Nelson Mandela, the man who forgave
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how Nelson Mandela worked to change unfair laws and chose forgiveness instead of anger.
Key learning points
- Mandela fought against unfair laws called apartheid.
- He worked with others and protested against the unfair laws.
- He was imprisoned for many years.
- He forgave his enemies and became president.
- His ideas inspired peace around the world.
Keywords
Law - rules people must follow
Apartheid - unfair laws in South Africa that separated people and treated black people badly
Protest - showing you think something is wrong
Peace - when people live without fighting
Forgiveness - choosing not to hate someone when they have wronged you
Common misconception
Pupils may think that Mandela ended apartheid on his own.
Remind pupils that he worked with many others to change the laws.
Teacher tip
You could tell part of Mandela’s story through drama and empathy. Give each group a short role: the protestors, the prisoners, the people celebrating his release. After acting, ask: “How did Mandela’s choices help people live together again?”
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why was Sophia Duleep Singh standing outside Buckingham Palace in 1911?
Q2.Sophia’s family originally came from ...
Q3.What made Sophia begin questioning fairness after her trip to India?
Q4.Match each word to its correct meaning.
Q5.How did Sophia help the Suffragettes?
Q6.What happened years after Sophia and the Suffragettes marched and campaigned?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The unfair laws in South Africa were called ...
Q2.What job did Nelson Mandela train to do in the 1940s?
Q3.Match the word to its meaning.
Q4.Some people think Nelson Mandela ended apartheid all by himself. Why is this not true?
Q5.Which of these things happened while Mandela was in prison?
Q6.What happened in 1994?
To help you plan your 2 history lesson on: Nelson Mandela, the man who forgave, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 2 history lesson on: Nelson Mandela, the man who forgave, 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 1 history lessons from the Significant individuals: how did they change the world? unit, dive into the full primary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.