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Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Comments

Civic Education Volume

Background | Classroom applications | Internet resources | Appendix

 

Chapter 4

Individual Responsibilities and Citizenship


Internet Resources 1


The following links were chosen for their educational value and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author or the U.S. Department of State:


Classroom Activities and Lessons

Pre-fabricated lesson plans and activities intended for classroom use; can be adapted for all age groups and language proficiency levels.

  • http://www.mightymedia.com/edunet/orgs/result.cfm?CID=7&CurriculumID=84
    Educators Resource Center
    Activity helps students recognize and define their inborn sense of what is right and fair. Example provided is about "fairness," though other examples, such as responsibility, are also suggested.

  • http://erc.hrea.org/Library/Bells_of_Freedom/part4.html
    Exercise 1: What is human? (pp.1-3)
    Lesson plan focuses on individual responsibility to respect and appreciate the inherent human dignity deserved by all. Aims to help students a) become aware of their humanity, b) recognize their relationships with others, and c) develop ideas about human dignity. (This site is also suggested in the Civic Education chapter on human rights.)

  • http://www.civnet.org/resources/teach/lessplan/student2.htm
    What Responsibilities Accompany our Rights?
    Lesson plan poses questions about citizen responsibility and encourages learners to answer these questions. Addresses the following issues: freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to be treated equally, the right to be treated fairly by one's government, and the right to vote and run for public office. Provides hypothetical scenarios for discussion.

  • http://www.mightymedia.com/edunet/orgs/result.cfm?CID=7&CurriculumID=96
    Responsibilities and Action
    Lesson plan uses a case study and a moral dilemma to introduce students to ideas of societal responsibility. Intended to help students understand that rights carry responsibilities. Includes follow-up questions. (This site is also suggested in the Civic Education chapter entitled Societal Dilemmas: Gains versus Losses.)

  • http://www.civnet.org/resources/teach/lessplan/responsb.htm
    Responsibilities
    Lesson plan focuses on responsibility and the consequences that arise from addressing or not addressing responsibilities. Helps students develop tools for making decisions about responsibility. Learners are expected to use these tools in discussing their positions on related issues. (This site is also suggested in the Civic Education chapter entitled Societal Dilemmas: Gains versus Losses.)

  • http://www.civnet.org/resources/teach/lessplan/level2b.htm
    How Citizens Participate
    Lesson focuses on individual participation in national government. Aims to teach learners a)how to determine the difference between a citizen and a non-citizen, b) how to participate in government in different ways, and c) how to qualify their views about when and to what extent citizens should participate.

  • http://www.mightymedia.com/edunet/orgs/result.cfm?CID=7&CurriculumID=99
    Introduction to Human Rights
    Activity uses life experience as a foundation for discussing how our rights and the rights of others are defended. Aims to show students that everyone has defended his or her rights at some time in life. Includes questions for discussion and choices for possible activity extensions.

  • http://erc.hrea.org/Library/Bells_of_Freedom/part6.html
    Children’s Rights -Exercise 17: Learning and action (you need to scroll down to get to Exercise 17, located on pp.12-14)
    Lesson focuses on the power of individual and small group action to advance human rights. Intended to help learners a) understand provisions of UNICEF's Convention on the Rights of the Child, b) devise a plan to make other people aware of the contents of UNICEF's Convention on the Rights of the Child, and c) make connections between rights and responsibilities.

  • http://erc.hrea.org/Library/Bells_of_Freedom/part7.html
    Righting Wrongs -Exercise 19: The right to development (pp.1-3)
    Lesson designed to familiarize learners with the right to economic, social, and cultural development. Uses a case study to help learners a) understand the importance of participation, b) recognize that large and small matters deserve conscientious citizen participation, and c) explain their views on participation. (This site is also suggested in the Civic Education chapter entitled Societal Dilemmas: Gains versus Losses.)

  • http://erc.hrea.org/Library/Bells_of_Freedom/part7.html
    Exercise 23: Making a preventive strategy (you need to scroll down to get to Exercise 23, located on pp.10-13)
    Lesson plan focuses on the potential for human rights education to create proactive, empowered, knowledgeable citizens. Aims to help learners a) identify human rights problems they face, b) develop preventive strategies to promote human rights, and c) use their preventive strategies in their communities.

  • http://erc.hrea.org/Library/Bells_of_Freedom/part7.html
    Exercise 24: Making a defensive strategy (you need to scroll down to get to Exercise 24, located on pp.13-16)
    Lesson plan focuses on human rights education and understanding as the foundations for responsible citizenship. Learners are expected to a) identify human rights problems that they face, b) develop defensive action plans to address rights violations, and c) employ the action plans within their communities.

  • http://erc.hrea.org/Library/Bells_of_Freedom/part6.html
    Exercise 16: Bringing CEDAW home (you need to scroll down to get to Exercise 16, located on pp.11-12)
    Lesson plan focuses on the struggle for women's rights as a powerful agent for social change. Aims to help learners a) understand the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, b) undertake a plan of action to enact women's human rights, and c) draw connections between rights and responsibilities.



Exploitable Content

Content that can be used to create theme-related lessons:

http://www.coe.int/T/E/human_rights/Ecri/3-Educational_resources/Alien_93/Alien_10.asp
List of critical incidents that can act as springboards for examining citizen responsibility. Scenarios include issues related to racism, xenophobia, and intolerance.

http://www.coe.int/T/E/human_rights/Ecri/3-Educational_resources/Domino/DOmino en.pdf
Eight personal accounts of intolerance, told by young people aged 18-24. Stories can be used to discuss which civic responsibilities the intolerant people neglected. (This site is also suggested in Chapters 1 and 8 of this volume on Civic Education.) (1.46 MB Adobe PDF file; stories found in Section 4)



Official Documents

Can be used to provide background information and to create materials:


1Special thanks to Katherine Reilly, who compiled this list of Internet resources.

 

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