Homeschool Guide: These lesson plans are a guide for parents. Content may contain errors — always cross-reference with official exam board specifications.

legal problem questions

FoundationHigherAll Boards

4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.

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Lesson Overview

Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA

Learning Objectives

Prerequisites

Materials & Equipment

Lesson 1: Introduction: legal problem questions

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Write down everything you already know about legal problem questions. Then check against the key terms: key terms from legal problem questions. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: key terms from legal problem questions.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: legal problem questions. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Law because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look

Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: explain the key ideas of legal problem questions

Plenary (5 minutes)

Check Out

Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about legal problem questions.

Lesson 2: Core Concepts: legal problem questions

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Review Previous Lesson

Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on legal problem questions. Check them against the notes below.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Key Fact: Problem questions present a factual scenario and ask you to advise on the legal position — they test your ability to apply law to facts, not just recall legal rules
Key Fact: The ILAC method provides a clear structure: Issue (identify the legal question), Law (state the relevant legal rules), Application (apply the law to the facts), Conclusion (state the likely outcome)
Key Fact: Identify all the legal issues in the scenario — there are usually multiple issues, such as actus reus, mens rea and any defences in a criminal problem
Key Fact: State the law accurately — name the relevant statute or case, define the legal principle precisely and set out the elements that must be proved
Key Fact: Apply the law to the facts — use the specific details from the scenario to show how the legal rule would operate, explaining each step of your reasoning
Key Fact: Consider alternative arguments — acknowledge where the outcome is uncertain and explain what the prosecution or defence would argue

Practice (10 minutes)

Q: explain the key ideas of legal problem questions

Answer:

Plenary (5 minutes)

Explain Back

Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.

Lesson 3: Application: legal problem questions

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Recall the key terms: key terms from legal problem questions. Define each in one sentence.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.

Work through the practice questions on the revision notes page for this topic.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Error Review

Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.

Lesson 4: Exam Practice: legal problem questions

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Command Words

Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).

Main Content (35 minutes)

Extended Answer

Extended question: Full-Mark Response How should you apply the ILAC method to a criminal law scenario involving assault? (15 marks) <div class="

When applying ILAC to a criminal law assault scenario, begin by identifying the Issue: the question is whether the defendant is liable for assault (or battery, ABH, GBH depending on the scenario). Next, state the Law: define the offence precisely. For assault under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, the actus reus is an act which causes the victim to apprehend immediate unlawful violence, and the mens rea is intention or recklessness as to causing that apprehension. For battery, the actus reus is the application of unlawful force and the mens rea is intention or recklessness. Cite the relevant case law — for example, Fagan v MPC confirms that battery requires unlawful force, and R v Ireland establishes that psychiatric harm can amount to bodily harm. Then apply the law to the facts: use the specific details from the scenario. If the defendant raised their fist and moved towards the victim, explain that this constitutes the actus reus of assault because the victim would apprehend immediate unlawful violence. If the defendant claims they were joking, discuss whether the defendant had the mens rea — was it intentional or reckless? Apply R v Venna to explain that recklessness means the def

Exam Tips: Read the scenario at least twice — once to get the overall picture and once to identify each legal issue and relevant fact | Use the ILAC structure for each issue in the scenario — do not mix issues together | Always apply the law to the facts — this is where most marks are gained; stating the law alone is not enough | Acknowledge both sides where the outcome is uncertain — show the examiner you can argue from both the prosecution and defence perspectives | Underline key facts in the scenario as you read — these are the triggers for specific legal points
Common Errors: ✗ Stating the law without applying it to the scenario facts ✓ You must apply the law to the specific facts — for each legal rule, explain how it operates in the particular scenario you have been given ✗ Missing legal issues in the scenario ✓ Read the scenario carefully and identify every legal issue — there are usually multiple points to address, and missing one means losing marks ✗ Inventing facts that are not in the scenario ✓ Only use the facts given — do not add assumptions or new information. If a fact is unclear, acknowledge the ambiguity and explain how it might affect the outcome either way ✗ Giving a definite answer when the law is uncertain ✓ Use tentative language where the outcom
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
  • Synoptic links: explain how legal problem questions connects to another Law topic you have studied
  • Real-world: research one real-world use or example of legal problem questions
  • Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in legal problem questions?"

Plenary (5 minutes)

Assessment Criteria
  • Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
  • Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
  • Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2

Homework & Consolidation

Recommended Resources

🎓 Smart Lesson (Guided)