Modern Protest Case Studies

Overview

This 30-minute lesson is lesson 4 of 6 in the "Protest and Ethics Exploration" unit for Year 8 students. It will focus on analysing contemporary protests such as climate change activism (e.g. Extinction Rebellion, Fridays for Future) and social justice movements (e.g. Black Lives Matter). Students will explore the motivations behind these protests and critically assess their ethical dimensions through guided case studies.

This lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for England’s Religious Education statutory framework (2013) focusing on key attainment targets:

• AT2: Understand and interpret the impact of beliefs on individuals, communities and societies.
• AT1: Investigate and explain religious and non-religious worldviews and their influence on ethical issues.
• Development of pupils’ personal, social and moral education within RE by reflecting on wider ethical questions.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Describe key features and motivations behind specific modern protests.
2. Identify ethical issues and questions raised by these protests.
3. Analyse how beliefs and values influence protestors’ actions.
4. Communicate reasoned viewpoints on the ethical implications of protests.

(National Curriculum Links: RE Attainment Target 1 & 2, PSHE objectives covering citizenship and moral reasoning)

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Success Criteria

• I can explain why people protest in modern movements.
• I can identify ethical questions linked to climate and social justice protests.
• I can explain how protesters’ beliefs and values shape their actions.
• I can express my own opinion about the ethics of protesting respectfully.

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Resources

• Printed case study handouts on:
  1. Climate Change Activism (e.g. Greta Thunberg and Fridays For Future)
  2. Social Justice Movements (e.g. Black Lives Matter)
• Whiteboard or flipchart
• Post-it notes and pens
• Projector (optional: for displaying images/videos)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

Activity: Quick Think-Pair-Share

• Question: "What do you already know about modern protests? Why do people take to the streets today?"
• Students jot down 2-3 ideas individually, then share with a partner.
• Whole class briefly feeds back; teacher notes key themes on the board (e.g. unfairness, climate crisis, racism).

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and stimulate engagement with contemporary issues.

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2. Introduction to Case Studies (5 minutes)

• Teacher gives a brief overview of 2 modern protests using images and bullet points:
  • Climate change activism: urgency for global action, youth involvement, civil disobedience.
  • Social justice protests: fighting racial inequality, peaceful marches, ethical debates about protest tactics.
• Explain lesson focus: exploring motivations and ethical questions through case studies.

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3. Group Case Study Analysis (15 minutes)

Activity:

• Students split into two mixed-ability groups (4 per group).
• Each group receives a detailed handout with a case study covering:
  • Background/context of the protest
  • Key individuals involved
  • Motivations and goals
  • Controversies or ethical dilemmas faced
• Groups answer guided questions:
  1. Why are the protestors motivated to act?
  2. What ethical questions arise from their methods or goals?
  3. How do beliefs or values underpin these protests?

Teacher role: Circulate, prompt deeper thinking, scaffold where necessary.

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4. Plenary and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Groups share key insights with the class (2 mins each).
• Teacher facilitates discussion on diversity of views, respectful disagreement, and ethical complexity.
• Final question for all: “Do you think these protests help society? Why or why not?”

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Differentiation Strategies

• Support:

  • Simplified case study versions with clear bullet points.
  • Visual prompts and sentence starters for guided questions.
  • Peer support and adult scaffolding during group work.

• Challenge:

  • Extension task: Write a short paragraph proposing their own idea for a protest on an ethical issue important to them, explaining motivation and ethical considerations.
  • Encourage use of RE vocabulary (e.g. conscience, justice, rights, responsibility).

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative assessment through observation of group discussions and reasoning during case study analysis.
• Use plenary contributions to assess understanding of ethical complexities and different perspectives.
• Success criteria checklist used by teacher during lesson.

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Extension Activity (optional/for homework)

• Research a recent protest movement not covered in class. Prepare a 3-minute presentation outlining its motivations, participants’ beliefs/values, and ethical issues involved. Present in next lesson.

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Reflection for Teachers

This lesson engages students directly with real-world ethical questions through an accessible, collaborative approach. It encourages critical thinking and empathy — key skills in RE and PSHE. The balance of structured group work and open discussion supports diverse learners effectively. Consider using multimedia next time for even greater impact.

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This lesson plan has been carefully crafted to support the development of RE key skills for Year 8 in line with the National Curriculum for England statutory requirements.