What can we do to create a fairer society?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how laws and campaigns have helped reduce discrimination and identify everyday actions that promote fairness in different parts of society.
Key learning points
- In the UK, laws now exist to prevent inequality and discrimination.
- Campaigning and speaking out helped bring about important laws to protect rights and promote equality.
- Despite these laws, unfair treatment still occurs, sometimes unintentionally, and can have serious effects.
- Cases like Stephen Lawrence’s reveal how discrimination can be built into systems.
- Fairness goes beyond laws and policies; it depends on everyday actions by people to ensure all are treated with respect.
Keywords
Inequality - when people are not treated fairly or equally
Discrimination - treating people unfairly or differently because of things like their race, gender, or where they come from, instead of treating everyone equally
Action - practical steps designed to try to raise public awareness or influence key decision-makers
Common misconception
Fairness is only about following the law; if something is legal, then it must be fair.
While laws set important standards, fairness also depends on how people treat each other every day. Sometimes, unfairness happens even when no laws are broken. True fairness requires respectful actions, understanding and challenging unfair attitudes.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to reflect on their own experiences and consider practical actions they can take in their daily lives to promote fairness.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the word with its definition.
Q2.Put these words into the correct order to make a sentence.
Q3.What is a good example of everyday fairness?
Q4.Which of these is an example of something being unfair, but not illegal?
Q5.Put the events in order for this scenario about fairness.
Q6.Who can prevent unfair treatment?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the word with its definition.
Q2.What did the Macpherson Report into Stephen Lawrence’s case reveal?
Q3.Despite laws against , it can still happen in many different ways, even when it is not intentional.
Q4.As a result of discrimination in systems being brought to attention, the Government and other organisations have been made to ...
Q5.Put these events in the correct sequence.
Q6.What is needed, as well as laws, to create fairness in society?
To help you plan your 9 citizenship lesson on: What can we do to create a fairer society?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 citizenship lesson on: What can we do to create a fairer society?, 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 Are people treated equally in UK society? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.