Embedded Files
Essential Question:
How does human activity impact human rights?
How does human activity impact human rights?
Launch:
(1) First, watch this little video. Ask students what they think about it. Are their some rights that every human is born with? Get the conversation started.
(2) Second, watch this one and have students take notes with the Graphic Organizer.
(3) Third, have students sort these statements into rights, privileges and responsibilities.
(4) This is the brief history of why we have Universal Human Rights. This is will connect to the project students will be taking. So you can ask, "As you watch this, start thinking of the thing you might persue for a project."
Part of our launch is we take a field trip around our local towns and view their murals. There are a lot in Exeter and Visalia and Fresno that talk about field workers, WWII veterans, Ceaser Chavez's work. We view these in person, and discuss why the author created them, who commissioned the artist and how each mural relates to human rights.
This is Maslow's Hierarchy. It shows how humans develop: If a person has all their physical needs met, then that person can start seeking the higher levels. Or, in the reverse, if a person has great self-esteem, status and freedom... all of that can be lost in an instant if access to clean water, for example, is denied.
Bulletin Boards:
Inquiry Process:
Week One: History: When colonies were developing, how did the indigenous people react?
Week Two: History: When colonies were developing, who gained rights and who lost rights?
This second week is for getting in that required content. We are doing this project with the American Revolution in mind. All these questions about indigenous rights versus the new European immigrants so eventually going to lead the students to see shared human rights violations, (even if the colonists did not see it at the time!)
A lot of this week's work is with the textbook. Our textbook, like many others, divides the chapter into middle colonies, southern colonies and New England. We all know that the southern colonies had more slaves than the other colonies, so we want to talk about that, of course, but we also want to hit who was gaining rights, and who was losing. Basically, in the northern colonies, individuals were gaining their own wealth and independence for the first time in their family's history. For the first time, they were controlling their own affairs, voting for their own leaders, making their own laws. Because of this taste of independence, when the crown came and tried to take their power to vote, to choose officials, the colonists got upset. Each colonist could gain wealth through a variety of trades and work: argicultre like lumber, tobacco, rice, indigo, cotton. Grow it and sell it around the world! There was also other trades to be had: blacksmithing, printing, seamstress, chandler, The American continent had plenty of resources and opportunities!
Then, have students use this note-taking sheet for each article. You can get a lot of great articles from ReadWorks or Newsela.com.
Week Three: History: How did indigenous people and colonizers interact?
This is the week we will practice working in groups. Use this signup sheet. Then, we use this note-taking sheet to gather the right research for the presentation. Finally, we do this presentation. Make a copy for each group and allow them to edit. All the directions for the presentation are in the Google slides. It is VERY detailed instructions. (This project is as a three-week project on this page, as part of American History. If you have two partners, it should take about three weeks. If you have larger groups, it can be much shorter. Each slide on the presentation have very detailed instructions for each person.)
Week Three Alternate: History: How did indigenous people and colonizers interact?
This alternate is for those kids that are more hands-on and into more current events: This project calls for kids to choose events from 1607-1991: how indigenous people and the colonists continue to interact, from the Pueblo Revolt to the baseball team formerly called the "Redskins."
This sign up sheet shows different American events from the indigenous perspective: Jamestown settlement, Custard's last stand, Indian Civl Rights act of 1968. Students sign up by interest. As a teacher, take their requests and form groups of three students.
First, students make a diorama. I follow this sequence of events: (1) After students are assigned their topic and group, we make people. Since the diorama is about the size of a shoebox, no taller than two feet, the people should be about three inches tall or shorter. (1a) Use the templates at the top right to show students how to make paper dolls. The idea is that they can make any outfit on the male outline to make any kind of soldier, colonist or indigenous person. For this, use card stock or cardboard backing. It's just easier to show on a larger model. (1B) Use the file with the four male outlines and one female outline for each group to make their people. Basically, it's hard to make a mural about the conflicts without at least four people on each side.... You photocopy one for each group or one for each student. Create the people, with proper clothing and coloring, first. Be sure to notice that the entire file has examples of different clothing, such as military uniforms or Apache traditional clothing.
