Teaching Human Rights Through Thematic Instruction
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Teaching Human Rights Using Thematic Instruction Annie McMahon Whitlock University of Michigan-Flint Michigan Joint Council for Social Studies Conference November 7, 2014
Transcript of Teaching Human Rights Through Thematic Instruction
Teaching Human Rights Using Thematic
InstructionAnnie McMahon Whitlock
University of Michigan-FlintMichigan Joint Council for Social Studies Conference
November 7, 2014
What are “human rights?”
“Human rights serve as the moral and legal framework to prevent conflict and ensure the fair treatment of all peoples” (Myers, 2010).
Guarantees basic rights for people regardless of their national citizenship
Human rights are the framework for global citizenship
Human Rights Education (HRE)
The United Nations defined goals for HRE in 1998: develop students’ respect for others’
human rights help students promote tolerance help students participate in a “free,
democratic society,” work for peace and social justice
HRE in State Standards
HRE in the United States has been traditionally national and not global GLCEs focus on the Constitution and the
Bill of Rights Elementary social studies is taught
using the “expanding communities” approach The GLCEs don’t introduce global issues
until 6th grade The C3 Framework doesn’t reference human
rights within their standards
How Can We Teach Human Rights?
Social justice programs Rethinking Schools Amnesty International
BUT… there’s no time!
Thematic Instruction
THEME
ELA
Math
SS
Themes Themes need to be relevant to students Themes need to be based on big ideas,
not trivial topics “Conflict and Resolution” not “Penguins”
(Shanahan, Robinson, & Schneider, 1995) Human Rights can be a broad, meaningful
topic for students
Lynn Rey’s 5th grade
Lynn used human rights as an overall theme for her instruction
She was inspired by how her students reacted to wanting to know more about the Holocaust after reading a biography of Anne Frank
Human rights became the anchor for how she taught ELA, math, and social studies
ELA
Students were given access to literature and non-fiction related to human rights
Students participated in book clubs using novels with a human rights theme
Lynn read Wonder out loud to students Students practiced close reading with biographies Writing prompts related to videos from the Youth
for Human Rights website
Math & Social Studies
Students started social businesses as part of a large economics project
Groups of 5 created products that would address a community need
As a class, the students chose to develop products to raise awareness of child abuse & neglect Groups made products that kids would like
and that were blue (the color of child abuse awareness)
Math & Social Studies
Students learned economic concepts through running their businesses Revenue, cost, profit, loans, interest
They practiced math skills while calculating revenue, cost, and profit after each day of selling products at lunch Counting money, place value Adding and subtracting decimals
Social Studies Students worked with the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights document to understand what human rights were
They closely read the document, discussed new vocabulary, and rephrased certain articles in their own words
UDHR Activity Everyone take an article from the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights On your paper, summarize the article in
your own words and draw a picture to represent it
Be ready to share yours
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Full text on this website: www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
They also have a kid-friendly version to share with students in place of this activity, or to read afterward http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/humanrig
hts/resources/plain.asp
How Did HRE Benefit Students?
Students were more aware of global problems at the end of the unit They were unable to describe “community
problems” before the unit After, they discussed what they had seen
in videos, what they read in the UDHR prompt– without prompting
Local as well– their businesses helped raise $800 toward the construction of a youth homeless shelter
What Did They Learn?
Time for writing was increased thanks to tasks beyond the writing prompts: reflecting on their businesses writing questions for guest speakers writing a presentation to give to the school
Students read complex texts that broadened their world view Lynn reported gains on reading comprehension
and fluency DIBELS tests during the unit Constant, daily practice with math skills
Other Benefits & Questions
Teaching about global human rights can lead into a better understanding of U.S. Constitutional Rights
Opportunity for service learning and community engagement
Can learning about human rights make students more empathetic? Help them engage in social justice work on their own? Treat their classmates better?
ResourcesResource list featured the classroom books that were used, websites, and professional
articlesFeel free to browse books here
Questions?
Contact InformationAnnie McMahon Whitlock
Assistant Professor of Elementary Education
Elementary Education Program Coordinator
University of Michigan-Flint
Twitter: @AnnieWhitlock
SCECH #: AB30
