Lesson overview – Laws and law breaking
This lesson is part of a Level 5 and 6 Civics and citizenship unit on understanding how citizen participation is related to making and changing laws at a local level. This lesson is focused on the different types of laws and their impacts on victims and perpetrators.
Victorian Curriculum – Civics and citizenship
Levels 5 and 6
Explain how and why laws are enforced and describe the roles and responsibilities of key personnel in law enforcement, and in the legal system (VCCCL013).
Learning intention
We are learning about the types of laws in Australia and exploring the results of law breaking.
Success criteria
I can explain the types of laws in Australia and describe some results of law breaking.
Extension idea
Extend the success criteria (outcome): I can explain the types of laws in Australia, describe results of law breaking, and assess the impacts of law breaking for a variety of groups including perpetrators of different types of crimes (and from different backgrounds), victims, and the wider community.
Lesson sequence
Warm up activity
In this activity, students will draw on their prior learning.
- As a class, brainstorm different laws.
- Consider the difference between criminal laws, and civil laws.
- Think Pair Share: Which of the laws are civil laws, which are criminal laws?
- Student pairs report back to the class and a co-constructed list of the two different types of laws is developed.
Extension ideas
Pair high-ability students together.
Law breaking
Discuss the notion of law breaking. Provide students with multiple resources related to law breaking. Include texts, news items, documentaries etc.
- Place students into small groups and have each group select a specific law to focus on.
- Have students use the resources to answer two questions about their chosen law. These questions should be on a graphic organiser. 1). What impact does the breaking of this law have on the victims? 2). What impact does the breaking of this law have on the perpetrator?
- Have groups report back on their task. Co-construct a class Venn diagram of results of law breaking for victims and perpetrators.
Extension ideas
High-ability students could:
- be grouped together for this task.
- locate additional relevant sources to be analysed.
- be asked a third question – What impact does the breaking of this law have on the wider community?
- be asked to compare the results of breaking laws that are 'civil' and laws that are 'criminal'.
- Are the results of law breaking the same for all laws?
- Use questioning to get to a shared response.
Extension ideas
High-ability students could:
- be asked, 'Are the results of law breaking the same for all perpetrators? Why/Why not?'
- be asked, 'Who decides what the results of law breaking are?'
- be asked, 'Who should decide what the results of law breaking are?'
- be grouped together to discuss these provocative questions.
Acknowledgement
This lesson plan is adapted from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority's unit 'Making and Enforcing Laws'.