Subject: Social Studies Type of Lesson: Internet use, group work, discussion,

multimedia.

Grade: 10 CSEC OBJ: Students should be able to:

A24 Describe the relationship between
citizens and governments as stated in
the constitution

Term: 2 Unit Number #1 - Government

and Title:

Duration: 235 minutes Week Number: 9

Lesson Number #30 Human Rights and Freedoms and

and Title: Responsibilities

Objectives
As a result of this lesson, the student will be able to:
1) identify the basic human rights and freedoms of individuals.
2) state the responsibilities of citizens as stated in the constitution.
3) give a brief history of human rights.
4) outline how the human rights of citizens are being violated.
5) appreciate the work of organizations which protect the human
rights and freedoms of citizens.

Prerequisite Student Knowledge

The student should be familiar with:
1) the structure of government in their country in Grade 9.
2) the powers of the executive, legislature and judiciary in their
country in Grade 9.
3) conditions of citizenship in Grade 9.
4) the rights and freedoms and responsibilities of citizens in Grade 9.
5) the importance of the constitution to good governance.

Important Points
1) The constitutions of Commonwealth Caribbean countries contain a
bill of rights that provides the legal protection for the rights and
freedoms of individual citizens. A bill of rights is a list of the
important rights of citizens issued by a national government. The
notion of human rights is to protect all human beings. This was

Teacher Instructional Material 1

 first proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948
under the charter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
2) The United Nations is an international organization which came
into effect on October 24, 1945. After World War 2 several
countries came together to form the United Nations in an attempt
to promote world peace and so prevent another world war. The
headquarters is located in New York. The aim of the United
Nations is to maintain international peace and security, to develop
friendly relations between nations, to promote and encourage
respect for human rights and freedoms and to achieve international
cooperation in solving international economic, social ,cultural and
humanitarian problems;
3) Although the rights and freedoms of citizens are protected by the
constitution there are times when exceptions have to be made and
citizens rights may have to be temporarily suspended. The
Parliament of a country may in a period of national crisis, declare a
State of Emergency. This period must be clearly stated by
Parliament and must not be instituted unless there are no
alternative to dealing with the crisis in the country.
4) There are times when citizens may need help in protecting their
rights. There are several organizations which do this. One such
organization is Amnesty International. It was founded in 1968
and its headquarters is in Washington, USA. It ensures the
observation of the fundamental rights proclaimed in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights by collecting reports of violations
worldwide. If the violation is correct it contacts the government of
the country concerned asking officials to ensure the victims rights
are protected. Where pressure is needed it will not hesitate to make
these violations public. In addition to Amnesty International
individual countries have local organizations which act as watch
dogs ensuring that citizens rights are protected.

Key Terms

responsibilities rights state of emergency

Challenge Areas
Instruct students to design a flier titled My Responsibilities as a
Citizen. On the flier they should list the responsibilities of citizens
discussed in the class. Arrange for the students to print several copies
and hand them out to students in the school. They should also place
copies in the school library for future reference.

Teacher Instructional Material 2

Equipment/Materials Needed
Multimedia equipment, computers and internet connectivity which
should be enough for individual or groups of students to use.

Note to Teacher
It is very important that you be well informed about this topic.
Encourage discussion among students where they give examples of
human rights violation they may have encountered or read about. At
the same time highlight the responsibilities of citizens as this is not
usually given as much importance as individual rights and freedoms.
Make sure the computer stations are set up and working before class
and also that students can link to the internet quickly.

Teachers Lesson Notes

Teacher Instructional Material 3

Introduction
1) Introductory Activity

The Covenants Discussion of video, multimedia projection

a. Ask students if they know what is a covenant and if so to

Notes
The rights of
citizens are clearly
outlined in the
constitution of
each country. The
laws contained in
the constitution
cannot be
changed except by
a majority vote in
Parliament
tell what they know using examples.
Expected Answer: An agreement or contract between two
sides which constitute a pledge to do or refrain from doing
something.
i. Let students give as many examples as they can.
Focus on the requirements of both parties in a
covenant agreement
b. Next play the video from the link below and invite
students to watch carefully one side of the covenant. Invite
them to write some of the rights highlighted in their
notebooks. Play the video a second time so students may be
able to write down as many rights as they can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=O8
kP3pr6XPU&NR=1

c. Next inform students that the rights of citizens constitute

one side of the covenant and that the other side contains the
responsibilities of citizens. Project the diagram below
which outlines the responsibilities of citizens. Instruct
students to make notes.
IT Specialist: Please make the diagram smaller to fit the
space below May need fixing.

Teacher Instructional Material 4

 Figure 30.1 Responsibilities of citizens

RESPONSIBILITIES

OBEY PAY
LAWS TAXES

LEGAL

SERVE AS SERVE
WITNESS ON
IN COURT JURY

OF

VOTE
WISELY
LOYALTY
COOPERATE
TO
WITH POLICE
COUNTRY
VOLUNTARY

ACTIVE IN HELP YOUR

THE BE INFORMED NEIGHBOUR
COMMUNITY ON CURRENT
AFFAIRS

CITIZENS

Body of Lesson
1) How did our human rights come about? video, internet use,
discussion, group work.

a. Instruct students to watch the video from the link below

which outlines the concept of human rights and suggest to
them that they answer the following questions.
i. Where are human rights found?
Expected answer: The constitution of a country
ii. Which organization was first concerned about our
human rights?
Expected answer: The United Nations
iii. What is a human right?
Expected answer: The privileges given to a person
as a human being

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpY9s1Agbsw&feature=related

Teacher Instructional Material 5

 b. Now show this next video about the history of human
rights. Instruct students to note the years shown. They will
next create a timeline. They may have to see the video
twice.

