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Understanding Human Rights

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Understanding Human Rights

Part 1: Unfair Rules (10 minutes)

Read the rules below.

1. Only students wearing blue may sit on a chair.
2. Students whose names begin with a vowel may not speak.
3. Only the oldest student may use a pen.
4. Students wearing sports shoes may leave the room first.
5. Some students may complete less work because of their birthday month.

1. Are these rules fair or unfair? Explain why.
2. How might you feel if these rules were used in your classroom?
3. Why do people need agreed rules and rights?

Key Idea

Human rights are basic freedoms and protections that every person should have. They help make sure people are treated fairly, safely and with dignity.

Write the definition in your own words: A human right is:

Part 2: The Three Kete of Rights (15 minutes)

Human rights can be grouped into three simple kete:

Kete 1: Identity and Fairness — rights to be treated equally, to have a name, to follow beliefs.
Kete 2: Safety and Freedom — rights to feel safe, be free from violence, speak your opinion.
Kete 3: Community and Wellbeing — rights to education, food, healthcare, culture and rest.

4. Choose the most important right from each kete for students at your school. For each write the right and why it matters.
Identity and Fairness — Right I Chose:
Why is it important?
Safety and Freedom — Right I Chose:
Why is it important?
Community and Wellbeing — Right I Chose:
Why is it important?
5. Think further: Which of your three rights is the most important? Explain your choice.

Part 3 & Part 4: Rights in Our Place + Reflection (35 minutes)

Choose one human right and connect it to a local issue.

6. Step 1 — The right I have chosen is:
Step 2 — My local issue is (e.g. access to clean rivers, learning te reo Māori, bullying):
Step 3 — Make the connection. Complete the diagram:
Global Human Right
↓ Local Issue
↓ People, place or environment affected
↓ Action we could take
7. Explain your ideas: How is the human right connected to the local issue? Who is affected? What could students, whānau, schools or community leaders do to help?

Kaitiakitanga and Human Rights

8. How can kaitiakitanga help protect human rights? Give one example from your community.
9. Does protecting rivers, forests and whenua also protect people? Explain briefly.

Reflection (10 minutes)

10. One-word response — Choose one word that describes why human rights matter. My word is:
Explain why you chose this word:

Exit Ticket

11. One new thing I learned today was:
One human right that is important in my community is:
One action people could take to protect this right is:

Extension Challenge (optional)

Choose one issue from your school or community and write a short statement explaining: 1) the issue, 2) the connected human right, 3) who is affected, 4) what should be done.

Self-Assessment

Tick the box that best describes your work.

I explained what a human right is.

Not Yet
Nearly There
Achieved

I identified important human rights.

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Achieved

I connected a right to a local issue.

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Nearly There
Achieved

I explained how kaitiakitanga protects people and places.

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Nearly There
Achieved

I completed the reflection and exit ticket.

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Achieved

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