Lesson One - What Are Human Rights, and Who Cares?
1) Individually, students will generate words and phrases that explain what the phrase human rights means. These will be typed into Wordle (wordle.org), to create a word cloud graphic. Words and phrases used most frequently will appear bigger than words and phrases used less frequently. This graphic will be compared with one students will create at the end of the unit. Changing perceptions and learning will be evident through the differences in the two graphics. Additionally, students will write their own definition of human rights.
2) In groups, students will share their responses and decide on one definition of human rights. The definition will be shared with the class by a group speaker using an led projector.
3) View the 9:31 minute video, "The Story of Human Rights." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh3BbLk5UIQ or at this website's Human Rights page.
4) Small student groups are asked to think of people or events that advanced, or improved human rights in some way. These people or events may be past or present.
5) As a whole class, generate a list. Some examples are: Martin Luther King, Jr., Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Jefferson, Constantine, William Wilberforce, Akbar, Isaac Newton, Joan of Arc, Princess Diana, Rosa Parks, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. Allow all reasonable suggestions to remain on the list. Some notable people who changed the world did not have a positive impact on human rights and should not be included on the list. Adolph Hitler is an example. Later, students will evaluate the selections and many will be discarded. Demonstrate how to find lesser-known individuals who made a positive impact. Google, related articles, key word searches.
6) Show excerpts from the History Channel DVD, "King." This accesses prior knowledge and addresses the equality aspect of the human rights arena. Students will respond to the DVD by plotting events in King's life that led to improved human rights on a timeline. This will be the ticket out the door.
2) In groups, students will share their responses and decide on one definition of human rights. The definition will be shared with the class by a group speaker using an led projector.
3) View the 9:31 minute video, "The Story of Human Rights." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh3BbLk5UIQ or at this website's Human Rights page.
4) Small student groups are asked to think of people or events that advanced, or improved human rights in some way. These people or events may be past or present.
5) As a whole class, generate a list. Some examples are: Martin Luther King, Jr., Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Jefferson, Constantine, William Wilberforce, Akbar, Isaac Newton, Joan of Arc, Princess Diana, Rosa Parks, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. Allow all reasonable suggestions to remain on the list. Some notable people who changed the world did not have a positive impact on human rights and should not be included on the list. Adolph Hitler is an example. Later, students will evaluate the selections and many will be discarded. Demonstrate how to find lesser-known individuals who made a positive impact. Google, related articles, key word searches.
6) Show excerpts from the History Channel DVD, "King." This accesses prior knowledge and addresses the equality aspect of the human rights arena. Students will respond to the DVD by plotting events in King's life that led to improved human rights on a timeline. This will be the ticket out the door.
Lesson Two - Describing the Project Goal
The teacher describes the project goal. Student groups will research, select, and nominate an individual or event that is historically significant for improving human rights.
1) Individual students will complete the Research Article Report worksheet for the person they believe is historically significant in the area of human rights advancement. Student must read and analyze at least three articles.
2) Individuals will plot seven events from the life of the nominee on the timeline worksheet. See Worksheets page on this website.
Class groups will present their nominees to one another and to a class from another country with whom they will collaboate via online blogs and emails.
Using the student timelines from the previous lesson, the teacher will model the evaluation of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a nominee in the class project of creating a memorial for a historically significant person or event in the area of the advancement of human rights.
1) Individual students will complete the Research Article Report worksheet for the person they believe is historically significant in the area of human rights advancement. Student must read and analyze at least three articles.
2) Individuals will plot seven events from the life of the nominee on the timeline worksheet. See Worksheets page on this website.
Class groups will present their nominees to one another and to a class from another country with whom they will collaboate via online blogs and emails.
Using the student timelines from the previous lesson, the teacher will model the evaluation of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a nominee in the class project of creating a memorial for a historically significant person or event in the area of the advancement of human rights.