What do you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh3BbLk5UIQ

think?
Ask students if they c. Show this next video which endorses the concept of human
think that some
people have more rights. Instruct students to write down important
rights than others? information about the development of human rights.
Let them tell you
what they think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VhQQrtq7PE&feature
=related

d. Answer any questions students may have about the video

clips. Pose the question to them: Are there any rights
shown in the clips that you are hearing about for the first
time? Allow them to share their responses with their
classmates.

e. Next let students work in small groups and create their own
concept map which includes all the important aspects of
human rights. Each group will explain their concept map to
the class.

2) How are the human rights of citizens violated? Internet use,

group work, discussion.

a. Assign students to work in small groups. Each group will

be assigned a section of the report from the link below to
read about the various ways in which the rights of citizens
may be violated. Encourage each group to make notes.
Walk around to each group to answer any possible
Important Point
questions and ensure they are doing what they should.

The United States http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/wha/154511.htm

State Department
publishes yearly
reports on human b. Next let each group report what they have discovered about
rights for many the status of Jamaica as it relates to various human rights
countries around the
world.
violation to the rest of the class. Ask students to state if
they agree with all that is in the report.

c. Now let students read from the website below about the six
most severe human rights violations around the world.

Teacher Instructional Material 6

 http://news.softpedia.com/news/Top-6-The-Most-Severe-
Human-Right-Violations-Around-the-World-63112.shtml

i. Ask students to say if their country is guilty of any

of these violations. Ask them to share their
responses with the class.

3) Who protects the rights of citizens? Video , internet use ,

discussion

Try This! a. Remind the students that there are times when persons may
Let students name
the organization in
not be aware of their rights and so need help in protecting
Jamaica which their rights, for example children. Voluntary organizations
protects the rights of have been formed to ensure that individual rights and
homosexuals and
gays.
freedoms of citizens in their country and citizens around
the world are protected.

b. Let them watch the video from the link below which
provides information about one such organization.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-
WnlOCvXw&feature=related
IT Specialist: can it be played any slower?

c. Next let students read about local organizations that protect

human rights.

http://www.dogoodjamaica.org/organizations/independent_
jamaica_council_for_human_rights

http://www.jamaicansforjustice.org/nmcms.php?content=ab
out%20us

i. After students have read answer any questions they

may have about what they have read.
ii. Next let four or five students volunteer to role play
a situation where a named local human rights
organization had to deal with a case of human rights
violation.

Teacher Instructional Material 7

Closure
In Class Assignment
1) Let students work on their own playing the gap-filling game from
the website below.

http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/CET/flashactivities/human_rights.
html

Supplemental
Out-of-Class Assignment
1) Suggest to students that they visit the websites in the lessons to get
a full understanding of the importance of human rights and
responsibilities.
2) Suggest that students visit the website below to learn about the
rights of children.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE1nku6fVrE&feature=related

3) Students should also read the relevant sections in their textbooks

Glossary of Terms

human rights the basic rights and freedoms to which all

humans are entitled

responsibilities the duties citizens in a country must carry out in

response to the rights they enjoy

state of during periods of national emergency caused by

emergency natural disasters or civil unrest ,a government
responds by declaring a State of Emergency
which has the effect of suspending the rights of
citizens

violation of rights to deny individuals what is fundamentally

entitled to them. To treat someone less than
human with no respect or dignity

CSEC Questions

The constitutions of all English-speaking Caribbean countries

contain rights and freedoms that citizens should enjoy.

Teacher Instructional Material 8

a) Identify ONE right and ONE freedom included in the
constitution of your country. (2 marks)

b) Outline what is guaranteed to citizens by EACH right and

freedom you identified in (1) above. (4 marks)

c) Explain THREE difficulties that citizens may experience when the

y lose the rights and freedoms identified above (6 marks)

d) Suggest to citizens TWO steps they can take to seek redress if their
rights are violated. (4 marks)

e) Give TWO reasons why you think your suggestion will work.
(4 marks)
Total 20 marks
Recommended Materials
Websites to visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWNNV0dMM7M&feature=relmf
u

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGHtUzrWYOk&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3QHWfbYQms&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGOjFWGqAKg&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ol8cZFt2EE&feature=relmfu

Bibliography
Lunt, P., Buckle-Scott, L., Davis-Morrison, V. & Louis, A. (2012)
Social Studies for CSEC. United Kingdom: Nelson Thornes
Ltd.

Ramsawak, Rampersad. Umraw, Ralph. (2010) Modules in Social

Studies 5th Edition. La Romaine, Trinidad, W.I: Caribbean
Educational Publishers.

Ruddock, L.C. and Robinson-Glanville, S. (1994) New Civics for

Young Jamaicans. New Edition. Kingston: Carlong Publishers.

Sandy, Mervyn C. (2012). Social Studies Essentials Kingston,

Jamaica, W.I: Carlong Publishers.

Teacher Instructional Material 9

Waterman, Ivan. Fisher, J. (2007) Social Studies for CSEC
Examinations 2nd Edition: Oxford, Macmillan Publishers

Teacher Instructional Material 10