Human Rights: Entire Activity
Human Rights: Entire Activity
Human Rights Instructions
Human Rights Instructions
CURRICULUM LINKS
Citizenship (KS3)/(KS4) Human Rights
THEMES
Human Rights
Reconciliation
Conflict Resolution
GOALS
Pupils will understand how human rights are sometimes denied in time of war and the short and long-term impact this can have on an individual and communities.
RESOURCES
For this activity you will need to download the following documents:
- Human Rights Setting the Scene
- Introducing themes and veterans
- Human Rights Food / Conditions
- Human Rights Lasting Impact
- Human Rights Reconciliation
DESCRIPTION
The questionnaire extracts in this activity are taken from veterans who were Prisoners of War during the Second World War. There are also extracts from veterans who witnessed the aftermath of the Nazi concentration camp system.
1. Introduce pupils to the essential facts relating to POWs, using the ‘setting the scene’ document. It contains a short summary of the important issues – Geneva Convention, the treatment of prisoners, Red Cross parcels etc.
2. As a starting activity, divide the class into 6 groups for a mind mapping session. Ask the pupils to think about and write down things that they believe to be important in their everyday lives.
3. Bring the class back together to discuss the things that they have chosen. Ask pupils to divide the things into ‘basic needs’ or ‘luxuries’
4. Ask the class to further discuss the things they have chosen and to consider what things under ‘basic needs’ they think a POW would have been deprived of during captivity.
5. Distribute the extracts from six reflective questionnaires, which have been divided into three themes. The extracts under ‘Food / Conditions’ and ‘Lasting Impact’ will be relevant for this activity. Ask pupils to bear in mind the language used by veterans in the extracts. Some veterans may still feel hostility towards certain nations or groups and they are entitled to their opinions, but pupils should not adopt these attitudes. The language used by the veterans in the extracts has not been amended from the original questionnaires.
The class could also read the William Rose, Johnny Smythe and Zinkeisen personal stories from the online exhibition.
6. Divide the class into groups. Give each group one of the following questions to discuss or you may want to use some questions of your own:
- What were the POWs deprived of during captivity?
- How should POWs be treated by their captors?
- What impact can the denial of basic human rights have on an individual, family or community?
ACTIVITY EXTENSION
Using the extracts under ‘Reconciliation’ and the William Rose personal story, pupils can discuss how veterans have reconciled what they have experienced and witnessed. Ask pupils to explore (either in groups or as a class) the veterans’ attitudes on:
- The value of freedom
- The value of reconciliation and forgiveness.
Alternatively, lead a class discussion based on the following question:
- What lessons can be drawn from the questionnaire extracts and personal stories about the way people should treat each other?
SUMMARY
A high value should always be placed on human rights
The denial of human rights can have terrible consequences
Reconciliation is a powerful tool in dealing with past experiences
Other website resources
FEPOW
Far East Prisoners of War
http://www.fepow-community.org.uk
COFEPOW
Children of Far East Prisoners of War
http://www.cofepow.org.uk
National Archives
http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/Leaflets/ri2020.htm
Imperial War Museum
http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/prisoners
The Great Escapes Exhibition at the Imperial War Museum
http://london.iwm.org.uk/upload/package/40/GreatEscapes/index.
htm
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
http://www.ushmm.org
The Beth Shalom Holocaust Centre
http://www.holocaustcentre.net
The Beth Shalom Holocaust Web Centre
http://www.bethshalom.com
The Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority
http://www.yadvashem.org
Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org.uk
