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Lesson Plans – Civil and Political Rights

The Interdependence of Rights
Source: Human Rights: Yes!, 2012
Explores the interdependence of rights using an Effects Cascade. This is Exercise #2 in Part IV, Section 2.
Grade Level: middle school – adult
Subject Area: social studies

Teaching Human Rights
Author: David Shiman
Publisher: Center for Teaching International Relations, 1993
The UDHR provides a useful framework for organizing this collection of curriculum activities on human rights. Can serve either as the core on human rights or a resource from which teachers can draw specific activities to integrate into existing curricula.
Price: About $30
Grade Level: middle – high school
Subject Area: social studies, government

Digital Rights
Source: HRE USA
Our understanding of the laws, rights, and responsibilities when we access and use the Internet have lagged behind the extreme pace of technological development. In this lesson, students will learn about the rights we have every time we use a digital device to post, communicate, click, and browse as well as the rights that young people and digital advocates are demanding be enacted into law in the United States. Students will also learn about our responsibilities as users of the Internet regarding the way we consume and share information and engage with others in online spaces. When we better understand our digital rights, we are empowered to be good digital citizens and insist that companies and the government develop technology in ethical and responsible ways.
Grade Level: high school
Subject Area: social studies

Freedom of Speech & Protest in Professional Sports
Source: HRE USA
Students are asked to step outside of their comfort zones, and analyze opposing perspectives to gain a deeper sense of truth and variance in regards to the Colin Kaepernick protests during the 2016-2017 NFL season. Students relate this to the U.S. Bill of Rights and infuse the UDHR to supplement the content.
Grade Level: middle school
Subject Area: social studies

Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Civic Action
Source: HRE USA
Through primary source texts, students will apply their understanding of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to human rights violations in postwar United States and learn about historical examples of nonviolent methods of action that individuals and groups used to address these human rights issues. Students will apply their learning of the UDHR, of the United States’ legal framework (i.e. U.S. Constitution), and of nonviolent methods of action to address a current human rights violation in the United States and to develop an action plan to address this human rights violation.
Grade Level: high school
Subject Area: social studies

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