Primary Source Exemplar: Universal Declaration of Human Rights Social Science Unit

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Wassim Absood


Essential Questions

  • How do human rights researchers conduct their duties?
  • What social science skills do they use in their careers?
  • What concerns can be raised about their methodology?

Text Set

Human Rights Watch Research Methodology

Amnesty International Accountability & Methods

UN OHCHR Human Rights Bodies

Tasks

  • Summarize methodologies
  • Compare organizations by methodology: Venn Diagram
  • Begin research on individual accounts

NOTE: This sub-lesson is designed as enrichment for proficient or advanced students. Special Education students, English Language Learners, and other struggling students will have a difficult time completing this task alongside the rest of Lesson 2. If all students in your classroom are able, consider this as a precursor to lesson 2 for all students. For classrooms with differentiated instruction, start all students on lesson 2 task 1 (Country Research), then bring in the proficient and advanced students for lesson 2A while others are working independently


Task 1 Summarize methodologies


Preparation

  • Provide students  access to the internet (1:1 classroom, computer lab, mobile lab, BYOD as applicable)

  • Identify proficient and advanced students capable of this enrichment activity

  • Conduct a ‘reality check’ to ensure all internet links are still valid


Method

  1. Explain to students that you want them to go into more depth about how Non-Governmental Organizations process reports alleged human rights violations

  2. Provide students the websites for Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International linked above

  3. Ask students to pair up; each student will read and distill the methodology of one of the two groups, taking notes about what they find.  Give about 8-10 minutes

  4. Circulate amongst students assisting students with questions in their research

  5. When the research is completed, have students summarize their findings orally with their partner.  For higher level students this will likely happen in a structured fashion.  For other students you may wish to structure their discussion by asking pointed questions and having them discuss their answers with their partner*

Potential questions: Which group spent more time talking about the process?  Which group spent more time talking about financial responsibility?  Who is responsible for field reports from each organization?  Who do you know that?  Which group seems more ‘scientific’ in their description of their methods?  Which group seems more transparent overall?  If you wanted to let the world know about human rights abuses, which group would you pick to lead the investigation and why?

Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.

Rationale

Students are gradually eased into an understanding of rigorous and scientific methodology in the Social Sciences and a greater understanding of the application of Social Science skills by examining real-life applications of those skill sets. Students also engage higher order thinking skills by judging the effectiveness of each groups’ methodology.


Task 2 Compare organizations by methodology: chart


Preparation

  • Procure large butcher paper (or some other method) on which to record student answers


Method

  1. Remind students of what occurred in Task 1.  Ask them to create new groups with one partner who focused on Human Rights Watch and one who focussed on Amnesty International

  2. A-B Pair Share: A goes first and explains her/his organization.  Give 56 seconds

  3. B then does the same, noting similarities and differences.  Give 32 seconds

  4. Each new pair then creates a Venn Diagram of what they know of the research methodology of each organization.  Give 5-7 minutes

  5. Pairs report out their results: each team give one point to the teacher, who then creates a ‘class Venn Diagram’ with the information

  6. Lead a whole class discussion comparing the two organizations via the Venn Diagram


Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.7 Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.10 By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.


Rationale

Students solidify and expand their understanding of how these NGOs in particular (and human rights observers in general) apply the UDHR by explaining their findings for to another partner, and then via a Venn Diagram to the rest of the class.


Task 3 Begin research on individual accounts


Preparation

  • Conduct a ‘reality check’ to ensure all internet links are still valid

Method

  1. Refer students back to Venn Diagram from Task 2 and review the comparisons drawn
  2. Have students form groups of 3-4
  3. Provide students with the link to the ‘Other UN OHCHR Human Rights Bodies’ (above)
  4. Ask students to choose one other organization either from this page or from the link to the page about other human rights bodies.  Make sure that at least two charter and two treaty bodies are selected
  5. Each team must research the human rights body their group has chosen. They are looking for methodology and reports.
  6. Using what they learned in the last step, students search for the account of an individual person who has alleged human rights abuses that were investigated by their particular body
  7. Make sure to manage expectations: it is unlikely that they will be able to find details like names/faces or even exact locations for most reports of human rights abuses where the alleged victim is still in-country
  8. Students prepare a brief (3-5 minute) presentation of the country, issue, abuse, person abused, and current status of the investigation
  9. Students present as scheduled with the teacher (while the whole class is on lesson 2)


Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.7 Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.8 Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.

Rationale

Students are engaged in research about real-world applications the interview and other investigative techniques used in human rights abuse cases.  They are also gaining more ‘world history’ context by investigating specific human rights abuse allegations made by individuals.



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