Lesson 1.4 – Who we are: Human Uniqueness

 

 

Suggested Level: Middle primary to junior secondary

Learning Outcome: This lesson focuses on the underlying principle of human dignity. It leads participants to define what it means to be human, and to relate human rights to human needs.

Materials and resources: Poster paper, coloured pens or pencils, IT Facility

Video – Archbishop Desmond Tutu discusses what it means to be human. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wZtfqZ271w

Suggested Activities:

After watching the video, conduct a class discussion using the following questions as a guide.

 

PART A: What Does It Mean to Be Human?

 

  1. Ask each group to brainstorm which qualities define a human being and include words or symbols based on a human form. For example, “intelligence,” “sympathy.” “empathy”

 

  1. Conduct a round robin asking students to state and share their ideas and build on them collectively in terms of what they think is needed to protect, enhance, and fully develop these qualities of a human being. List their answers and ask students to explain them. For example, “education,” “friendship,” “loving family,” “Self” (Note: Save this list for use in Part B)

 

  1. Based on this list, what do people need to flourish and live in dignity?

 

  1. Are all human beings essentially equal? What is the value of human differences? Should some people be treated differently? If yes, Why?

 

  1. Can any of our “essential” human qualities be taken from us? For example, only human beings can communicate with complex language; are you human if you lose the power of speech or movement? Can you lose your dignity?

 

  1. What happens when a person or government attempts to deprive someone of something that is necessary to human dignity? Provide an example? Role Play?

 

  1. What would happen if you had to give up one of these human necessities? For example, having to tell someone about your emails every day?

 

  1. What does it mean to be fully human? How is that different from just ‘surviving’ instead of ‘thriving or flourishing?’

 

  1. Have students in groups create digital story about themselves using either simple anima or film describing the words “HUMAN”, “RIGHTS” and “DIGNITY”.

 

  1. If the schools does not have access to digital equipment, this part of the activity can be completed as a collage or drawing.

 

For younger children –

  1. Ask children sitting in a circle to identify a positive human quality. Ask them to use an emoji to represent those qualities. Using a talking stick or simply speaking in turns, ask each to describe that quality briefly.

 

  • Note that everyone has positive human qualities.

 

  • If children have difficulty generating qualities about themselves, ask “What are some qualities we admire in people?” and write a list of responses on the board. Have each child pick one that is true for her or him.

 

  1. Ask some of these questions:
  • Do you respect in others the quality you like about yourself?
  • Do you respect good qualities in others that you do not have?
  • Do all human beings deserve respect? Why?
  • How do you show respect for others?
  1. Ask children if they can remember a time when they felt hurt because someone did not respect them.
  • Did someone say something insulting or hurtful to you?
  • Why do people sometimes say bad things to each other?
  • What is dignity? Is your dignity hurt when others do not respect you? How does it feel to you?
  1. Ask the group how human beings differ from other living creatures. Emphasize that human

beings communicate with words, not just sounds, and that they decide many things about

their lives.

 

  1. Ask the group, “What does it mean if we say that all human beings deserve respect because they all have human dignity?” Get to explain what that would men in their classroom, the playground or at home.

 

  1. Ask children to think of one example of how life in their community could be more

peaceful if people showed greater respect for each other.

 

  1. Have children work in pairs or alone to illustrate one way they could show respect to someone. Share these ideas with the rest of the class.

 

  1. Explain that after a terrible war, World War II, all the countries of the world agreed in

1948 on a document that said the world would be more peaceful if everyone respected the

dignity of every human being. These words are contained in the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights.

 

Reference: Human Rights Resource Centre, University of Minnesota. (www1.umn.edu)