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Thematic Unit
Citizenship:
Nothing’s Wrong With Rights
Learning for Life and Work (MLD)
Writers’ Group
Associate Teachers
Denise Maguire, Newtownabbey Educational Guidance Centre
Bronac O’Connell, Sunlea Educational Guidance Centre, Coleraine
www.nicurriculum.org.uk
Key Elements: Personal understanding, mutual understanding, personal health, moral character, spiritual awareness, citizenship, ethical
awareness, cultural understanding
Attitudes and Dispositions: Personal responsibility, concern for others, openness to new ideas, curiosity, tolerance, integrity/moral courage,
respect, community spirit
Learning Experiences: Investigating and problem-solving, linked to other curriculum areas, relevant and enjoyable, offers choice, supportive
environment, ongoing reflection, enquiry based, challenging and engaging
The Thematic Units connect the Learning for Life and Work subject strands of Personal Development, Local and Global Citizenship, Home
Economics and Employability and demonstrate how they contribute to the understanding of a central theme. They provide a number of
learning, teaching and assessment activities (and are accompanied by supporting resources) to help you address, interpret and develop the
Northern Ireland Curriculum’s key elements and Statements of Minimum Requirement.
Each Thematic Unit contributes to the statutory requirement for Learning for Life and Work and also links to other Areas of Learning. In
addition, there are opportunities to develop learners’ Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities, incorporate Assessment for Learning principles
and make connections to the Cross Curricular Skills.
The units are not intended to be prescriptive and are not the only way to approach the Northern Ireland Curriculum. You do not have to follow
them rigidly. Instead, we encourage you to choose from the wide range of learning, teaching and assessment activities in the units and adapt
and extend them as appropriate for your classes.
Citizenship Citizenship
Human Rights and Social Human Rights and Social
Responsibility Responsibility
Investigate key human Investigate why different rights
rights principles must be limited or balanced in
our society
Citizenship Citizenship
Equality and Social Justice Democracy and Active
Explore the work of inter- Participation
governmental, governmental Investigate the basic
and non-governmental characteristics of democracy
(NGO) organisations which
aim to promote equality and
social justice
Skills tabs printed in yellow are Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities
Key Question Learning Intention Possible Learning, Teaching and Assessment Activities Skills and
Learners will have Capabilities
opportunities to …
Develop routines
What are my ... understand the relationship In preparation for the ‘needs runaround’ game presented in the PowerPoint, make
of turn-taking,
between a need and a right. cards from the four labels in Resource 2 and display them in the four corners of
rights? the room.
sharing and
co-operating
Slide 7 introduces the concept of how needs became rights in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and The United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Use the second PowerPoint to inform a circle time discussion with the focused
question ‘Can you tell me, in your own words, what this means in real life?’ Bring
up each article of the UDHR one at a time, and have the learners take turns to
interpret what they mean. If they get stuck, allow them to ask each other for help
(‘phone a friend’ or ‘ask the audience’, if appropriate).
What are my ... understand the relationship As a further development, your learners could each select one of the rights from the
between a need and a right. UDHR and create a poster with the article as the title (possible links to Art and
rights? Design). You could then display these posters as an exhibition in the school foyer to
raise awareness about human rights.
Remind the learners that another list of rights was developed specifically with
children in mind. Explain that they are going to discuss these in more detail. Read
through the articles on the relevant PowerPoint for the class and ask some focused
questions, such as:
• These are YOUR rights: what do you think of them?
• Are there any important things missing?
• Are they realistic?
• What might grown-ups say about them?
Allow each learner to use the Resource 3 worksheets to prioritise their own
personal needs and the significance of their rights (as enshrined in the UNCRC) at
this point in their lives.
Key Question Learning Intention Possible Learning, Teaching and Assessment Activities Skills and
Learners will have Capabilities
opportunities to …
What are my ... understand the relationship Then have the learners participate in a ‘think, pair and share’ exercise. Divide the
between a need and a right. group into pairs and set them the task of choosing an article from the UNCRC and
rights? considering the following questions:
− Can you think of an example of a child whose needs are not being met?
− What is the possible outcome for a child when this need is not met?
