Rights and responsibilities in our community
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how rights and responsibilities work together to build a safe community, and describe practical steps to take when I feel unsafe.
Key learning points
- Everyone has rights in a community, including safety, free speech, religious belief and freedom from discrimination.
- With rights come responsibilities, including following laws, respecting others, and behaving appropriately in public.
- Harassment, discrimination and threatening behaviour is never acceptable and can have legal and social consequences.
- There are ways to stay safe when crossing the road, using level crossing and around railway tracks.
- When feeling unsafe, use practical strategies like staying in lit areas, 'Ask for Angela', and contacting police.
Keywords
Rights - the freedoms and protections everyone is entitled to, like safety, equality and free speech
Discrimination - when people are treated unfairly or differently because of things like their race, gender or beliefs
Responsibilities - the actions we are expected to take to respect others and follow the law
Common misconception
People can say whatever they want because they have freedom of speech.
While freedom of speech is a protected right, it comes with legal and social limits, such as not using language that is hateful, discriminatory or threatening.
Teacher tip
You may want to adapt this lesson to your local community. For example, you could include the details of specific youth services or community projects which are accessed by pupils in your setting.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What do you think is the most important thing needed for people to live together peacefully in a community?
Q2.Match each situation with what you think would be the best response.
tell a trusted adult
report it to the local council or police
ask them politely to move or find another route
pick it up and throw it away if safe to do so
Q3.Which word describes when people are treated unfairly or differently because of things like their race, sex or beliefs?
Q4.Freedom of means people can express their opinions, but there are still rules about what they can say.
Q5.Match each scenario with the most appropriate action.
stay in well-lit areas and share your location with a trusted adult
speak up if safe to do so or get help from an adult
support them and report the harassment
Q6.Which of these statements best describes what it means to live in a community where everyone's rights are protected and responsibilities are shared?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why might police issue a dispersal order to a group in a public place?
Q2.The from Harassment Act makes it illegal to follow, threaten or repeatedly contact someone in a way that causes fear or distress.
Q3.Match each responsibility to the correct example of behaviour.
keeping to one side on a busy pavement
walking away when someone tries to start an argument
leaving the area calmly when told to by an officer
Q4.Which of the following is a right we have in our communities?
Q5.Which behaviour could be classed as harassment in public?
Q6.Where can someone report or get support if they witness or experience harassment or feel unsafe in their community?
To help you plan your 10 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Rights and responsibilities in our community, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Rights and responsibilities in our community, 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 RSHE (PSHE) lessons from the Communities: Why is respect, understanding and compassion important? unit, dive into the full secondary RSHE (PSHE) curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.