Learning objects An introduction to human rights and responsibilities

TLF ID M021009

This is a unit of work for years 5 and 6 on human rights, the responsibilities that accompany them, and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The unit consists of two interactive lessons for students and a teacher lesson plan, also in two parts. The interactive lessons include quizzes, short answer and multiple choice questions, drag and drop responses, ‘think, discuss and share’ activities as well as charts and tables to complete. The teacher lesson plan contains a detailed discussion of the recommended pedagogical approach using the interactive whiteboard linking to the student interactive lessons. Available in both Word and PDF formats, the lesson plan also includes a glossary, recommended additional resources, suggested extension and homework activities, and teacher reference and information sheets.





Educational details

Educational value
  • This is an excellent resource for teaching/learning about human rights within both strands of the humanities and social sciences (HASS) curriculum in years 5 and 6. In the civics and citizenship element of the Knowledge and understanding strand it provides valuable support for the year 5 content description about the key values that underpin Australia's democracy. It is also of significant value for the year 6 content description that focuses on the shared values of Australian citizenship and the formal rights and responsibilities of Australian citizens.
  • The lessons also provide very useful opportunities for development of HASS skills within a civics and citizenship context. Activities such as the classroom charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are highly relevant for content descriptions that refer to working in groups to generate responses to issues and challenges, and using criteria to make decisions and judgements and considering advantages and disadvantages of preferring one decision over others.
  • The unit's 'Rights, needs and wants' table provides an excellent way of using the context of human rights to integrate the HASS elements of economics and business and civics and citizenship. This is an appropriate and ethical approach to the year 5 economics and business content description about the difference between needs and wants and why choices need to be made about how limited resources are used.
  • The interactive lessons are very likely to appeal to their intended student audience. The activities are appealing, the text is easily understood, and the simple feedback provided is age appropriate. The pedagogical approach and suggestions contained in the lesson plan are equally likely to appeal to teachers, while its advice on classroom environment is thoroughly in tune with the subject of human rights.
Year level

5; 6

Other details

Contributors
  • Contributor
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au/
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Organization: Australian Human Rights Commission
  • URL: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/
  • Publisher
  • Name: Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Organization: Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Description: Publisher
  • URL: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Unknown
Learning Resource Type
  • Interactive
  • Online
Rights
  • © Australian Human Rights Commission 2016. With the exception of the Australian Human Rights Commission logo, photographs and images, and any content provided by third parties, material presented in this publication is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence.