What Is Politics?

Overview

In this first lesson of Power, Politics and Participation, students develop a shared vocabulary for discussing how societies are organised and decisions are made. They classify forms of government and political ideologies, then begin an inquiry into who should hold power and how it should be used.

Learning intentions

• WALT define and use the terms power, government, citizenship, democracy, ideology and political system.
• WALT distinguish between forms of government and political ideologies.
• WALT classify examples and justify our decisions using evidence from definitions.
• WALT develop an inquiry question about power and participation.

Success criteria

• I can explain the meaning of at least five key terms in my own words.
• I can distinguish a form of government from an ideology.
• I can classify democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, liberalism, socialism and communism, and explain one reason for each choice.
• I can ask a thoughtful question about who should have power and how it should be used.

Curriculum links

• Political ideologies are sets of ideas about how society should be organised.
• Political ideologies can shape party policies, including liberalism, socialism and communism.
• Students identify political ideologies encountered across the curriculum.
• Enlightenment thinkers and their influence: Montesquieu’s principle of separation of powers.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Hook: Who decides? Teacher displays three scenarios from the introduction and hook slides: a class choosing a trip, a monarch making a national decision, and a dictator controlling a country. Students silently answer: “Who has power here, and what makes their decision legitimate?” They compare answers with a partner, then share contrasting ideas.

2. 7–17 min · Build the vocabulary. Teacher introduces the six key terms on the vocabulary slides, using accessible examples and clarifying that power means the ability to influence people or decisions; government is the institution that makes and enforces collective decisions; citizenship concerns membership, rights and responsibilities; democracy involves participation and public decision-making; an ideology is a set of ideas about how society should be organised; and a political system is the way power and decision-making are arranged. Students record a brief definition and one example for each term on the politics vocabulary and classification worksheet.

3. 17–27 min · Government or ideology? Teacher explicitly models the difference between a form of government and an ideology. Explain that democracy, monarchy and dictatorship describe ways political power may be organised, while liberalism, socialism and communism are sets of beliefs about society, rights, equality, property and the role of government. Introduce Montesquieu’s idea that power should be separated between branches so that no single person or group can control everything. Students use a two-column table on the politics vocabulary and classification worksheet to sort the six terms and add a reason.

4. 27–43 min · Collaborative classification. Teacher places students in five groups of five and gives each group the classification task on the politics vocabulary and classification worksheet. Groups classify the six examples as either a form of government or an ideology, then create a continuum or diagram showing how power might be distributed. Students must agree on a definition-based reason, identify one possible misunderstanding, and prepare a 30-second explanation. Circulate and question: “What kind of claim is this term making—who governs, or how society should work?”

5. 43–52 min · Compare and challenge. Teacher uses the classification and discussion slides to reveal suggested classifications and pose: “Can an ideology exist under different forms of government?” and “Can a democracy still have unequal power?” Groups share one classification and defend it; classmates may respectfully challenge, revise or extend the explanation. Emphasise that labels can be contested and that real political systems may combine features.

6. 52–60 min · Inquiry launch and exit check. Teacher reveals the unit inquiry question on the plenary and inquiry-question slide: “Who should have power, and how should it be used?” Students complete the final section of the politics vocabulary and classification worksheet: define one term, explain the difference between a government form and an ideology, and write one related question they want investigated during the unit. Invite two or three students to read their questions.

Resources

• the Power, Politics and Participation introduction deck
• the politics vocabulary and classification worksheet
• Whiteboard or shared digital board
• Projector or interactive display
• Pens or pencils
• Five group workspaces
• Timer

Assessment

• Listen for accurate use of vocabulary during partner talk and group classification; note students who confuse government forms with ideologies.
• Check group explanations for a definition-based justification rather than simple agreement.
• Collect the worksheet exit responses to identify vocabulary gaps and student inquiry interests for lesson 2.

Differentiation

• Provide a vocabulary word bank, icons, partially completed definitions and sentence starters: “This is a form of government because…” and “This is an ideology because…”.
• Allow students to rehearse explanations orally before writing; pair students strategically and provide a quiet workspace or reduced writing load where needed.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach key words with examples, accept labelled diagrams and spoken responses, and check understanding without relying on abstract definitions alone.
• Extend confident students by asking them to explain how one ideology might influence policies in more than one political system, or to connect separation of powers with protection from the misuse of power.