When the pair have had time to discuss these questions, have them report back to
the class.
Note that there are cards with the UNCRC articles printed on them available in the
CCEA citizenship mainstream pack.
Understand how
How do my rights ... investigate the need to Encourage the learners to choose a different article of the UNCRC each and say what
actions and words
balance their rights with the it means to them. Use the following structure (the text in italics is an example):
affect others? responsibility to respect the ‘I have the right to …an education ... and for me this means ... I attend Oaktree School...’
affect others
rights of others.
Communication -
This is a chance for the whole group to get clarification on the broad range of rights
Find, select and use
contained in the UNCRC. Once the learners are confident about the meaning of their
information from a
chosen article, show them Resource 4 as an example and have them complete
range of sources
Resource 5.
Communication -
Resource 4: How Do My Rights Affect Others? (Example)
Develop, express
and present ideas
Resource 5: How Do My Rights Affect Others?
in a variety of
forms for different
audiences and
purposes
Key Question Learning Intention Possible Learning, Teaching and Assessment Activities Skills and
Learners will have Capabilities
opportunities to …
Take personal
What is social ... investigate the concept of The purpose of Resources 6 and 7 is for the learners to recognise their own
responsibility for
social responsibility. potential to improve the society in which they live.
responsibility? work with others
and evaluate
Discuss together the concept of ‘society’. Highlight its meanings, including:
own contribution
− a group of people who live in a community; and
to the group
− an organisation or club where people interact with each other regularly or take
part in an activity.
Communication -
Use evidence
Ask for examples of what forms part of the learners’ society, such as their street,
from texts to
their village, their school, their youth club, the Scouts, and so on. Discuss the
explain opinions
concept that ‘social responsibility’ is about what we can do for each other to make
our society a better place, about getting together to solve problems for each other,
and about how we can be responsible and consider the needs of others in our daily
lives. Then complete the matching activity in Resource 6 together.
Suggest ways
What can I do? ... identify how they can Read through Resource 7 together as a class before completing it. The learners
of improving
contribute in promoting social should be forming a picture of how the individual, the community and the
their approach
responsibility. Government can work together in partnership to improve both local and
to working
international society.
collaboratively
Give them time to complete Resource 7 individually and then share their answers
Using ICT -
with the group. You could develop the discussion further by asking focused questions
Research, select,
based on the following:
process and
− Do you have any additional suggestions, aside from those on the sheet, about
interpret information
what communities or governments could do to address the problems?
− Can you think of any other problems in your own society where this collaborative
Using ICT -
approach between the individual, the community and the Government has worked
Investigate, make
or could work in the future?
predictions and
solve problems
Resource 7: What Can I Do?
through interaction
with digital tools
Many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are interested in promoting and
supporting social responsibility. Give the learners an opportunity to conduct some
Using ICT -
basic research, using the internet and the template sheet in Resource 8, to
Access and
investigate the objectives of some of these NGOs and how the individual can
manage data
contribute.
and information
Your learners may initially need some guidance in establishing from a website
what the objective of a particular organisation is. You could model opening any
organisation’s website and looking for a button or section entitled ‘About us’. Many of
the NGO websites also have helpful areas entitled ‘What you can do’. The learners
will be able to transfer these web research skills to all other curricular areas.
Key Question Learning Intention Possible Learning, Teaching and Assessment Activities Skills and
Learners will have Capabilities
opportunities to …
What can I do? ... identify how they can You could develop this research further as a ‘jigsaw’ exercise. Have the learners
contribute in promoting social move around from group to group, sharing what they have learned with each other.
responsibility. This will develop their communication skills and give them an introduction to the
work of a wide range of NGOs. Alternatively, the learners could make a group
display of their research sheets and then take time to view each other’s findings.
To consolidate the theme of using our rights responsibly, allow the learners to play
the game in Resource 9 about shopping. Organise them into small groups (four to
six), and provide each group with dice and some counters to play the game.
