The following lesson ideas aim to assist primary school teachers in promoting awareness of the existence and content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and appreciation for the diversity of the human family.

The lesson ideas are comprised of four sections and are taken from a variety of sources that are clearly identified. It is anticipated that units of work may be developed for any or all of the middle years.

There are four main areas to be addressed:

1. What are Human Rights?
2. One Human Family
3. Celebrating Diversity
4. Justice: A fair go for all

Download all four lesson plans together

These areas can be worked into one unit of work offered to final year Primary students, or they could be addressed developmentally over a number of years. The ultimate aim is that each child leaving Primary school would have good understandings of each of these areas and would qualify to receive the Citizen of Humanity Certificate.

Citizen of Humanity Certificate (pdf, 1.4 mb)

Certificates are in colour and can be ordered from Mark Zirnsak, Chair of the Victorian Human Rights Education Committee, on (03) 9251 5265 or mark.zirnsak@vic.uca.org.au. Schools need to print the name of each student onto the certificates.

Each lesson idea is merely a suggestion and is designed only as a lesson starter. In this way, the teachers involved in the development of each unit can direct the learning according to the needs of the individual students. The context of the classroom and whole school programs related to Human Rights Education will dictate how each idea may be developed further to cover all three principal dimensions of HRE which are:

1. promotion of knowledge about human rights,
2. encouraging greater appreciation and affinity for basic human rights values,
3. developing the capacity of students to take action to protect and promote their own rights and the rights of others in their community.

As well as offering a number of lesson guides, our committee has gathered relevant resources that would support a unit of work. Copies of resources and further information about the websites referred to in the lesson ideas are available from the:

Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC)
150 Palmerston St
Carlton 3053
(03) 9349 2400

The concept of the Citizen of Humanity Certificate was developed by the National Committee for Human Rights Education.

The attached lesson plans were developed by the following Working Party of the Victorian Human Rights Education Committee;

Nuangwong Boonyanate Multicultural Education Strategy Team, DE&T
Chrysa Papastavrou Equal Opportunity Commission, Victoria
John Connors Victorian Catholic Primary Principals’ Association