Lesson Plans by Concept: Sovereignty

Sovereignty — the right of a state to govern itself — is one of the most contested ideas in global politics. These lessons examine territorial disputes, international law, humanitarian intervention, and the tensions between national authority and global governance, connecting abstract political theory to the real events shaping the world today. Check out the video below for an overview of the concept of sovereignty.

21 lessons

  • New
    Peace & Conflict

    How Have Nuclear Weapons Shaped the War in Ukraine?

    No nuclear weapon has been fired in the war in Ukraine, yet nuclear weapons have shaped it throughout. Students explore deterrence, Russian and US nuclear policy, the Budapest…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 7
  • New
    Media & Technology

    Ukraine Data Centre Strikes

    Ukraine's strikes on Russian data centres in October 2026 disrupted Yandex services and coincided with a sharp drop in bot traffic from Yandex's network. In this current events…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 6
  • Peace & Conflict

    USA and Denmark Agree to Greenland Deal

    Greenland has a population of only 57,000 but has been at the centre of a major security debate for the last few years. This lesson uses the US-Denmark-Greenland…

  • Economics & Development

    Is Canada Joining the EU?

    The EU has invited Canada to become its first "associate member", a status that doesn't exist yet. This lesson uses that offer to ask what a country actually…

  • Free lesson
    Peace & Conflict

    Ukraine Resists Russian Invasion

    Experts expected Ukraine and its capital, Kyiv, to fall within days. It didn't. This lesson examines the different explanations for Ukraine's defense and asks how much of Ukraine's…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 3
  • Peace & Conflict

    Mecca Joint Defense Agreement

    Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed a defence pact stating that an attack on one is an attack on all. A three-level lesson on why states pool…

  • Economics & Development

    USA – Canada Trade War

    Hours before a midnight tariff deadline, Canada suspended trade negotiations with the United States and 50% tariffs took effect. Both governments blame the other. This lesson uses the…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Background to the Ukraine War

    How did the largest war in Europe since 1945 begin? Students trace Ukraine's path from independence to invasion, touching on the Budapest Memorandum, NATO expansion, Euromaidan, Crimea, and…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 1
  • Peace & Conflict

    Iran War Deal in Jeopardy

    A ceasefire deal was signed, then the two sides sat down to negotiate peace while openly threatening each other with force, and disagreed over whether a core promise…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Comparing Independence Movements

    Four regions, one question: who gets to decide whether part of a country can leave? Students examine Scotland, Catalonia, Quebec, and Alberta to understand why independence movements arise,…

  • Democracy & Elections

    How democratic is your country? – EIU Democracy Index

    After eight years of decline, global democracy scores stabilised in 2025 – but what does that actually mean? This differentiated lesson for grades 6-12 uses the EIU Democracy…

  • Environment & Sustainability

    Canada Pipeline Debate 2026

    When environmental and economic security collide, whose definition wins? This lesson uses Canada's 2026 pipeline debates (Coastal GasLink, the Alberta-BC crude pipeline, and the Bridger expansion) to teach…

  • Environment & Sustainability

    High Seas Treaty

    The High Seas Treaty is now law, but who's actually responsible for enforcing it? A three-level lesson exploring ocean governance, sovereignty, and what international agreements can (and can't)…

  • Economics & Development

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Quits OPEC

    Should countries stay in organizations even if they feel the rules aren't fair? The UAE just walked away from OPEC after nearly 60 years. This lesson uses that…

  • Rights & Justice

    EU vs. Hungary’s Anti-LGBTQ Law

    The EU's top court ordered Hungary to scrap its anti-LGBTQ+ law. Can the EU actually enforce it? A lesson in three reading levels on rights, sovereignty, and supranational…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Hungary Election 2026

    Hungary's 2026 election ended 16 years of Orbán's rule in a historic landslide. Three differentiated readings explore legitimacy, power, sovereignty and what truly makes an election democratic.

  • Free lesson
    Media & Technology

    Artemis Space Program

    Who goes to the Moon, and who makes the rules when they get there? This lesson uses the Artemis II launch to explore nationalism, sovereignty, and global governance…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Strait of Hormuz Crisis

    Iran's declaration that the Strait of Hormuz is closed has triggered an energy crisis felt from the Persian Gulf to Southeast Asia and Europe. This three-level lesson (Grades…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Elbows Up, Canada

    When the U.S. threatened tariffs and annexation in 2025, Canadians responded with rallies, boycotts, and a hockey phrase that went global. Explore nationalism and sovereignty through three differentiated…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Thailand Election and Constitutional Referendum

    Thailand voted yes to a new constitution — but does a yes vote mean the people are truly in charge? A differentiated lesson on sovereignty and legitimacy for…

  • Peace & Conflict

    The Capture of Nicolas Maduro

    Council on Foreign Relations – Maduro's Capture and International Law: The Noriega Precedent