Defining Universal Human Rights

About This Lesson

In this lesson, students will consider what rights should belong to every human being on earth, as well as the challenges of trying to create an international framework of rights for all. Students will first define a right and then reflect in their journals about the rights that they have, as well as rights that they don’t have but should, at home, at school, and in their communities. Then students will compare their definitions with UNESCO’s definition of a right and work with a group to reach a consensus about three human rights that they believe every person is entitled to enjoy. 

Finally, students will learn how the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, led by Eleanor Roosevelt, grappled with these same questions as UN representatives worked together to draft a Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the aftermath of the Great Depression, World War II, and the Holocaust.

Essential Questions

• What is a right? 
• What rights should belong to every human being on earth?

Guiding Questions

• In what ways was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights a response to the past? In what ways did it present a responsibility for future generations?
• What fundamental rights and needs of people does a government have a responsibility to promote and protect?

Learning Objectives

• Students will create a working definition for a right and then compare and contrast it to UNESCO’s definition. 
• Students will record information about Eleanor Roosevelt’s role in the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Students will identify three universal human rights and explain their importance.

Lesson Plan

Activity 1: Revisit the Previous Lesson’s Exit Cards

Take a few minutes at the start of class to address any “coverage” issues for the concept of universe of obligation that emerged in the previous lesson’s exit cards.

Activity 2: Reflect on Your Rights

• Let students know that in this lesson, they will start to explore the concept of human rights. Begin with a journal entry in which students respond to a series of questions about their rights. Reveal the questions one at a time so that students have a chance to think and write about each one:
  • What is a right? 
  • What rights do you have in your home? 
  • What rights do you have at school? 
  • What rights do you have in your community? 
  • What rights do you think you should have but don’t feel like you do? 
• Ask students to debrief in groups of three, adding any new ideas to their first “What is a right?” response. 

Then ask the small groups to create a “working definition” of right. Have a few groups share their definitions with the class, making note of the similarities and differences in their thinking.

Activity 3: Compare Working Definition of Right with UNESCO’s Definition

• Explain to students that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a United Nations agency that was founded after World War II to advance the goal of “peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for human rights and fundamental freedoms.” ¹
• Project UNESCO’s definition of a right and read it out loud two times. 

[a] condition of living, without which . . . men cannot give the best of themselves as active members of the community because they are deprived of the means to fulfill themselves as human beings.

• Move students into small groups to discuss the following questions about the UNESCO definition: 
  • In what ways is the UNESCO definition similar to and different from your working definition of right?
  • If the United Nations asked your group to provide feedback about UNESCO’s definition, what would you suggest? 
  • What are three rights that your group unanimously believes are “universal”—that apply to all people from every cultural and political background? Why are these rights important to everyone, regardless of age, gender, race, ability, geography, history, politics, religion, etc.?  

Activity 4: Learn about the Creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Let students know that they will be watching a video to learn about the process by which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted by representatives of nine countries in the United Nations, who also grappled with the question of what a right is and what rights should belong to every human being on earth. Explain the Take Note routine. Let students know that when it is time to reflect, they will respond in writing to ONE of the following questions. They should not take notes during the video so they can fully engage with the content. The Take Note questions are as follows: 
  • What is the most important point?
  • What are you finding challenging, puzzling, or difficult to understand?
  • What question would you most like to discuss?
  • What is something that you found interesting?
• Show the video Fundamental Freedoms: Eleanor Roosevelt, the Holocaust, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Pause at 4:18 for the Take Note routine. Repeat the Take Note routine at the end of the video. 

Facilitate a class discussion that explores the following questions: In what ways was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights a response to the past? In what ways did it present a responsibility for future generations?

Activity 5: Reflect on Fundamental Freedoms

Close the lesson with a journal or exit ticket reflection in response to the following questions: 

• What responsibility do individuals have to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected? 
• What responsibility do communities have to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected?
• What responsibility do governments have to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected?

• 1“UNESCO and the Declaration,” UNESCO website, accessed March 26, 2018.