Lesson 2: What happens if …?

Living Democracy » Textbooks » Lesson 2: What happens if …?

Not sticking to the rules has consequences

Learning objectives The students discuss the consequences of lawbreaking. They reflect on the school rules in relation to the principles of fairness, equality, participation and respect.
Student tasks The students practise role plays in which school rules are broken. They analyse the existing school rules and discuss and record the real and possible consequences of breaking them. They indicate what they would like to change in the school rules, why they would change them and how.
Resources Stickers, pencils, flipchart, the list of school rules for each group, a version of the school rules written in large letters on the flipchart or blackboard.
Methods Role plays in groups, plenary discussion, group work.

Lesson description

The students form groups of four. They act out role play situations in which school rules are broken. The groups discuss the rules before they start to play. The role plays can be:

  • playing football;
  • bad behaviour in the classroom;
  • playing computer games;
  • bad behaviour in the school playground;
  • talking during class;
  • fighting with others;
  • etc.

For each broken rule, the students record the consequences or – if there are none – the possible consequences. The groups then take their notes and return to the plenary session.

In a plenary session, the following questions are discussed:

  • How do rules support our rights and responsibilities and help us to live together safely, justly and well?
  • Why do we need rules?
  • How do we all know what the rules are?
  • Are the rules fair to everyone?
  • Are there situations when the rules change?
  • Who should make the rules and why?
  • What happens if we do not follow the rules?

After the discussion, the students return into their groups of four. They discuss whether they want to change something in the existing school rules. They come to a conclusion as a group and indicate the change(s) they wish to make by sticking their suggestions onto the version of the school rules written on the flipchart or blackboard.

Lesson 1: Why do we need rules and laws?
Lesson 3: Our new school rules
Print
Download