The second step is to make the landscape of the diorama: Where is the conflict occurring? They need to do a little research and gather some supplies. For example, the group who is doing the 1991 NCRSM topic, they just build a baseball stadium so they don't need a lot of greenery but they do need some cardboard to make the stands. On the other hand, the topic of Lewis and Clark Expedition needs lots of greenery, like pine trees and rivers. The second step is for students to draw their landscape where their people will be. Once approved by the teacher, they can start buliding the 3d version. Since we like to keep it all homemade, we do take a day or two to teacher students to make salt dough. (1 cup flour, 1/2 salt, 1/2 water) They mix the salt dough and use it as clay to create hills, bushes, etc.
The final step is painting and finishing touches. This step does need to be when the salt dough is dried. This is the time that you really need some parent volunteers!
Second part is to make a slideshow about the conflicts. Groups complete the Google Slides Template to prepare to present. Make a copy for each student. Also, here is how each student is graded: the Rubric! The slideshow is to help students explain their dioramas to their audiences.
Honestly, my grade level team was split: One teacher did the slideshows first and one teacher did the diorama's first.
FInally, students present to their audiences. Ideally, this should be in a large area, like the cafetria or auditorium or outside. We quickly learned that it got way to loud in the classroom! Audience members should have a checklist to make sure every prensenter has some visitors!
STEP 1A
STEP 1B
Examples
Some of my students needed help with their research so here is some easy-to-read research:
Click this video to see how Bartolomoe de las Casas.
Here are some of the dioramas we made in 2025.
This student showed how one of the conflicts was resolved: Reservations. This student interpreted, Indian lands as being surrounded by cities being crowded upon. It was an interesting way to represent the solution… Because it doesn't look like a solution at all from his viewpoint.
Another student represented the lost colony of Roanake. The popsicle sticks were their tree trunks, and the salt dough painted was the top of their trees. I think they did a pretty good job trying to make a thick forest.
One students wanted to show the conflicts near the Jamestown colony. This is the Powhatan people in a conflict with the settlers. (Yeah, she glued Powhatan heads on English legs!)
Week Three: History: How has human rights impacted revolutions throughout history? Is the American Revolution similar to other revolutions?
When talking about human rights, I like to take a few days to talk about different revolutions. This gives kids a real outlook on the American Revolution. Here are some articles from Newsela.com about different revolutions: American Revolution, French Revolution, Russian Revolution. Then, I let students research on their own with this organizer. This might fuel a student project later in the process. Kids can use any resource they can: Google, wikipedia, whatnot. This is just to get their lips wet, start their imaginations. We can learn about expert testimony and primary sources a little later!
Week Four: Primary Source Documents : What documents have impacted human rights in the United States?
This is where we start to investigate others who have tried to establish rights for others. I have students read each document and take notes.
Mayflower Compact and Note Taking Sheet
Constitution for Kids (This is a nice big PDF with lots of links!)
Parent Handbook provided by the school
Now, this part connects to one of the choices that they have at the end. Diego's murals are considered primary sources because he was there witnessing a lot of the revolution, and this is his artistic interpretation of it. I show the art, ask some question to the group, like "What do you see?" "What do you notice?" and "What human rights are represented here?" Very little prep for lots of good conversations!
Jigsaw the Documents:
If you just want to assign one document to each group of students, and have them make a mural about it… That is actually what we are doing this year.... Kids can get into groups and sign up here for a document. Then, groups research using the Research Form.
Extension Activity:
After completing these three investigations, we have a big old discussion about individual rights versus the collective good. I have two large white boards in my classroom. For this discussion, the top of one says "Collective Good" and the top of the other says "Individual Rights." I have lots of ideas written on sentence strips already with scotch tape handy. The idea here is that I present an idea and students have to determine if the collective good is more important than individual rights, or if individual rights supersede the collective good and we place the sentence under the correct heading. This is mostly a teacher-led discussion. I put my ideas on this Google Doc just to make it easier, but feel free to add things more relevant to your own class. (This will come back into play in Week Five.)
Week Four ALTERNATIVE: What amendments in the Bill of Right have effected human rights the most?
(1) First, assign the amendments to students.
This Google form helps me organize the groups.
(2) Second, have each student research their own amendment.
This Graphic Organizer helps students research one amendment.
Here are some good research sites:
American Bill of Rights Quick Video on the Bill of Rights All 27 Amendments Quick Articles with easy Main ideas
(3) Third, make a mural!
