Citizenship and civil rights

How does power work in society? Who makes decisions at local and national level? The role of Parliament and local councils and what each can decide: spending public money (for example, on schools, roads); passing laws nationally (for example, banning guns) and locally (for example, no drinking alcohol in public places; where you cannot park your car).

What is democracy, and why were women keen to get the vote? Do women have equal rights today? Do some citizens have fewer rights than others? (Do young people get hassled? Do they deserve it?) What do people do when they have no rights? (French and American revolutions, riots, persuasion through posters and the press.) Posters and advertising

How does this poster try to persuade? Are you influenced by adverts? (Ask what brand of petrol pupils would buy if they had a car, and why: many will have been persuaded by adverts without knowing it.) Older posters are long-winded by today’s standards, so try making this one more snappy (like having just the nurse and the convict pictures with the slogan “Can vote, can’t vote. Why?”).Make a poster on an issue of today, perhaps on behalf of young people.

Ted Wragg is professor of education at Exeter University