Unit 2: Grades 6-8 Justice or Injustice?

Grade Level: 6-8 GradeGrade Level: 6-8 Grade Topic: Justice or InjusticeTopic: Justice or Injustice Unit Goal:Unit Goal: Students learn about human rights through a justice/injustice model that will bring students into their communities and communities into their classroom. Students learn about human rights through a justice/injustice model that will bring students into their communities and communities into their classroom.

Participate in a human rights discussionParticipate in a human rights discussion Define JusticeDefine Justice Discuss JusticeDiscuss Justice Investigate JusticeInvestigate Justice Make a Wisdom WallMake a Wisdom Wall Identify human rights issuesIdentify human rights issues Match the observed issues with the UDHRMatch the observed issues with the UDHR Select an issue on which to take actionSelect an issue on which to take action A. Observe and identify the human rights issue What is at the heart of this human rights issue?

Participate in storytellingParticipate in storytelling Review the interview protocolReview the interview protocol Use the interview toolsUse the interview tools Participate in the Image Theater activityParticipate in the Image Theater activity B. Describe and share human rights stories How have our ancestors worked to promote and protect this human right? Who within our schools, families, and communities promote and protect this human right?

Participate in small group discussions about the possible actions students could take in order to have a positive impact on their selected issue.Participate in small group discussions about the possible actions students could take in order to have a positive impact on their selected issue. C. Generate human rights responses and make predictions about their impact on the community What could we do? What will happen if we do that?

Utilize resources and take action on a human rights issue.Utilize resources and take action on a human rights issue. D. Select a human rights response and take action What is the best response or position?

E. Interview community members and collect information about the impact of your human rights action What happened when we took action? Whose lives did we impact? Use photography and video to document the actions.Use photography and video to document the actions.

F. Reflect and draw conclusions on what you have learned about promoting and protecting human rights What did we learn? Did our action have the intended impact? Answer the reflection questions in groups.Answer the reflection questions in groups.

G. Communicate and demonstrate your human rights learning How can we share what we learned within our schools, families, and communities? Demonstrate learning creatively.Demonstrate learning creatively. Make a Human Rights Booth.Make a Human Rights Booth.

Unit 4: Grades 9-12 Human Migration

Grade Level: 9-12Grade Level: 9-12 Topic: US HistoryTopic: US History Unit Goal: Students compare a human rights-related era or event in US history to a similar current issue and develop a response.Unit Goal: Students compare a human rights-related era or event in US history to a similar current issue and develop a response.

Select an era or event in history for study.Select an era or event in history for study. Read the related text/background information.Read the related text/background information. Start a reflection journal documenting perceived acts of justice or injustice done to various groups of people or individuals during this era or event.Start a reflection journal documenting perceived acts of justice or injustice done to various groups of people or individuals during this era or event. Read the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) and match them to the identified justices/injustices.Read the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) and match them to the identified justices/injustices. A. Observe and identify the human rights issue What is at the heart of this human rights issue?

B. Describe and share human rights stories How have our ancestors worked to promote and protect this human right? Who within our schools, families, and communities promote and protect this human right? Conduct and in-depth study of the era or event and continue to identify human rights issues.Conduct and in-depth study of the era or event and continue to identify human rights issues. Summarize information from the in-depth study using a mind map or web.Summarize information from the in-depth study using a mind map or web. Select significant injustices form the era and identify those that are named in the UDHR articles.Select significant injustices form the era and identify those that are named in the UDHR articles. Form groups and created a “common” story of the era or event by comparing the mind maps or webs.Form groups and created a “common” story of the era or event by comparing the mind maps or webs.

B. Describe and share human rights stories How have our ancestors worked to promote and protect this human right? Who within our schools, families, and communities promote and protect this human right? Tell the common stories to the class. Students should explain at least one human rights issueTell the common stories to the class. Students should explain at least one human rights issue Select a similar current event to research and compare to the historical event or era suing a Venn diagram.Select a similar current event to research and compare to the historical event or era suing a Venn diagram. Survey some community viewpoints of the current issue and compile them into a survey response matrix.Survey some community viewpoints of the current issue and compile them into a survey response matrix.

C. Generate human rights responses and make predictions about their impact on the community What could we do? What will happen if we do that? Compare the UDHR, MHRA, and U.S. Bill of Rights.Compare the UDHR, MHRA, and U.S. Bill of Rights. Compare the survey response matrix to the Venn diagram of the UDHR, MHRA, and identify the significant justices/injustices.Compare the survey response matrix to the Venn diagram of the UDHR, MHRA, and identify the significant justices/injustices. Make predictions about the possible outcomes of the current issue based on the historical era or event.Make predictions about the possible outcomes of the current issue based on the historical era or event. Brainstorm possible actions to take that would help to change the current injustice or support the current act of justice and possible outcomes of those actionsBrainstorm possible actions to take that would help to change the current injustice or support the current act of justice and possible outcomes of those actions

D. Select a human rights response and take action What is the best response or position? Select two actions and create a flow chart for each to share with another group for feedback.Select two actions and create a flow chart for each to share with another group for feedback. Select the best action based on the feedback and develop an action plan.Select the best action based on the feedback and develop an action plan. Put the human rights response into action.Put the human rights response into action.

E. Interview community members and collect information about the impact of your human rights action What happened when we took action? Whose lives did we impact? Determine what information to record, and how to record it, to document the action and their outcomes.Determine what information to record, and how to record it, to document the action and their outcomes.

F. Reflect and draw conclusions on what you have learned about promoting and protecting human rights What did we learn? Did our action have the intended impact? Determine how the action and its outcomes can best be summarized.Determine how the action and its outcomes can best be summarized. Present a draft of the conclusion to another group for feedback.Present a draft of the conclusion to another group for feedback.

G. Communicate and demonstrate your human rights learning How can we share what we learned within our schools, families, and communities? Design ways to demonstrate learning in a school-wide and/or community event.Design ways to demonstrate learning in a school-wide and/or community event.