You will learn
- Define constitution, statute, customary law, common law, amendment.
- Explain what constitutions do.
- Describe Sierra Leone’s sources of law.
- Explain qualities of good laws.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A constitution is the highest law.
- Statutes are made by the legislature.
- Customary and common law also apply.
- Good laws are public, fair and equally applied.
Words to know
the highest set of rules that sets up how a country is governed and protects rights
a law passed by a legislature, also called an Act
rules based on long-standing community customs
a formal change to a constitution or law
1. Discover: The rulebook of the country
Ms Smith holds up a copy of a made-up constitution. “It sets up the parliament, the president, the courts, and lists rights,” she says. “Sierra Leone’s present Constitution dates from 1991. Laws passed by Parliament are called Acts or statutes. Courts also apply common law, built from past decisions, and customary law, based on community traditions, where the Constitution allows. To be fair, laws must be published so people can read them, apply to everyone and be changed only by proper steps.”
Think: Why should a constitution be harder to change than an ordinary law?
2. Understand: Constitutions and laws
Idea 1: What a constitution does
A constitution is the highest set of rules for governing a country. It sets up institutions (legislature, executive, courts), divides and limits powers, and protects rights in a bill of rights. Most constitutions are written, while some countries, like the United Kingdom, rely on several documents and traditions.
Idea 2: Sources of law
In Sierra Leone, the main sources of law are the Constitution of 1991, statutes (Acts of Parliament), the common law inherited and developed by courts, and customary law applied in communities where permitted. The Constitution is supreme: other laws must be consistent with it.
Idea 3: Good laws and change
Good laws are public, clear, fair, equally applied and not retroactive. A constitution is usually harder to change than ordinary laws. An amendment often needs special majorities or a referendum. This protects stability and rights while allowing needed change.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Define
Constitution.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Highest rules for governing.
Example 2 (We do it together): Define
Statute.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: A law passed by the legislature.
Example 3 (You try): Name
The year of Sierra Leone’s present Constitution.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: 1991.
Did you know?
India’s constitution, in force since 1950, is one of the longest written constitutions in the world.
Why this matters
Constitutions and laws protect us and tell us what we can expect from government.
4. Explore: Rulebook design
In groups, draft a mini-constitution for a made-up school council: its name, powers, limits, two rights of members and how it can be changed. Present and compare with other groups.
- Plan.
- Draft.
- Present.
- Compare.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Clear limits protect everyone.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A constitution is ___.
- A statute is ___.
- Customary law is ___.
- An amendment is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is a constitution?
Highest rules.
Question 2. What is a statute?
Law passed by legislature.
Question 3. What is customary law?
Community custom rules.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is a constitution?
- What is a statute?
- What is customary law?
- What is an amendment?
- Name a source of law.
Level 2: Grow
- Why public laws?
- Why hard to change?
- Why equal?
Level 3: Stretch
- Plan the council.
- Draft rules.
- Present.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Explain two things a constitution does and why it is harder to change than ordinary law.
Show a sample answer
Sets up institutions and protects rights; stability.
Another one. With an adult, find one rule at home or school and think about whether it is public, fair and equal.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: It is the highest law.
Fix: They must be public.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can define constitution, statute, customary law, common law, amendment.
- I can explain what constitutions do.
- I can describe Sierra Leone’s sources of law.
- I can explain qualities of good laws.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- A constitution is the highest law.
- Statutes are made by the legislature.
- Customary and common law also apply.
- Good laws are public, fair and equally applied.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Separation of powers introduction. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Define constitution and statute. [2 marks]
- Name three sources of law in Sierra Leone. [3 marks]
- Explain why a constitution is harder to change. [3 marks]
- List two qualities of a good law. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Constitution [1]; statute [1]
- Three [3]
- Stability [1]; rights [1]; example [1]
- Two [2]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is a constitution?
- What is a statute?
- What is customary law?
- What is an amendment?
- Name a source of law.
- Why public laws?
- Why hard to change?
- Why equal?
- Plan the council.
- Draft rules.
Homework
Draw a rulebook.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is a constitution? | Highest rules. | 1 |
| 2. What is a statute? | Law passed by legislature. | 1 |
| 3. What is customary law? | Community custom rules. | 1 |
| 4. What is an amendment? | A formal change. | 1 |
| 5. Name a source of law. | Constitution. | 1 |
| 6. Why public laws? | Know the rules. | 1 |
| 7. Why hard to change? | Stability. | 1 |
| 8. Why equal? | Fairness. | 1 |
| 9. Plan the council. | Plan. | 1 |
| 10. Draft rules. | Draft. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Highest rules.; 2 Law passed by legislature.; 3 Community custom rules.; 4 A formal change.; 5 Constitution.. Level 2: 1 Know the rules.; 2 Stability.; 3 Fairness.. Level 3: 1 Plan.; 2 Draft.; 3 Present..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Define constitution, statute, customary law, common law, amendment | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Explain what constitutions do | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Describe Sierra Leone’s sources of law | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain qualities of good laws | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “A constitution is just a speech.” It is the highest law.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a laws chart.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child studies constitutions and laws. Please talk about fair rules. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Discuss fair rules.
- Read a rule together.
- Respect the law.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: define constitution, statute, customary law, common law, amendment; explain what constitutions do; describe Sierra Leone’s sources of law; explain qualities of good laws.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 5 ideas: purposes of government, levels of government, constitutions, lawmaking and elections.
Materials. Chart paper. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare templates.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the rulebook of the country story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach constitutions.
Guided activity (10 min). Rulebook design.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What do constitutions and laws do?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “A constitution is just a speech.” It is the highest law.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make a laws chart. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 6 Unit 5, topic 3; NCSS C3 Framework, civic and political institutions, processes, rules and laws; Cambridge Lower Secondary Humanities, government and citizenship; IB Primary Years Programme, how we organise ourselves. These sources informed the lesson.