Rights and Responsibilities

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson for Year 9 Social Sciences students, students will explore the rights and responsibilities of New Zealand citizens. They will develop an understanding of key civic concepts through discussion and research, then creatively consolidate their learning by designing an informative poster. This activity fosters critical thinking, digital literacy, and civic awareness aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum.

Curriculum Links

Social Sciences Learning Area — Level 4

Achievement Objective: Understand how people participate in and contribute to their communities and nation, including knowledge of rights, responsibilities, and government roles.
Social Sciences Key Concepts:
- Identity, culture, and organisation: Citizenship and civic responsibility in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Continuity and change: How rights and responsibilities shape communities.

Key Competencies

Participating and contributing: Engaging actively as citizens, understanding rights and responsibilities.
Thinking: Developing critical understanding of civic concepts.
Using language, symbols, and texts: Researching and representing ideas visually and textually.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Identify and describe key rights and responsibilities of New Zealand citizens.
Understand why these rights and responsibilities exist and how they affect everyday life.
Demonstrate their understanding by creating an informative and visually engaging poster.

Materials Needed

Chart paper or digital poster tools (e.g., Canva, Google Slides)
Markers, coloured pencils, or digital devices for poster creation
Copies of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 summary or simplified civic rights handout
Projector or whiteboard for class discussion
Worksheets or planning templates for poster content

Lesson Plan Outline

Time	Activity	Description
0–10 mins	Starter: KWL Chart	Begin with a KWL chart on "Rights and Responsibilities". Students share what they Know and Want to know about being a citizen in NZ.
10–20 mins	Teacher-led Discussion	Introduce the concept of citizenship, rights, and responsibilities in New Zealand. Highlight key rights (e.g., freedom of speech, voting) and responsibilities (e.g., obeying laws, paying taxes). Use visuals and real-life examples.
20–30 mins	Group Research Task	Divide the class into small groups. Each group is assigned a right or responsibility to research using provided materials or devices. They note key points for their poster.
30–50 mins	Poster Creation	Students individually or in pairs create a poster that highlights key rights and responsibilities, using their research and creativity. Encourage including definitions, examples, and illustrations.
50–55 mins	Gallery Walk	Display posters around the room. Students walk around, viewing and providing feedback on classmates’ posters using sticky notes or verbal comments, focusing on clarity and accuracy.
55–60 mins	Reflection and Wrap-up	Class discussion on what they learned and why understanding rights and responsibilities is important. Students complete the L (Learned) section of the KWL chart.

Differentiation

Provide simplified texts and sentence starters for EAL or students requiring additional support.
Allow use of digital tools for students with fine motor difficulties.
Challenge more able students to include how rights and responsibilities link to democratic participation or the Treaty of Waitangi principles.

Assessment

Formative: Monitor group discussions to check understanding of rights and responsibilities. Use the gallery walk feedback to assess comprehension and communication.

Summative: Evaluate posters using a rubric assessing:

Accuracy of information on rights and responsibilities.
Creativity and clarity of presentation.
Engagement with the theme of citizenship in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Teacher Notes

Emphasise the connection between personal rights/responsibilities and broader societal impacts.
Incorporate discussions about how Māori perspectives and Te Tiriti o Waitangi relate to citizenship where possible.
Use local examples or recent civic issues to make the topic relevant and engaging.

This lesson plan supports the New Zealand Curriculum's goal of developing confident, connected, actively involved, and lifelong learners who understand their role in society and government .

Teaching Instructions