1.  Title: Understanding Human Rights through One Woman’s struggle: Aung San Suu Kyi

Grade level / Class size / Time/Duration
9-12 / 20-35 / 2-3 class sessions

2.

3.  Subject: World Geography, Social Science

4.  Objective: To engage the students in considering what human rights are, how they are obtained and secured, and where they are being threatened, abused and denied.

5.  Summary of lesson: Working in small teams, students will explore the basic concepts of human rights as defined by the international community. Then they will see how that’s rights can be denied by a government by studying the beliefs and experiences of Aung San Suu Kyi.

6.  Questions to consider:

·  What is the United Nations? How and why was it formed?

·  What is the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights? What is it intended to do? How is it enforced?

·  Who guarantees an individual’s human rights? If a government violates the human rights of an individual or group, what should happen?

·  Why might it be considered a bad idea to violently fight for basic human rights?

7.  Materials needed:

  1. Worksheets/textbooks Attachment A, teacher created map worksheet

b.  Primary or secondary sources

·  United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html)

·  Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1950505.stm)

·  Aung San Suu Kyi, “Freedom from Fear”, Freedom from Fear and Other Writings : Revised Edition (London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1991) pp180 - 185

8.  Instructional Agenda

Teacher instruction
1.  Introduction/Hook
·  Ask students to write down the three most valuable things in their lives. Most will immediately think of personal possessions, which is the point of the exercise. Some may include things like “family” or “freedom” which will move the discussion forward.
·  Then ask them to write what they thought the three most needed things were for most people of the world. Ask them to compare the two lists, what are similar and what are the differences.
·  Throw out ‘freedom” if it hasn’t already been suggested. Ask the students what it means, how it is used, who guarantees their freedom. Ask them if all people of the world enjoy those freedoms. If not, why?
2.  Lesson/Activity (Day 1)
·  Begin by dividing students into groups of three to five. Ask them to select a recorder who will write down the group’s ideas.
·  Ask each group to create a document that will ensure basic rights and freedoms for all people of the world. Begin by asking “What do all people of the world deserve?” Encourage them to consider basic things that would keep them physically, but also what might keep them healthy psychologically and spiritually. If their answers become unreasonable (“everyone deserves a limousine”), ask them to keep the responses realistic.
·  Have them share their responses and encourage them to consider basic rights that they may take for granted.
·  Pass out copies of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (one for each student) and encourage them to compare their lists with this document. Ask them how and why they think this document came into being. Be prepared to scaffold unfamiliar terms and concepts, such as the United Nations, WWII, etc.
·  (Optional) view the first 15 minutes of the video “Out of the Silence: Fighting For Human Rights”. The video briefly describes the founding of the United Nations and the passing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The video can provide the necessary context for understanding the development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
·  Pass out copies of the BBC’s profile on Aung San Suu Kyi. Have students read it to themselves, in their groups, or as a class. Then have each group respond to the following questions:
  1. Why would Myanmar’s government want to keep Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest?
  2. Why has Aung San Suu Kyi protested nonviolently, as opposed to violently? Are there advantages to nonviolent protest? Are there disadvantages?
  3. What do think might have happened if Aung San Suu Kyi called for violent resistance to her country’s government?
·  Pass out Attachment A and ask students to consider the geography of Myanmar and Asia.
·  For homework, pass out copies of Aung San Suu Kyi’s essay “Freedom from Fear”.
3.  Lesson (Day 2)
·  After reviewing background information on Aung San Suu Kyi from the previous class session, discuss and analyze the writing “Freedom from Fear”. Encourage students to describe what the main idea of the essay are in their own words.
·  Then ask the students to write a short speech as if they were addressing the United Nations and asking for the U.N.’s help in freeing Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest. The speech should be two to three minutes long.
·  Volunteers may read early drafts of their speeches before class ends to receive constructive feedback and from teacher and peers alike.
4. Conclusion
Ask students to refine their speeches and prepare them for presentation for the following class. Encourage them to include 1) references to the Universal Declaration of Human rights and 2) Aung San Suu Kyi’s own words from her essay. These speeches can be read the following class period.

9.  References of all sources

·  United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html)

·  Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1950505.stm)

·  Aung San Suu Kyi, “Freedom from Fear”, Freedom from Fear and Other Writings : Revised Edition (London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1991) pp180 – 185

·  Out of the Silence”: Fighting for Human Rights. Produced and Directed by Chuck Olin. Chuck Olin Associates, Inc., 1992.

Attachment A