Punishments Lesson Plan

The lesson plan, tailored for Key Stage 2 students, begins with a short review of feedback from the previous week's topic. The primary aim of this educational session is to engage students in a critical discussion about the effectiveness of punishment and the potential benefits of offering support to young people who have broken the rules. Throughout the lesson, students work in various group sizes, from pairs to small groups, to explore the consequences of rule-breaking and to consider alternative approaches such as rehabilitation.

Initially, students pair up to discuss the ramifications of breaking school rules and then, as a whole class, they delve into the broader issue of how society deals with minor offences committed by the youth. The lesson progresses as students, again in pairs, are faced with hypothetical scenarios where they must choose an appropriate punishment for their actions and then contemplate the concept of second chances through rehabilitation. In small groups, they further examine the implications of punishment by deciding on consequences for a hypothetical thief and discussing their reasoning. The lesson concludes with pairs of students reflecting on the fairness of punishments such as exclusion and criminalisation and evaluating the overall effectiveness of punitive measures. The lesson culminates in a whole-class vote, where students cast their ballot on whether they believe punishments are effective, after reviewing arguments for and against the notion.