Overview

A unit for elementary and secondary students on the rights of young people around the world and what can be done to secure these rights.

Our primary goal is to foster student understanding of the nature of basic human rights and student appreciation of the importance of protecting these rights. We attempt to personalize the issue of human rights through use of real-life profiles of young people in various developing countries. Students are invited to translate the shortfalls in the quality of life of these young people into statements about the rights to which everyone is entitled. The resource also seeks to promote knowledge of the development efforts of Canadian NGOs and understanding of the complexities of undertaking development work that is effective, responsible and sustainable. To do this, students examine successful development projects and then assume the role of a development director in planning an aid project to secure the rights of one of the profiled young people. It is hoped that after the unit, students will be more disposed to support human rights and more knowledgeable about ways of doing this.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Guide to Lesson Format
Introduction to Critical Thinking
Overviews of Critical Challenges
Supplementary Resources
Curriculum Connections

Critical Challenges
1 Judging quality of life
2 Drawing the line on rights
3 Refining the class charter
4 Reporting on the status of rights
5 Getting the word out
6 Deciding who to support
7 Designing a development project

Blackline Masters
List of Blackline Masters