The first task links to the SQA Course Assessment Specification (CAS): Constitutional arrangements - the origins and development of the constitutional arrangements.

Download the pdf above that outlines this first short independent research task on six key historic documents that make up the UK Constitution.

Hyperlinks are provided in the pdf - just click through to help get you started.

You may wish to make your notes in a different format, but please use the pdf as a guide to help you structure your ideas.

You should expect to spend approximately 40 minutes on this task.

This task links to the SQA Course Assessment Specification (CAS): Constitutional arrangements - the origins and development of the constitutional arrangements.

Download the pdf above entitled, 'Chapter 3 'UK Government and Politics' from this book. You should read pages 44-49 to help you with this task.

You should also download the pdf above entitled, ‘Questions on the Sources of UK Constitution’ and attempt the questions provided.

You should expect to spend approximately 30 minutes on this task.

This task links to the SQA Course Assessment Specification (CAS):  Constitutional arrangements - key underlying principles.

This task requires independent reading from pages 41-44 from the pdf chapter above.

The text relates to the principles underpinning the UK Constitution. You may find this Prezi presentation useful.

You should now attempt this quiz based on your reading.

You should expect to spend approximately 20 minutes on this task.

This task links to the SQA Course Assessment Specification (CAS): Constitutional Arrangements - the type and nature of the constitutional approach, key underlying principles & the origins and development of the constitutional arrangements.

Read the pdf above entitled, ‘Federal and Unitary States – Britannica Online Encyclopaedia' with the purpose of identifying the key differences between the two types of state and the impact on constitutional arrangements.

You can make your own notes, or make them online using Canva. Accounts are free. If using Canva, search for the template ‘Idea Book Brainstorm’ and add in the main features of Federal and Unitary states by editing the brainstorming template.

You should expect to spend 45 minutes on this task.

This task links to the SQA Course Assessment Specification (CAS): Constitutional Arrangements - the flexibility and adaptability in each system.

Consult the pdf above entitled, ‘Constitutional Amendments LSE Article’ and answer the following questions:

1. According to Prof. Cram, how easy is it to make constitutional amendments in the UK?
2. What benefits might this bring?
3. What does the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, 2011, reveal about the ability and ease with which constitutional change may occur in the UK?

You should expect to spend approximately 30 minutes on this task.

This task links to the SQA Course Assessment Specification (CAS): Constitutional Arrangements - the flexibility and adaptability in each system.

Access the pdf above entitled, ‘Constitutional Reform Research Task’ and carry out some independent research into the seven examples provided.

Hyperlinks are included as a prompt to get you started. 

You may wish to make your notes in a different format, but please use the pdf as a guide to help you structure your ideas.

You should expect to spend 45 minutes on this task.

This task links to the Course Assessment Specification (CAS) - Constitutional arrangements - the position of the judiciary and the role of the constitution in safeguarding individual rights

Read the pdf entitled, ‘Democratic Audit analysis’ attached above and identify examples of instances where the UK constitution has protected individual rights or has had limited impact in protecting individual rights.

Relevant case studies and/or examples should be noted - you can find many relevant case studies to use as examples in the document entitle, 'Protection of rights UK Constitution' attached to the top of this post. You can use canva again to create engaging notes. You could search for ‘infographics’, ‘book report’, ‘presentations’ etc to create notes in a format that suits the individual. 

You can upload your work to the student folder.

This task links to the SQA Course Assessment Specification (CAS): Constitutional Arrangements -  the origins and development of the constitutional arrangements, key underlying principles, the flexibility and adaptability in each system, the position of the judiciary and the role of the constitution in safeguarding individual rights.

Read pages 57-60 from the pdf entitled 'Chapter 3 'UK Government and Politics' as a prompt.

A poster is available should the debate need to be promoted in school.

This can be found in the pdf entitled, ‘Debate poster’. 

All of the tasks lead to this final discussion on the UK Constitution.

If you are unable to conduct a debate in school, please feel free to add your view in the comments below...

This first task on the US Constitution links to the Course Assessment Specification (CAS): Constitutional arrangements - the origins and development of the constitutional arrangements.

Watch the short video above and attempt the following short quiz that follows. 

You can access the full US Constitution document here.

This task links to the Course Assessment Specification (CAS): Constitutional arrangements - the flexibility and adaptability in each system.

Watch the short Ted-Ed video above by Peter Paccone, entitled, ‘Why is the US Constitution so hard to amend’.

Once you have watched the video, you should attempt this short quiz.