Human Rights for Summer School

I have taught human rights several times for my social studies classes, and now I will present something to my ESL students. I will pick and choose from my past lessons and apply them to what writing lessons we had learned from our completed textbook Great Writing 1.

My past lessons:

•  This is a nice introduction to the story of human rights, with an example of China's crackdown on human rights lawyers in 2014, a well as Taiwan's treatment of SE Asian migrant workers. (September 2015)
•  This lesson is about Identity and Otherness and its relation to human rights using readings about acid attacks on women and the first Muslim mayor of London Sadiq Khan. (July 2016). I'll never forget this lesson because I had them draw identity maps and I was honored with the privilege that in almost every class, 1-2 students disclosed their sexual orientation to me, some even before me telling their parents.
• This lesson is a little bit more difficult, having the students discuss with a partner Needs vs Wants. There is a list of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights here with some Mandarin translation. (August 2015)

Introduction: I'll introduce the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights with some of my previous material and corresponding booklets. (Class Handout)
Activities: 

• Needs vs. Wants
• HR Tree
• HR Timeline

Resources:
http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/activities.shtm

Summer Homework

Yes, I will assign homework to my students. Do I think they will do it? Not everyone, but they have the option to expand their world or not. Watching English movies and TV or listening to English music and singing along, is definitely a fun way to improve a second language, and even writing. And remember, summer vacation is about fun.


 
1. Sign up for Spotify on your home computer for free and start listening to music well-known by the rest of the world. By this, I mean Bob Marley (巴布·馬利) and the Beatles (披頭四樂團) at the very minimum. Feel free to explore from there. Check out what I listen to and follow me. If you don't have a computer, listen to Bob Marley and the Beatles on YouTube with the lyrics.

2. Sign up for a free a one month membership on Netflix 網飛. (Ask your parents first). Watch Stranger Things (怪奇物語) as it's immensely popular all over the world, and also my favorite show at the moment. ST realistically depicts the time during my childhood during the 1980's. The young teenage stars are also the same age as my students. Warning, this show is full of suspense, (not scary), so skittish viewers can watch my next recommendation.

Another popular show is "Anne with an E" which is based on the book series, "Anne of Green Gables (清秀佳人)." 

Also, check out any of the documentaries on Netflix. There are many about the subjects I taught in Social Studies, like about Poverty, Genocide, and the Drug War. 


3. Volunteer somewhere.  Check out this list of local NGOs and see how you can help them out.


Happy Summer!

              Cannabis Wonder Drug Documentary (8th Grade Social Studies Unit on Drug War)

Sources:
https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/how-can-film-help-you-teach-or-learn-english
https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijsell/v3-i2/11.pdf
https://app.griffith.edu.au/explore-student-blog/improve-your-english-watch-movies/
https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/learn-english-through-songs-music/

Democracy for Summer Break

International Day of Democracy 國際民主日 (September 15th)

Vocabulary: Use your dictionary and write the Chinese word. [Self Review here]

1. benefits

2. Common

3. Universal

4. Value

5. Economic

6. Participation

7. Advantage

8. Citizen

9. Basic

10. influence

Pre- Reading Discussion Questions:

1. What are some basic needs?
2.What are some universal values?
3. Why is it important to talk about democracy? 
4. What are the benefits of a democracy?
5. What do you know about Taiwan's democracy?

6.  If Taiwan is a democracy, why isn't it a member of the UN?
7. Who was Liu Xiaobo劉曉波? (VOA, PTSNews, Al Jazeera)  

Reading PDF | Word | Quiz | audio :

The International Day of Democracy started in 2007. The United Nations General Assembly 聯合國大會 decided to have a special day to raise 提升 awareness 認知/覺醒 of living in a democracy. They chose September 15th as that day and invited every country and member organization to focus on the benefits of democracy. The U.N. declared (said) there was no single (one) model of democracy. A resolution said all democracies share common features 特性/特質 “and that democracy does not belong to any country or region”. The U.N. said: “Democracy is a universal value based on the freely-expressed will 意志 of people to determine (choose) their own political, economic, social and cultural systems, and their full (complete) participation in all aspects (areas) of life.”

The International Day of Democracy website claims (says) democracies can have many advantages for their citizens (people). The main one is to ensure 確保 people’s basic freedoms. “In a democracy, people are able to think, say and do what they wish (want) within the law and with respect for others, to practice their beliefs and to live the kinds of life they choose.” Another advantage is that a democracy meets 滿足 popular needs. The more influence ordinary 普通的 people have over their government, the more likely 很可能地 government will meet their basic needs. The website says democracies treat 對待 people equally and are free from (don't have any) discrimination 歧視. It does say many of the world’s democracies fall short of 未達到 /欠缺  achieving 達到 this. There is perhaps 或許 no country that has true (real) equality平等.

Comprehension Questions:
1. Why did the UN start the International Day of Democracy?
2. What are some common features of democracy?
3. How can governments meet people's needs?
4.If democracies treat對待  people equally, then why do so many have discrimination? 

Write an acrostic poem （通常指每行詩第一個詞的首字母可組合成詞或片語的）藏頭詩，離合詩 for DEMOCRACY

EX: an acrostic poem for JULY 七月

Jubilee celebrations and much awaited vacations 

Unforgettable sun-kissed afternoons

Leisurely lounging barefoot in the backyard

Youthful dreaming poolside or air-conditioned

Resources:
More Videos
Democracy Index
Democracy Ranking
Freedom in the World

Sidelined by the UN

台灣退出聯合國~~全彩實況 1971

Extra:  How scared is Chinese government of political dissent?

Curriculum During Breaks

It's that time again! Summer vacation is around the corner and I am planning what to teach those last 2 weeks in July. These are some of the past lessons I used during the two-week summer/winter breaks for middle school students.

Current Events Report

Social Justice Videos and Discussion

Class Debates

Class Plays and Drama

Mao in Color

Animal Farm 
Nuclear Weapons
International Day of Peace and Democracy