Author(s): Amnesty International

Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VRL5sU
Indigo: http://bit.ly/2v4OhKd

Social Justice focus: Human Rights

Synopsis: Amnesty International produced this book to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The original 30 statements are simplified for children and each is accompanied by a colourful illustration. The principles have great relevance for everyday life, both on the individual and international scale.

Lesson Plan: Nadine Zahabi

Primary/Junior/Intermediate Lesson Plan (ABBREVIATED TEMPLATE)

Consecutive and Concurrent Programs

Unit/Topic: Introductory Lesson Human Rights via ‘We are all born free’

Grade: 6

Lesson: The focus of this lesson is for students to develop an understanding of human rights and the role it plays in their everyday life. Students will reflect on and the importance of having rights and what life may be like with the lack of rights.

Curriculum Areas:
Language arts: Reading/Writing/Oral Communication
Social Studies: Heritage & Identity: Communities in Canada Past & Present

Curriculum Expectations:

Social Studies
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS

1. Application: assess contributions to Canadian identity made by various groups and by various features of Canadian communities and regions (FOCUS ON: Cause and Consequence; Patterns and Trends)
2. Understanding Context: demonstrate an understanding of significant experiences of, and major changes and aspects of life in, various historical and contemporary communities in Canada (FOCUS ON: Significance; Continuity and Change)

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

• Understanding Context: A3.8 identify and describe fundamental elements of Canadian identity pg.123
• Application: Diversity, inclusiveness, and Canadian Identity: A1.3 explain how various groups have contributed to the goal of inclusiveness in Canada and assess the contribution of some of these features to Canada’s image and identity pg. 120

Language Arts

Oral Communication
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS

1. Listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes pg.108
2. Use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes; pg 108

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

• Active Listening Strategies 1.2 – demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by adapting active listening strategies to suit a variety of situations, including work in groups pg.108
• Interactive Strategies 2.2 – demonstrate an increasingly sophisticated understanding of appropriate speaking behaviour in a variety of situations, including paired sharing, dialogue, and small- and large-group discussions pg. 109

Reading
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS

1. Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning; pg 111

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

• Variety of Texts 1.1 – Read a wide variety of texts from diverse cultures, including literary texts, graphic texts and informational texts pg.111
• Making inferences/Interpreting Texts 1.5 – develop interpretations about texts using stated and implied ideas to support their interpretations pg 111

Writing

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS

1. Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience; pg 114

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

• Developing Ideas 1.2 – generate ideas about a potential topic and identify those most appropriate for the purpose pg. 114

Learning Goal(s):

• We are learning what ‘Human Rights’ are
• We can make connections between human rights and our everyday lives
• I can make use my strategies to help me understand a book (reading)
• We can participate and collaborate with our peers (Speaking)
• We can explain the role of human rights in our lives (Writing)

Success Criteria:

• I can actively participate in classroom and group discussions
• I will collaborate with a peer to write a paragraph about how Human Rights affect us
• I can effectively present my ideas to my peers.

MODIFICATIONS / ACCOMMODATIONS: How will I meet the needs of my students? Have I addressed any IEPs?

Possible modifications/accommodations are:

• Provide text digitally
• Provide text book to students
• Book is accompanied by pictures
• Student seating can be adjusted as required
• Students can work together or alone as required
• Student product can be adjusted based on varying student needs

Minds-on:

Minutes: 15 to 20 mins

Task:

• Show students the cover of the book ‘We are all Born Free’
• Have them make predictions about what the book is about
• Guide them to ‘Rights’ & ‘Human Rights’
• Reflect quickly on what a right is
• Read some or all (if time permits) of the rights with students

The educator will be facilitating the classroom discussion and later reading excerpts from the book and asking poignant critical literacy questions.

Students will be using reading strategies to inference and participate in classroom discussion.

Assessment: Assessment for learning – listen to conversations and communication between students.

Action:

Minutes: 30 to 35 mins

Task: Students: In a group of two students will select one of the rights discussed in the classroom. They will draw an image to represent this right and will explain in 1 to 2 sentences how this right affects them or why it is important. Students will then have a gallery walk in order to see what other students have drawn and why this particular right is important to them.

The educator will be observing and listening to group discussions to gauge depth of student understanding and participation.

Assessment: Assessment of learning- educator will be able to collect images/sentences for assessment.

Consolidation

Minutes: 5 Mins

Task: Students will write an exit card to show their learning. Possible Questions are ‘What have I learned about human rights?’, ‘How do human rights affect my life?’, ‘Do I believe everyone should have the same rights?’

The educator will circulate to ensure students understand the question and are on task.

Assessment: Assessment of learning – The educator can collect the exit cards for assessment.

MATERIALS: What resources and materials do I need? Where can I find them? In a perfect world what other resources might I need?

• We are all born free
• Smartboard
• Blank paper (Large chart paper or regular size printer paper)
• Writing/drawing implements
• Erasers
• Cut-out of each of the 30 articles of rights

REFLECTION: Questions to determine the success of your lesson:

• Were my students successful in meeting the learning goals and success criteria? How do I know?
• Did my instructional decisions meet the needs of all students? If not, what are my next steps?
• What worked well and why?
• What will I do differently in the future when teaching this lesson? For the subsequent lesson?
• What are the next steps for my professional learning?