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Year 8 - Citizenship

What are laws?

What is the law and how is it changed?

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore what the law is and how criminal and civil laws are made. They examine what role citizens can have in changing the law and consider how the justice system should apply to young people.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe what laws are and explain how they are applied in the UK.

Key Notes

Laws are rules everyone must obey. In the UK, laws are created by Parliament.
The law is there to protect us and our rights.
Legal age is the age you can do something as defined by the law.
The age of criminal responsibility is the age you are held legally responsible for your actions.
Most citizens obey the law but some will break it. There are consequences for breaking the law which are set out in law.

Vocabulary To Learn

laws: rules, usually made by Parliament, that are used to order the way in which a society behaves
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
legal age: the age at which you can do something as defined by the law

Common Mistakes To Avoid

It is the role of the police to make laws.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Laws are rules everyone must obey. In the UK, laws are created by Parliament. The law is there to protect us and our rights.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'laws'

rules, usually made by Parliament, that are used to order the way in which a society behaves.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: It is the role of the police to make laws. Correction: Laws are created by Parliament. The police do not make the law, they enforce it.

More Lessons In This Unit

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