Search for Resources

Rights, Wants & Needs Activity Kit

Teaching For Children's Rights

Elementary, Middle

Description

The Rights, Wants & Needs activity kit introduces students to human rights and citizenship concepts using picture cards and a variety of related activities. The resource explores the idea that the basic needs of children are considered rights.  It uses hands-on activities to help students see the link between rights and responsibilities.

Activity One - Students brainstorm a list of rights and compare their list with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

 

Activity Two - Students sort a set of picture cards into categories and discuss the differences between wants and needs.

 

Activity Three - Students journey to a new planet and are allowed to bring certain items.  As time progresses students are asked to eliminate certain items leaving those they think are more essential.

 

Activity Four - Using the rights, wants and needs cards, students play a variety of games.

 

Activity Five – Students learn that rights come with certain responsibilities. They write and illustrate on a blank card a responsibility they think goes with each right card.

 

Activity Six - Students collect and share stories about children from books or videos, or use the “Children from around the World” cards provided in the resource.  As each story is read or viewed, students select the wants or needs cards they think are being denied in the story.

 

Activity Seven – Using the “Rights and Needs in Snapshots” photos provided in the kit, students identify the rights, wants or needs that appear to be denied to the children in the photo, and those that appear to be protected.

 

 

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

  • expressing personal points of view
  • establishing consensus

Strengths

  • Material covered is relevant to the lives of learners.
  • The activities are age-appropriate and can be adapted for other levels.
  • The resource provides students with informative facts about children's basic needs.
  • The resource is well-organized and easy to use.

Weaknesses

  • The resource lacks an action component.
  • No action skills are explicitly taught.
  • Needs to include some suggestions/accommodations for students with learning difficulties.
  • Needs to include some suggestions for guest speakers and field trips.

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

  • Step 1Select a province
  • Alberta
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Citizenship: Understanding local, national, and global issues empowers individual and collective action toward an inclusive society.
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Citizenship: Understanding local, national, and global issues empowers individual and collective action toward an inclusive society
  • British Columbia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Local Communities: Our rights, roles, and responsibilities are important for building strong communities.
  • Manitoba
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Communities of the World: Communities of the World
        • Communities of the World: Connecting with Canadians
        • Communities of the World: Exploring the World
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Manitoba, Canada & the North: Places and Stories - Living in Canada
  • New Brunswick
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • My Province, Exploration, History of the Atlantic Region: Civics
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Cultures
        • Empowerment: Economics
        • Atlantic Canada and the World:
  • Newfoundland & Labrador
  • Northwest Territories
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Communities of the World:Connecting with Canadians
  • Nova Scotia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Social Studies 1: Age Appropriate Action
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Social Studies 3: Citizenship
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Social Studies 6: World Issues
  • Nunavut
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Connecting With the World: Citizenship
        • Connecting With the World: Global Connections
        • Connecting With the World: The Land: Place & People
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Provinces and Territories: Our Places, Stories, and Traditions: Citizenship
        • Provinces and Territories: Our Places, Stories, and Traditions: Economics & Resources
  • Ontario
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • People and Environments: The Role of Government and Responsble Citizenship
  • Prince Edward Island
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Interactions: Needs and Wants
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Provincial Identity: Citizenship
  • Saskatchewan
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Community Comparisons: Dynamic Comparisons
        • Community Comparisons: Resources and Welath
    • Grade 5
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Canada: Resources and Wealth
  • Yukon Territory
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Local Communities: Our rights, roles, and responsibilities are important for building strong communities.

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (1)

  • Community-Building and Participation

Human Health & Environment (1)

  • Quality of Life

Human Rights (2)

  • Education
  • Social Justice

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Good
  • The resource helps students develop a view of the world around them and learn about basic needs and rights. Students learn that many children are denied the rights that would enable them to survive and develop to their potential. They learn that wants and needs are different for different people. The students are not influenced to any particular point of view but are reminded how Unicef helps make a difference.
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Good
  • The resource touches all dimensions in an age appropriate manner.
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Satisfactory
  • Students gain a better understanding of the problems children around the world must overcome but little attention is paid to solutions.
Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Poor/Not considered
  • No action activities are suggested but students are reminded how Unicef makes a difference in the lives of other places and people in the world.
Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Good
  • Students are given the opportunity to express their own beliefs/values.
Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Good
  • The cards and activities help foster respect and empathy for the children around the world.
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Poor/Not considered
  • Not considered in this resource.
Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good
  • The cards and activities allow students to reflect on the differences and similarities in the children's lives. The resource helps students develop a view of the world around them and learn about their basic needs and rights.
Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Poor/Not considered
  • Not considered in this resource.
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Good
  • The activities are structured so that multiple answers are possible. The activities present many opportunities for open discussion and sharing of opinions.
Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Satisfactory
  • Social studies
  • Language arts
  • Health
Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Satisfactory
  • Students are provided with intriguing questions and opportunity to express their own thoughts and opinions
Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Poor/Not considered
  • Not considered in this resource.
Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Satisfactory
  • Simulation activities
Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Good
Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Satisfactory
  • The resource provides reflection questions.
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Poor/Not considered
  • Not considered in this resource
Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Poor/Not considered
Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Poor/Not considered
  • Extension activities for children's rights can be accessed in the UNICEF Canada Global Classroom.
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

A project of LSF Newsletter Sign-up