This slideshow helps students get pointed in the right direction. I have students in group of 2 or 3 make 7 foot paper murals and students who work alone to have 4 feet. The process is pretty simple: sketch the design on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, have the teacher approve it, sketch it on the large butcher paper, have the Teacher approve it again, then add color and edging, and then present it at open house… Well, at least for us our culminating event to this time is open house. I use this rubric
(4) Fourth, have students write an essay to summarize their own amendment
This is the graphic organizer, There are a BUNCH of modeled texts attached to the end of the graphic organizer. Here are the modeled texts separately. You can use these as reading, as research or simply as modeled texts for the writing. This is the rubric for that opinion essay. If your class, or individual students, need a checklist to help move their writing along, I have a couple that might help. This one is editable.
(5) Fifth, have students get with a partner, and compare and contrast their amendments.
This Partner Work sheet helps students by making them re-view their own work, re-write it, and then compare it to someone else. After this work, students will write a compare and contrast essay.
Hexagonal Discussion Print Out (More info if you scroll down)
Week Five: Social Studies: How do individual's needs interact with other individual's needs?
This is where we start to learn about interacting human rights....We start the discussion with the idea that people don't limit some one else's rights for no reason. Often, conflicts arise due to different rights interacting...
Here are two examples:
(1) The Oklahoma Land Rush during the mid 1800s it's a prime example how these interacting rights lead to conflict: One group of people had plenty of land and another group of people needed land. I'm not saying one group was right or one group was wrong: I am saying this is a great historical event for students to discuss how rights interact.
(2) The example of Nancy Hart's interaction with British troops during the America Revolution requires students to think of the rights that government employees have versus the rights that citizens have. Each is a Google doc that guides the research of students, guides a classroom discussion and outlines a four-paragraph essay.
American Revolution: Nancy Morgan Hart
Week Six: How is the collective good impacted by human rights?
Now, students need to start thinking for themselves. Here is another sorting activity, based on the classroom discussion in a previous week. Except this time, students do the sorting themselves. It is about the collective good versus individual rights. The honest truth is that somethings actually harm the common good... But it is up to students for themselves to decide. I've purposely placed some controversial statements within the sorting activity....that you may want to remove....such as the right to die and right to bear arms. Not all of the things included here are universal human rights. The purpose is for students to have an authentic discussion about the collective good.
To make the most of this activity, it is advised that students be in groups of four. There are three pages for cutting, and lots of different things to sort. Students can be given a large piece of construction paper, to glue the statements under the heading. (As a teacher, you can either have a discussion, or turn it into a gallery walk. This is also a good time for a hexagonal discussion if you want to generate your own.)
Week Seven: Science: How has human activity impacted access to clean water? More specifically, why does California have such a water problem?
So far the project has been pretty heavy on the history side. However, human rights involve a whole lot of science. Click here to be re-directed to the Water Page.
This week is where we just take a break from the history and talk about the water cycle (which should be a review for this grade level) and then how human activities have impacted water rights. California is a prime example because there are millions of people living in Los Angeles and San Diego, and most of the water they get is from the Colorado River, which is a very interesting set of ethical circumstances. The water for Central California comes from the Sacramento River and the Sierra Nevada. In the natural world, the water is not where the people live. We can also talk about the California aqueduct. However, if you want to make this a mini-project and assign one continent to each group, you can explore all the water problems across the world today! I definitely recommend the "Our Planet" series: watch the episode called "Fresh Water." Click here for teacher and student resources from them.
(Optional:...... Do you know about avocados.. the ugly truth? There's a serious organized crime problem happening in Mexico around avocados. In United States, lots of avocados are imported here and Californians love avocados. However, many small towns and villages in Mexico are being denied drinking water for basic necessities in order to use that water to grow avocados to be exported to someone else. This is not a problem exclusive to Mexico and United States.... Many places around the world that grow food do that by denying the local residence clean water, or access to those crops… This is where science interacts with social studies in a very disturbing way. If your class is interested and how agriculture affects human rights, this is a very interesting direction for the projects to go. No one can deny that we need food, but growing food is denying water.... very very difficult topic...)
