How to teach… democracy

Democracy is big news. Revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt earlier in the year saw long-serving oligarchs thrown out onto the street and sparked calls for political freedom in many more countries. Libya, where the rule of Colonel Gaddafi seemed rock solid, could well be the next to go.

It is a great opportunity to talk to children about democracy, but to the uninitiated, the complex histories of these countries can seem baffling.

On the Guardian Teacher Network, you can find now find a one-hour PowerPoint lesson, which can be used in classrooms and homes, to get children thinking about democracy.

The lesson outlines the developments of people power in the Arab world and explores definitions of democracy and different voting systems. Children are encouraged to think critically about Gaddafi's rule and to ask questions on controversial topics, such as who or what was responsible for the 1988 Lockerbie disaster, when a bomb exploded on a plane over southern Scotland, killing 270 people.

Although this is a citizenship lesson, it could be adapted for use in geography, history and RE. Children can get the inside track on different democratic processes through a role-play activity where they take the parts of victorious Libyan rebels looking at the future direction of their country. This challenges children to take bold decisions and to justify new laws and policies for a newly democratic country.