Celebrating Human Rights Awareness Month in the School Library
Celebrating Human Rights Awareness Month in the School Library
December is Human Rights Awareness Month, and this year, I wanted to make it a memorable and meaningful experience for my students. Instead of just talking about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I created an interactive activity that got everyone involved—and excited about the topic!
Setting the Stage: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration
We started with a beautiful, powerful video from the FDR Library about Eleanor Roosevelt's role in creating the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. This video, done entirely in watercolor paintings, broke down the complex document into something accessible and engaging for students. It also vividly illustrated Eleanor’s pivotal role in advocating for human rights globally.
The video set the tone for our discussions and gave students a strong foundation before diving into their individual exploration.
The Human Rights Chain Activity
To make the concept of human rights come alive, I designed an activity that got everyone thinking, creating, and collaborating. Here’s how it went:
Learn About Your Right:
Each student was assigned a specific human right. They scanned a QR code to visit the Youth for Human Rights website and watched a short video about their assigned right. Be advised a couple of the videos (for torture and slavery) are pretty heavy. I did prep the students prior to them exploring the site freely that those two videos might be disturbing for those who are especially sensitive and/or empathetic.
As they watched, students reflected on why their right is essential and how it helps people.
Create Your Paper Link:
Students wrote their assigned human right on one side of a strip of paper (e.g., “The right to education”).
On the other side, they explained why it matters (e.g., “Because everyone deserves the chance to learn and grow”).
Build the Human Rights Chain:
We linked everyone’s strips together to form a growing chain of human rights.
As the month progressed, students were thrilled to see the chain stretch across the library. By the end of December, it spanned the entire space! It’ll stay up for at least another month to keep the topic top of mind.
Explore More on the Website:
Students explored additional resources through a link in Destiny Discover to deepen their understanding of Human Rights Awareness Month and other December observances. Here is a link in case you would like to visit it yourself.
Reflect Together:
When the chain was complete, we discussed this question: “How would our world change if one of these rights were missing?”
The conversations were thoughtful and inspiring as students began to see how interconnected and vital these rights are.
Why This Activity Matters
The Human Rights Chain was a simple but powerful way to help students understand the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It made abstract ideas tangible and encouraged collaboration and empathy. By contributing their thoughts and seeing how they fit into the larger chain, students grasped the importance of working together to uphold everyone’s rights.
Looking Ahead
This activity was a hit, and I’d love to build on it next year. I’m considering adding a research component where students create mini-presentations on their assigned rights. For now, though, I’m happy watching students pause to read the links in the chain and reflect on the importance of human rights.
How do you celebrate Human Rights Awareness Month in your school or library? I’d love to hear your ideas!