Student Projects:
Somewhere around week three, we start coming to carpet to start charting "Unanswered Questions." This can be anything the student is wondering about, or any topic. For example, ... kids watch lots of youtubing families online. What if a child does not want to be a part of their parents YouTube channel? A good project question can be "How can a child protect their own rights against a parent online?" Here is a list of questions to get the kids coming up with their own projects.
When we are at the carpet, charting, I ask "What are some things you are wondering about?" and "How can that be a project?" and "How can that project help the situation?"
Student Questions Ideas....
IN case they can't think of their own....
How did the Green Book help during the era of Jim Crow laws?
How did the Catholic Church help people gain human rights over the centuries?
How did the 15th amendment in the Bill of Rights deny rights to some? How did it change over time?
Did the #metoo movement improve rights?
How does the student handbook at our school address students basic human rights?
What rights do children in Juvenile Hall still have? Which rights do they lose?
What rights do foster children have? How are the rights and responsibilities of foster children different than adopted children and biological children?
How does a child get emancipated from their parents? Who has successfully done this? What rights do children have?
How did Britney Spears lose her rights in conservatorship and how did she gain them back?
What rights do photographers have? What rights do you have over your own image on the internet?
What rights do you have if you rent your home?
What rights do you have if you are a renter?
What rights do the teachers have in doing their jobs? What rights do students have in learning? How do these rights interact?
How do artists cause change?
Which groups contribute to loss of human rights?
How do "Blue Lives" and "Black Lives" and "All Lives" interact?
What rights do you lose when you get married?
Hexagonal Discussions
When students start getting their own questions, we start hexagonal discussions. I use this Hexagon Generator to get the kids going. But, I also provide this small blank hexagon and his large hexagon to students to complete themselves. Wait... do you know not know what Hexagon Discussions are? Check out the website on the left and have your mind blown!
Deliverable:
Students have a choice between three options: Theater, Art or Informative Writing. Students can be alone, groups of 2 or 3. (The theater probably needs a group of 3.)
Muralism
Muralism
MUST:
Be at least 4-6 feet wide
Address at least one revolution or revolt in American or World History
Show the conflicting forces
Show the peace-makers of the uprising
Use words and numbers, such as names, dates, slogans...
Have a theme or overarching emotion
Address how the uprising lead to improved human rights for 2021
MAY:
Use paint, markers, crayons, tile...
RESOURCES:
Theater
Theater
MUST:
Be presented in 15-30 minutes
Address at least one violation of human rights
Have a protagonist and an antagonist
Show audience members how to legally fight against human rights violations
Have appropriate costumes
Arrange blocking and have stage directions
Present the play!
MAY:
Use a narrator
Read from scripts, does not need to be memorized
Be recorded and edited
RESOURCES:
Things to think about when writing a play
Informative Writing
Informative Writing
MUST:
Be 500-1,000 words
Include one graph, made by you!
Address at least one revolution or revolt in American or World History
Explain the causes of the uprising
Describe the most influential people of the time
Address how the uprising lead to improved human rights in 2021
Have headings for each section
MAY:
Be typed or handwritten
Include graphics
RESOURCES:
Resources:
Examples of Student Projects:
These groups of students made a play and recorded it on a video. Click on the image above to watch the full video. The teacher provided the script, and they did the rest!
Here is my son's PBL.... yeah, you can tell his mom is the teacher! :)
Three students made this mural of the Haitian Revolution as part of their project. It was about seven feet wide.
These students made a mural on the voting rights for women, indigenous people, "colored" people and people under 21 years of age.
These students did their mural in the "Declaration of Sentiments." It hung from our classroom ceiling during Open House night.
Service Projects:
We live in Tulare County, California the San Joaquin Valley of California. It's about 200 miles north of Los Angeles, and about 30 miles south of Fresno. Here are some Community Groups that help all people get human rights if you want to get a Service Learning worked in the mix. In fact, you can turn this into a math lesson by analyzing these 2020 statistics on Tulare and Kings County Homeless people. From there, your class can create a service learning part of this project.
Salt and Light Helps the Homeless. You can have a sock drive, toiletry drive, make some blankets.... Contact them and get a project going!
Visalia Rescue Mission Also helps the homeless. You can make this a year round project: Make Christmas Cards, make Valentine's day, Passover cards, Ramadan cards... (Same thing for any convalescent home or nursing home!)
Unicef Is one of the most popular world-wide organizations that help children in poverty.
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