How can citizens and Parliament work together for a more sustainable future? (Unit of work)

How can citizens and Parliament work together for a more sustainable future?

About this unit of work

This unit of work explores sustainability, climate action, and democratic accountability, empowering students to understand their role as active citizens. Beginning with an overview of climate change students examine how individuals and communities can hold governments to account for environmental policies. They analyse real-world changemakers, investigate green crime and its legal consequences, and explore the role of law and Parliament in addressing sustainability challenges. 

The latter half of the unit deepens students’ understanding of lawmaking through a focus on the Education (Environment and Sustainable Citizenship) Bill. By tracing the journey of a Bill through Parliament and engaging in simulated debates, students refine their critical thinking, advocacy, and Private speaking skills. This hands-on approach helps them grasp the complexities of political decision-making while reinforcing the importance of informed, responsible action in tackling climate change. 

The unit supports and aligns with the Department for Education’s (DfE) Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy (S&CC Strategy) by embedding climate education within the Citizenship curriculum and promoting active civic engagement among students, and could be used to support its requirement for schools to develop and implement a Climate Action Plan.

National curriculum links

KS3: acquire a sound knowledge and understanding of how the United Kingdom is governed, its political system and how citizens participate actively in its democratic systems of government

KS4: parliamentary democracy and the key elements of the constitution of the United Kingdom, including the power of government, the role of citizens and Parliament in holding those in power to account, and the different roles of the executive, legislature and judiciary and a free press

KS4: the different ways in which a citizen can contribute to the improvement of his or her community, to include the opportunity to participate actively in community volunteering, as well as other forms of responsible activity

Citizenship skills
Critical thinking, active citizenship, representing your views to others, evaluation, Informing others’ opinions, collaborative working, making judgements, investigation, debating, advocacy

Citizenship concepts
Democracy and government, fairness and justice, rights, inequalities and participation, sustainability, law

Building progression
This unit of work is part of ACTʼs model core curriculum for Citizenship in secondary schools, which has been designed to develop and deepen studentsʼ knowledge, skills and understanding throughout Key Stages 3 and 4. Other units linked to this include:

Year 7: How do laws affect us?

Year 8: Who has the power to bring about change in our local communities?

Year 9: Community volunteers or social media influencers – who has most power and influence?

Year 10: How can I be a changemaker in my local community?

Year 10: What are the strengths and weakness of the UK as a parliamentary democracy?

This unit of work forms part of our model core curriculum which is exclusively available to School and College Members. Join as a School and College Member to access this complete collection of lesson plans, slides and support resources.