You will hear some things called out; some will be needs and some will be wants. If you think a person NEEDS these things to live, circle them on your Bingo
card. When you think you have a line of five (horizontal, vertical or diagonal), shout BINGO and explain why you think each item in the line is a need.
if you need it
to be able to cinema trip an MP3 player education play area or
communicate
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think & believe under the law from abuse or neglect unfair imprisonment
freedom to a television own bedroom holidays lots of pocket
You will hear some things called out; some will be needs and some will be wants. If you think a person NEEDS these things to live, circle them on your Bingo
card. When you think you have a line of five (horizontal, vertical or diagonal), shout BINGO and explain why you think each item in the line is a need.
You will hear some things called out; some will be needs and some will be wants. If you think a person NEEDS these things to live, circle them on your Bingo
card. When you think you have a line of five (horizontal, vertical or diagonal), shout BINGO and explain why you think each item in the line is a need.
You will hear some things called out; some will be needs and some will be wants. If you think a person NEEDS these things to live, circle them on your Bingo
card. When you think you have a line of five (horizontal, vertical or diagonal), shout BINGO and explain why you think each item in the line is a need.
money
to be able to a television an MP3 player cinema trip play area or
communicate
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abuse or neglect practise your religion under the law if you need it
You will hear some things called out; some will be needs and some will be wants. If you think a person NEEDS these things to live, circle them on your Bingo
card. When you think you have a line of five (horizontal, vertical or diagonal), shout BINGO and explain why you think each item in the line is a need.
if you need it
a television lots of pocket money to be able to education play area or
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Survival
to stay alive
Development
to grow and learn
Protection
to be safe from harm
Participation
to be involved in
things around me
My Changing World Thematic Unit Citizenship: Nothing’s Wrong With Rights
Your ‘Spiral Of Needs’ (1 of 2) Resource 3
Our needs change as we go through life depending on our age and our circumstances. We are going to take a
snapshot today of our needs and their order of importance.
In the centre of the spiral, draw a little cartoon picture of yourself. Beginning in the space closest to the picture
of yourself, place the need that is most urgent for you today. In the next space place the need which is next most
important to you. Continue in this way until you have placed all the needs on the spiral.
You can write in the needs yourself by copying them from the table below, or you can cut and paste them onto
the spiral.
Name
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Mary Jane
I, (name) .................................................., have the
following right, and it affects other people.
Choose one of the rights from the UNCRC (see PowerPoint) and write about it below.
See the example in Resource 4 for ideas.
Social responsibility is about doing whatever we can to make our world a better place. It is about behaving
in our daily lives in a way which shows consideration for the needs and rights of others. It is also about
taking action with the people who live around us to solve our shared problems.
Look at the problem below and draw a line to match each solution with the people responsible for taking
the action.
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Problem: The street in your town is full of litter and looks untidy.
Solution 3: We could make a law which tells people that if they throw
litter they will be fined £50.
Read through the worksheet and complete the empty spaces. Compare your answers with a partner, then give feedback to the class.
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) often try to promote social responsibility. Choose one from the following list of
organisations, and do some research on the internet.
Write in the box below the name of the Draw (or copy and paste) the logo of the
organisation you have researched. organisation from the website.
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Write in the box below how this organisation is trying to Write at least one action you could take (other than giving money) to
make the world a better place. support the work of this organisation and help society.
Rules: Each group needs a die and counters. Take turns to throw the dice and follow the plus or minus instructions.
1 2 3 4 5 6
You remember to You drive to the shop You buy one bar of
Start bring your bag for when you could have Fair Trade chocolate
life into the shop, so walked. instead of two
you don’t need to use cheaper bars.
plastic bags.
+1 -3 +4
7
13 12 11 10 9 8
You say ‘yes’ when When you bring You go to the local You remind your dad
your younger sister your shopping home farmers’ market to not to park in the
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asks you to buy her you recycle all the buy local produce disabled parking bay
cigarettes. packaging. that is in season as he is not disabled.
rather than flown in.
-5 +6 +1 +2
14
15 16 17 18 19 20
You buy free range
You check the You eat some items You pestered your
ingredients on your from a shop and don’t meat when you can mum to buy you an You
afford to, because
food labels to make
sure you are eating a
pay for them.
these animals are
expensive item which
you don’t look after.
have
balanced diet. well cared for. won!!
-5 +2
+3 -10