UNIT PLAN FOR AGES 9-11 IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND REFUGEES
UNIT OBJECTIVES
Knowledge
To understand clearly;
- a) the definition of a refugee
- b) the concept of human equality
- c) the meanings and possible sources of stereotypes, prejudice, racism and discrimination.
Values
To foster open-mindedness and respect for others.
To encourage in the students empathy for refugees who are similar to themselves but who have lost their homes, belongings and homelands.
Skills
To be able to identify similarities between people of different nationalities.
To be able to detect biases, stereotypes, and egocentric attitudes in oneself and in others.
LESSONS 1 and 2: SPOT THE REFUGEE
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TEACHING METHODS/LEARNING STRATEGIES |
Stereotyping, Prejudice and Refugees
The common human heritage shared by all humans alike, whether refugees or not.
Refugees are the same as everyone else except for the loss of their country, home and possessions
RESOURCES Lego poster entitled Spot the Refugee; A4 sets of four different posters Spot the Refugee, How Does It Feel?, What’s Wrong Here?, and What’s the Difference? are available free of charge from the Public Information Unit, UNHCR, 1775 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006.
Suggested readings for the teacher:
Susan Fountain, Education for Development (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1995), p. 82-95
Teaching Human Rights, (New York, United Nations, 1989)
For Teachers Geography unit for ages 9-11 can provide useful materials to convey how it is that people become refugees.
United Nations CyberSchoolBus Web site:
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Brainstorming session: Students are asked to give their impressions of who is a refugee.
Students consider actual Lego figures and study the poster of Lego people, looking for similarities and differences between the figures, and inventing ways to give each Lego person an identity.
Students ‘spot the refugee’ from amongst the Lego figures. Teacher uses the "spotting" exercise to explain stereotyping and prejudice.
Teacher provides a definition of term refugee.
Questions: Students answer in writing. Answers used as stimulus for discussion about refugee experience.
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LESSONS 3 and 4: HOW DOES IT FEEL?
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TEACHING METHODS/LEARNING STRATEGIES |
Discrimination against refugees: Empathy with those who are in various unfortunate situations.
Overcoming loneliness and rejection. RESOURCES UNHCR Lego poster How Does It Feel? |
Group work: Students discuss how they would feel in each of the following scenarios:
as a new student who has just joined their class in the middle of the school year as a child of their age who has accidentally been separated from the family while holidaying in a foreign land having just heard the bad news that the breadwinner of the family no longer has a job
Questions for discussion: Students assess the poster to gauge its message. Teacher uses the questions to stimulate discussion about acceptance and welcome of refugees. |
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