Human Rights
Standards
Materials
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/rights/50/decla.htm) (a copy for each student)
News Articles, Stories of human rights being both enforced and not enforced
- Examples include Iraq under Hussein, Recent events in Darfur and Tibet
Objectives
Students will
Develop a basic definition for human rights
break down the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (developed by the United Nations)
Look into the enforcement of human rights in the United States and world wide
Find and example of the (non)enforment of a right from this document
Write on a particular right of importance from this document (student choice)
Lesson Body
Students will first look at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights set out by the United Nations in 1948. These can be found at http://www.un.org/rights/50/decla.htm
In small groups, students will look through the thirty rights that are listed, picking out five which they think are really important. Each group, 4 or 5, will then present to the class the 5 rights that they believe are the most important to them and why. We will then cover, as a class, the whole list. If students don’t understand certain ones, we will break them down as a class and discuss what they mean.
The next step is to look at enforcement of human rights. Each country within the United Nations has been asked to sign and enforce the rights of this declaration. Within small groups, students will be asked if these rights are being enforced, and how these rights can be enforced in the United States and world wide. We will then come back together and discuss the issue as a whole class. As a whole class we will then break down which ones are easier to abide by and which ones are harder to enforce. Then I will introduce, either through readings, video, or pictures examples from around the world where human rights are or are not being enforced. Students should then be given a week (some class time, the week is outside of class time) to find an example and present it to the class.
As individuals, students will then be asked to pick one right from the list of human rights and write a short piece that covers why they picked it (why is it important), how it could/is be/ing enforced in the United States and worldwide, and if they believe whether or not it is being enforced (why).
Special Considerations
In many ways, this can be a touchy subject because human rights are not distant artifacts. There are people everywhere that do not have these rights, possibly including the children, and their families, in your class.
Assessment
Informal: Was involved in discussion, whether in small or large group, was able to bring in and present an example of the execution of a human right worldwide
Formal: Students writing on a human right of choice.
Materials
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/rights/50/decla.htm) (a copy for each student)
News Articles, Stories of human rights being both enforced and not enforced
- Examples include Iraq under Hussein, Recent events in Darfur and Tibet
Objectives
Students will
Develop a basic definition for human rights
break down the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (developed by the United Nations)
Look into the enforcement of human rights in the United States and world wide
Find and example of the (non)enforment of a right from this document
Write on a particular right of importance from this document (student choice)
Lesson Body
Students will first look at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights set out by the United Nations in 1948. These can be found at http://www.un.org/rights/50/decla.htm
In small groups, students will look through the thirty rights that are listed, picking out five which they think are really important. Each group, 4 or 5, will then present to the class the 5 rights that they believe are the most important to them and why. We will then cover, as a class, the whole list. If students don’t understand certain ones, we will break them down as a class and discuss what they mean.
The next step is to look at enforcement of human rights. Each country within the United Nations has been asked to sign and enforce the rights of this declaration. Within small groups, students will be asked if these rights are being enforced, and how these rights can be enforced in the United States and world wide. We will then come back together and discuss the issue as a whole class. As a whole class we will then break down which ones are easier to abide by and which ones are harder to enforce. Then I will introduce, either through readings, video, or pictures examples from around the world where human rights are or are not being enforced. Students should then be given a week (some class time, the week is outside of class time) to find an example and present it to the class.
As individuals, students will then be asked to pick one right from the list of human rights and write a short piece that covers why they picked it (why is it important), how it could/is be/ing enforced in the United States and worldwide, and if they believe whether or not it is being enforced (why).
Special Considerations
In many ways, this can be a touchy subject because human rights are not distant artifacts. There are people everywhere that do not have these rights, possibly including the children, and their families, in your class.
Assessment
Informal: Was involved in discussion, whether in small or large group, was able to bring in and present an example of the execution of a human right worldwide
Formal: Students writing on a human right of choice.