Below is an example of the work HEC Global Learning Centre carries out in schools in London.

Pupils from Langdon Park Secondary School went into Manorfield Primary School for a morning, to teach them about human rights and school councils, and help them work out what they need to do to set one up.

The Objectives were:

To explore rights and express their ideas on them
To participate in activities needed for school council working;

representation,
group work,
decision-making,
participation,
research &
presentation.

Below are the activities undertaken during the morning.

1 There was an introduction Assembly by Michael Newman of the Humanities Education Centre.

During the assembly pupils were asked what was needed to make a person. A cut out skeleton was used. When the different parts were called out, pupils were told that of course this is not a real person, to make a real person they would need other things. What would be their needs?, i.e. Need... water, food,.... this was written.....

Afterwards the Langdon Park students went into different classrooms to carry out activities theroughout the day to help the Manorfield students find out about School Councils

2 Each class set "Ground Rules" (10 mins) asking

"What do we need to do to make the morning work?"

The class wrote down their ideas on a flip chart. At the end they made a general class agreement

"Do we agree with this list?"

They used this as poster for rest of the session, and referenced to it when children did not work together.

3 Picture activity on Rights (20 mins)

Split the class into six groups, each group is given a picture and an envelope of rights -they need to match it with a right and discuss what is needed to ensure the right exists.
You will need a list of rights displayed on poster, and one set of laminated large cards for matching with pictures on a whiteboard when students present.
One group has the Article 12 card, and instead of matching to a picture, need to create their own and take pictures using a throwaway camera.
Group select presenter who makes presentation to the class -describing the picture and explaining the right and needs. In the case of Article 12 they act their picture.

One group has the Article 12 card, and instead of matching a picture, need to create their own.

[click here to find out about the pictures]

[Play the online game, to match then yourself]

Click here for rights cards 1 (word doc)
Click here for rights cards 2 (word doc)
Click here for rights images 1
Click here for rights images 2
Click here for a list of the rights (word doc)

4 Creative Activity with Heads and shoulder pictures. (45 minutes)

Draw a picture of your head and shoulders, in the head write one of the rights, in the shoulders write what you need to have that right.

5 When the wind blows
-full class in circle -survey of children (10 minutes)

Get the whole class to stand in a circle. Give instructions and demonstrate, -this activity is called when the wind blows, when I describe a group I want you to cross to the other side of the circle if you belong to the group.

For example -everyone who is older than 20- (you cross over as if a leaf blown in the wind). It makes it more fun if people act as if they are blown by the wind but they can simply walk over being careful not to collide with anyone).

Eg. people who have voted for anything; who has helped make a decision about their classroom; people who have played football; who knows what a school council is? people who think there should be a school council?

7 The values line (20 minutes)
A line is placed on the floor, masking tape etc.
" This line is called a values line. You can stand anywhere on the line to say what you think.

For example; I love fish I eat it everyday, I cannot get enough fish - you can stand at this end. Or if you hate fish, it makes you feel ill, you wouldn't touch fish -then you can stand at the other end. If you don't mind fish you might stand in the middle- or if you quite like it then you might stand here"

-Split class into groups of four. They choose a representative and they must decide as a group where someone stands and why. The reps stand on the line, are interviewed and the group is asked for feedback, if the person correctly represented the group.
The lines explore school council issues and answers during the interviews should include explained reasons.

Lines:
a.The school council should make decisions about everything in the school or nothing.
b. Everybody should be on the school council or no-one
Ask questions to discover what decisions should be excluded, and how many people should be on the council.
The teacher can record the line on a sheet of sugar paper and where people stood as X's.

Everybody should... XXX -XXXXX -XX -X ...No-one should

Follow up:

The class findings and discussion can be put together for a presentation at an assembly.

School Council Consultation: From the morning a survey could be created that could then consult the children on how they would like their school council. How many people elected from each class?

Next Step:

Organising elections- how to stand

-Nominations?
-Making Speeches?
-Who votes?

Create a student working group on how to structure the council