisis Point Simulation over two lessons as a tool to expand students’ understanding of the EU.
European Union Crisis Point Simulation:http://www.europarl.org.uk/en/education/teachingresources/secondary/crisispoint.html
95 EU simulation exercise part 2
Understand the work of the EU.
Consider how the EU operates across its member states.
Second lesson using the European Union’s Crisis Point Simulation.
European Union Crisis Point Simulation:http://www.europarl.org.uk/en/education/teachingresources/secondary/crisispoint.html
96 Q&A with an MEPTheme D6
To investigate the role of a member of the European Parliament.
Find your MEPs and invite them into school. It's a great opportunity to hear first-hand about their work.
Locate your MEP:http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/search.html?country=GB
97 What is the United Nations?
To understand the role of the UN and why it was formed.
Home learning: ask students to bring in a topical story from the media about the United Nations, using resources available on the internet or
United Nations Matters, UNAhttp://www.una.org.uk/teach-un
newspapers at home. Use this as part of your starter activity.
The UN Association's Teaching resources will help you to build your lesson on this topic. Be prepared to supplement your teaching with short explanatory videos from YouTube to help further the understanding of your students.
Video: United Nations Explained YouTube clip:
Diagram of UN organisations:http://www.un.org/en/aboutun/structure/pdfs/UN_System_Chart_2015_Rev.4_ENG_11x17colour.pdf
98 The UK’s membership of the UN and is it an effective tool to end disagreements and conflicts?Themes D7, D8
To investigate the United Nations and to come to make a considered appraisal of its effectiveness.
To consider international humanitarian law and its ramifications.
Use the UN Association's Teaching resources to help build your lesson on this topic.
When considering teaching about the UN and conflict resolution you might wish to ask students to watch Hotel Rwanda and use Amnesty USA's teaching resources. Other possible films to use might be Blood In The Mobile or Blood Diamonds (which can be used in conjunction with Amnesty USA's resources).
Use the Red Cross’ teaching resources as a stimulus for learning about humanitarian law and its ramifications.
United Nations Matters, UNAhttp://www.una.org.uk/teach-un
Amnesty USA's teaching resources to be used in conjunction with Hotel Rwanda:https://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/rwanda_brochuredivided_0.pdf
Open with a short video from YouTube explaining the Model UN session. Explain that they take place throughout the world in schools, colleges and universities.
1. Whatever UN body you opt to replicate (the UN Security Council is usually the most popular), split your class into small groups and assign them a UN member state. They should assume the role of that country’s diplomats. The delegates represent the views of their country, reflecting that country’s national interests, rather than their own personal opinions on an issue.
2. The delegates should spend this lesson researching their country’s position on whatever topic you select for debate, paying particular attention to their country’s perspective on the topic to be discussed at the Model UN. You may wish to select the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, economic justice, or the provision of clean water, for example.
Video: An introduction to Model United Nations:
UN Associations Model UN resources:http://www.una.org.uk/globe
100 Model UN role-play To learn about the function of the UN through a model UN simulation.
As teacher you will probably wish to chair the model UN role-play meeting, or ensure that a student feels comfortable doing so.
1. In this session the delegates come together to enact the UN meeting, based on agreed rules (see guides on the UN Association website for help with this). The delegates should be invited to present statements of their countries’ positions and debate and negotiate with the other delegates, both through formal and informal debate.
2. Bring students together to write a resolution that is then debated, negotiated and amended, in line with each country’s interests and in response to the debate. A final vote is then taken.
UN Association Model UN resources: http://www.una.org.uk/globe
To understand the role of the Commonwealth and start to form a view of whether the organisation is relevant today.
Brainstorm what students know about the Commonwealth. Show students images or flags from various Commonwealth countries and ask them to consider what sorts of historical links members of this ‘club’ might have with each other.
Use the Royal Commonwealth Association’s teaching resources to expand the understanding of your students about the Commonwealth.
Consider asking students to use resources from the BBC to debate whether there is still a point to the Commonwealth.
Royal Commonwealth Association’s resources:https://thercs.org/youth-and-education/teaching-resources/
BBC resources on the Commonwealth:http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zghsfg8
BBC viewpoints: does the Commonwealth still matter?http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/3303625.stm#Tim
102 NATO and other trans-national organisations investigated
To investigate NATO and the work of other trans-national organisations.
Provide students with a brief definition of NATO, WTO, EU and the Commonwealth. Ask them to match the various tasks they fulfil in the world to the correct international organisation.
Use resources available on the BBC’s website or through YouTube in order to provide a brief overview of NATO’s work. Depending on the timings of your class, you may be able to supplement this with contemporary issues relating to NATO in the press.
Consider using the DfE’s lesson resources produced ahead of the NATO summit in Wales to look into the work of the organisation and arguments for and against its existence.
You may wish to end by looking at whether NATO and the World Trade Organisation are a force for good in the world.
Find links about NATO and the WTO.
BBC Newsround What is NATO:http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/world/nato/newsid_2749000/2749323.stm
Video: BBC What is NATO in 80 seconds
Video: The Telegraph – What is NATO? The alliance explained in 90 seconds
103 Exam technique practice (with particular reference to cross-theme questions)
To understand the layout and structure of the exam paper.
To consider how to do well in the final exam.
To know how best to apply skills and knowledge gained throughout the course to address synoptic questions.
Now that students have covered the course, you should guide your class about how best to tackle questions in the final exam that are synoptic in nature. This means questions that cover a variety of themes from the specification and therefore might have been problematic to address prior to this point in the course.
Use Edexcel sample assessment material to guide students on how best to answer questions. What should they expect and how can they maximise their performance?
104 Exam technique practice (with particular reference to cross-theme questions)
To understand the layout and structure of the exam paper.
To consider how to do well in the final exam.
To know how best to apply skills and knowledge gained throughout the course to address synoptic questions.
Continue to look at how best to tackle questions that are cross-theme and synoptic in nature.
Use Edexcel sample assessment material to guide students on how best to answer questions. What should they expect and how can they maximise their performance?
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