Laws, Rules and Customs
Worksheet 1
Conduct a class discussion to come up with a common set of class
notes which address the following questions:
1. What parts of our lives are controlled by laws, rules and
customs?
2. Why are laws, rules and customs important in society?
Example of a simple statement presented by the students:
Everything we do is controlled by laws, rules and customs. These
are important to prevent people from going crazy.
3. How would you describe a law?
Example of a simple statement presented by the students:
Law: Is made by the government and affects everybody in society.
For example: Do not kill other people.
4. How would you describe a rule?
Example of a simple statement presented by the students:
Rule: Made by a group and affects only people in that group. For
example: School rules, sports rules, family rules.
5. How would you describe a custom?
Example of a simple statement presented by the students:
Custom: A tradition that people follow in a particular society. For
example: Giving Easter eggs.
Laws, Rules and Customs
Worksheet 2
An example of the laws, rules and customs which students said
had affected them in their daily lives.
Laws
Rules
 Do not commit
murder.
 Do not steal.
 Do not drive
without a licence.
 No littering
allowed.
 Must wear clothes
in public.
 Must be 18 to be
in a pub after
midnight.
 Can’t watch R
rated movie if you
are under 18.
 Do not pass go,
do not collect
$200.
 Do not throw the
ball (handball
only).
 Must wear a
school uniform.
 Do not swear at
teachers.
 Make your bed.
 Must wear a suit
to a 'Black Tie'
function.
 All dogs must be
registered.
Customs
 Put a Christmas
tree up.
 Shake hands
when introduced
to someone.
 Give eggs at
Easter time.
 Bring teacher an
apple.
 Say 'excuse me'
after burping.
 Must be nice to
Mrs Harwood.
Laws, Rules and Customs
Worksheet 3
There are many laws that decide what we do and when we do it.
Simple things like putting on clothes are required by law. Going to
school, road rules, laws about marriages and juvenile laws are all
examples of laws.
Laws have been around for over 4000 years. Laws in ancient
civilisations were strict, usually resulting in physical punishments or
even death.
So why do we have all these laws and punishments? Without laws
there would be chaos. Imagine this class at its most crazy times;
this is nothing like what it would be like. There would be no way to
calm down some children or keep them quiet.
Obviously we need laws or we wouldn't have a side of the road to
drive on or people would not be educated.
 In the table below students had to decide whether they would
describe the following situations as legally wrong, morally wrong or
both. A tick in the appropriate location indicates their choice.
Crime
 Shop stealing.
 Stealing a loaf of bread for
a friend who is starving.
 Stealing prescription drugs
for a dying parent.
 Selling heroin to eightyear-olds.
 Killing someone.
 Killing someone who
threatens your life.
 Killing someone during
war.
 Killing Osama bin Laden.
 Killing a member of your
family who is in pain.
Legally
wrong
Morally
wrong