Teaching Kids About Human Rights

This teaching resource can be used when looking at human rights with the students.

In this activity, the students are tasked with a jigsaw collaborative learning task. In groups, the class will deconstruct one of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child and then present a poster, flyer, fact sheet or digital presentation to the class.

1. Organize the class into groups of two or three (or whatever suits your cohort) so there are 10 groups.
2. Distribute the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child Flashcards, one for each group.
3. In their teams, the students are tasked with creating material which will be given to the rest of the class to teach them about their particular right.
4. To piece the jigsaw task together, as each group is presenting their children’s right, the rest of the class should take notes in their books.
5. Show the class the YouTube clip United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child. Discuss how the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child has progressed over the years to its present form, the Conventions of the Rights of the Child.
6. On the board, begin three mind maps with the central bubbles being Dignity, Equality and Respect. From what the students have learned, brainstorm what these words now mean to the class.

Exploring the Rights of the Child

As a follow-up activity, have the class look at the new simplified 42 articles of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Discuss the additions and changes and how they have improved upon the original 1924 document.