"Conversations about important things" on December 15 — topic and program of the lesson

On Monday, December 15, another lesson from the series "Conversations about important things" will take place in Russian schools and colleges. It will be dedicated to the Constitution of Russia. During the lesson, they will talk about the rights and duties of a citizen, as well as the importance of respecting the laws of the state. Izvestia tells us how the lesson will go in different classes.

"Talking about important things" on December 15 — the topic of the lesson

The next lesson of the cycle is timed to coincide with one of Russia's key public holidays, Constitution Day, which was celebrated on December 12. This day serves as a reminder of the fundamental principles on which the Russian state and society are built: the rule of law, democracy and justice.

The Constitution, adopted in 1993, is the core of the country's entire legal system. It has the highest legal force. All laws passed in Russia should not contradict it. It is on a copy of the Constitution that the President of the Russian Federation takes the oath of office during his inauguration, which symbolizes the inextricable link between the highest state authority and the main law of the country.

However, the Constitution is not a dry legal document. It establishes the foundations of the constitutional order, the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, the federal structure, as well as the system of state power. It also defines the national symbols of the country — the coat of arms, the flag and the anthem. The most important principle spelled out in the basic law is the equality of all citizens before the law and the courts. This means that every person has a set of inalienable rights from birth: freedom, personal integrity, education, medical care and work.

At the same time, the Constitution imposes duties on citizens, such as protecting the Fatherland, paying taxes, preserving nature and historical and cultural heritage. December 15 lesson — "Law and Justice. On the Day of the Constitution of the Russian Federation" is aimed at forming among schoolchildren a deep understanding of the role of the Constitution as a living document that directly affects our daily lives, ensures stability and law and order in society.

Elina Sidorenko, Professor at MGIMO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, member of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights (HRC) under the President of Russia, will tell students about what laws exist today and how they affect the lives of citizens. She will join the lesson in a video interview format.

The lesson will take the form of an educational conversation. The lesson includes watching videos and performing interactive tasks to help students better understand the topic and convey to students the essence of constitutional principles and their relationship to the concept of justice. The recommended duration of the lesson is 30 minutes. Methodological materials and recommendations for teachers are published on the project's website.

December 12 — Constitution Day of Russia: history and traditions of the holiday

"Conversations about important things" December 15 — lesson program

For students in grades 1-4, the lesson will begin with watching a fragment of the cartoon "Cipollino". Using the example of the actions of Signor Tomato, who tried to oppress and exploit other characters, younger schoolchildren will discuss in a dialogue with a teacher why norms should be uniform and fair for everyone. They will reflect on the emotions that injustice causes and how to react to it. In the practical part, the students will complete the task "Fair or not?", where they will evaluate various situations and answer the question: why friendship and communication are impossible without fair and honest treatment.

In grades 5-7, the focus will shift to the relationship between rights and responsibilities. Students will examine the allegory of "fair weights" and discuss what life would be like in a society without clear rules. The key thesis that they will learn is that knowledge of the laws is a citizen's duty, which is needed not to complicate life, but to protect their own rights and respect the rights of others. In the practical task, students will be asked to continue the phrases, determining which right the heroes of famous fairy tales have realized, for example, the Frog traveler (the right to free movement) or Pinocchio (the right to education).

Students of grades 8-9 will embark on a historical excursion to see the origins of the Russian legal tradition. During the lesson, they will discuss the first written code of laws of Russia — the Russian Truth, which laid down the principles of justice, as well as the Cathedral Code of the 17th century. Special attention will be paid to the historic step towards equality — the abolition of serfdom in 1861. By completing the interactive task "Development of law in Russia", students will consolidate the chronology of key legal reforms. In addition, they will learn about the Constitutional Court, the country's highest judicial body, and how modern technologies, in particular artificial intelligence, are used in law enforcement practice.

A practical assignment "Time Machine" is provided for students in grades 10-11 and college students. Students will analyze different historical eras, identifying the most valuable and most unfair things in the situation of people of that time. This will allow us to clearly see the evolution of law in Russia — from estate law, which protects the interests of individual estates, to the constitutional principle of equality of all citizens before the law. Students will also have to complete an interactive task that will test their understanding of modern legal realities and the role of the Constitution.

December 12 — Constitution Day of Russia: What secrets does the main law keep?

Thus, as a result of the lesson, students will come to the conclusion that respect for the law and the Constitution is the basis of civic maturity, and legal literacy is the key to both personal well—being and the stable development of the entire state.

"Conversations about important things" on December 15 — about the project

"Conversations about important Things" is a series of extracurricular activities for schoolchildren and college students dedicated to the history, culture, geography of Russia, as well as topical topics of school life. The project was initiated by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation and launched in September 2022.

Classes are held on Mondays in all educational institutions of the country. The previous lesson took place on December 8 and was dedicated to the Heroes of the Fatherland Day. During the conversation, the students discussed the concept of heroism, got acquainted with the stories of exploits and talked about how the memory of heroes is preserved in modern society.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.