Story of Our Rights and Freedoms - Australia and the U.N

In this Finding Out lesson, students will explore the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). They will establish their prior knowledge about the Declaration through the ‘3-2- 1 Bridge’ visible thinking routine, then pose the questions that they have about Australia’s connection with the UDHR. Students will work in groups to conduct quick research around their questions, then share what they find with a partner. Students will work either individually or in groups to create a timeline detailing the development and influence of the UDHR, and use the evidence they gather to support their response to the critical question: “Is the UDHR relevant today?” Students will then reflect on their learning by completing the second part of the ‘3-2-1 Bridge’ visible thinking routine.

Essential questions:

• What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)?
• How was Australia involved with the development of the UDHR?
• Is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights still relevant today?