Civic Governance

Overview

In this lesson, students learn what civic governance means and how local councils help their community. They explore the idea of “people working together” to make decisions that affect local services.

Learning intentions

WALT: Explain what civic governance is and identify how a local council helps people in the local area.

Success criteria

• I can describe one function of local government.
• I can name one type of council decision (for example, parks, roads, or bins).
• I can match a council member role to a simple responsibility (for example, councillor or mayor).
• I can explain, with a partner, why community rules and decisions help everyone.

Curriculum links

• PSHE: Relationships and health education—respecting others and how communities keep people safe and supported.
• Citizenship focus in PSHE—making sense of the roles of local and national government and how they affect everyday life.
• Social responsibility—contributing to community life and understanding decision-making that affects others.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 5 min – Welcome and prior learning Recap “community connections and responsibilities” from lesson 1 using simple prompts: “Who helps in our community?” and “How can we be responsible?” Record key words (help, rules, fairness).

2. 10 min – Teach: what civic governance is Use a child-friendly, dyslexia-friendly explanation:

• Civic governance means how a town/area is run.
• Local government makes decisions to help people locally.
• Decisions are made by people elected to represent the community. Show a simple example: “Who decides about a new playground or fixing a broken road?”

3. 10 min – Council functions (interactive sorting) Give picture cards or teacher-written examples for sorting into three categories: “helps people”, “keeps things running”, “community improvements.” Examples: bins and recycling, parks, libraries, road safety, community events. Students choose one card and say one sentence: “This is a job of the council because it helps…”

4. 10 min – Roles of council members Introduce two simple roles with visuals:

• Councillors: represent people and vote on decisions.
• Mayor/Chair (if appropriate to your area): supports meetings and represents the council. Keep it concrete: “They talk, listen, and vote to decide what the community needs.”

5. 15 min – Partner discussion: “What would you ask the council?” Pair students (teacher-chosen pairs) to enhance understanding, as instructed. Provide sentence starters on a card:

• “I would ask the council to…”
• “Because it would help…”
• “One rule/decision could be…” Circulate with support prompts. Encourage calm turn-taking.

6. 7 min – Whole-class share and quick check Each pair shares one idea. Teacher reinforces correct PSHE/citizenship messages: decisions aim to help the community fairly and safely.

7. 3 min – Exit ticket Students answer verbally or with a picture/one-word response: “Name one function of local government.”

Resources

• Picture cards showing local services (bins/recycling, parks, roads, libraries)
• Role cards for councillors and mayor/chair
• Sentence starter cards for partner discussion
• Simple whiteboard visuals or flipchart with headings: “helps”, “keeps running”, “improves”
• Timer (visual) for partner discussion
• Option: mini “council meeting” props (e.g., voting cards: agree/disagree)
• Dyslexia-friendly printed handout with bullet points and large font
• Student notebooks or sheets for the exit ticket
• Teacher observation sheet for quick formative assessment

Assessment

• Formative: teacher listens during partner discussion and whole-class share for accurate functions of local government.
• Summative for this lesson: exit ticket—students name one function of local government.
• Targeted questioning: “Who makes the decision?” and “How does it help people?”

Differentiation

• Pairing strategy: teacher selects supportive pairs (as per your instruction) to ensure students can take turns and stay engaged.
• Support for attention needs: provide short, timed tasks (5–15 minutes) with clear start/finish cues; use visuals and minimal verbal overload.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: use bullet-point teacher handout; read key statements aloud; allow students to point instead of reading.
• Extension (light support for confident learners): ask them to add “Where I live” example (for example, “in our area, the council could…”).

Extension (optional)

• Advanced learners research a local council for 10–15 minutes at the end of the session (or as homework):
• Find one service the council provides in their area (e.g., parks, roads, recycling).
• Present it with a simple “card” or one-minute talk: “The council helps with… because…” Teacher provides a template with three prompts: Service, Who benefits, Simple reason.