December 10 has been declared by the United Nations and many countries to be Human Rights Day! It celebrates the unanimous passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. One of the goals of our project is to provide curriculum about the evolution of international human rights documents so that, on the same day, December 10 of each year, students in many countries will learn about rights they all share.

Curriculum Corner provides an easy access lesson plan for teachers by putting all teaching materials at their fingertips on our website. First, there is a 10 minute film directed and produced by students at the University of California, Berkeley, that is designed for students in secondary schools and universities in all countries.

Second, there is a lesson plan designed for teachers in different countries to use on the same day.

SYNOPSIS OF LESSON PLAN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DAY!

• The week prior to December 10, teacher reviews the website and lesson plan.

• A few days prior to December 10, teacher makes general, brief, comments about human rights documents and assigns students to go to website and look over the documents in the "Put it in Writing" box on the home page before December 10. In particular, students are asked to review the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the draft International Convention on Human Rights.

• December 10. Teacher begins class with 5 minute discussion about website and evolution of documents.

• December 10. Teacher shows 10 minute film about evolution of documents.

• December 10. Teacher encourages 30 minute class discussion after film by asking questions in lesson plan. Teacher then requires students to comment on website as homework. Students are asked to write a comment about the International Convention on Human Rights, or a particular Article within the Convention, as if they are an actual participant writing the document. And they truly are actual participants! The review process for student comments is the same as the review process for University professors. Valuable comments made by students may result in changes to the wording of the Convention.

• December 11 Class discusses website comments.

• December 11 (optional), class is asked to make further comments on website for follow up homework. Students are also encouraged to review some of the comments made by students in other countries, as well as those made by the students in their own class. This way discussion broadens beyond the thoughts in one class, or one country.

• Teachers may want to add additional materials such a a DVD of a 45 minute play that was performed by secondary school students.