What are referendums and why are they used?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain what a referendum is and how they can be used in a democracy.
Key learning points
- Democracy is a system of government where power is rooted in the people. There are two types: direct and representative.
- Representative democracy is the most common, where people elect representatives to vote and make laws on their behalf.
- A referendum is an example of direct democracy; they are held on issues of national, regional and local importance.
Keywords
Referendum - a general vote by the electorate on a single political issue which has been referred to them for a direct decision; it is a form of direct democracy
Representative democracy - type of democracy where citizens choose others to represent them, making important decisions on their behalf
Direct democracy - where the people decide on the policy directly, for example, through a vote or referendum on each issue
Common misconception
Referendums are only about national issues.
Referendums are held for a wide range of reasons. They might be national, (like the UK's relationship with Europe), or they might be regional, (like Scottish independence). Sometimes, a referendum can be local too.
Teacher tip
To help pupils grasp the concepts of democracy, use current events or historical examples that highlight how decisions are made, making the lesson feel more relatable.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the primary focus of the European Economic Community (EEC)?
Q2.Who are the representatives in the European Council?
Q3.A is the act of being joined together for political purposes.
Q4.Match the word to the correct definition.
a meeting between heads of government
a group of countries with common interests who have formed an alliance
working together to achieve the same end
Q5.Post-WWII, a number of key led to the formation of different unions in Europe.
Q6.Which is not a role of the European Council?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Democracy is a system of government where power is rooted in the .
Q2.What is the most common type of democracy?
Q3.Match the word to the correct definition.
a general vote on a single issue for a direct decision
citizens choose others to represent them and make decisions for them
people decide on the policy directly
Q4.What is an example of direct democracy?
Q5.Why have there been so few national referendums in the history of the UK?
Q6.Referendums are not usually divided by political parties which means that the outcome has political appeal and support.
To help you plan your 11 citizenship lesson on: What are referendums and why are they used?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 citizenship lesson on: What are referendums and why are they used?, 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 How well has the UK adjusted to its changing relationship with the EU? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.