Teaching Resources for Scotland
Amnesty produces a range of human rights education resources, linked to the Curriculum for Excellence, to help teachers in Scotland bring human rights into the classroom.
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SEARCH + DOWNLOAD FREE AMNESTY RESOURCES IN ENGLISH AND GAELIC |
Much of our work is done in partnership with IDEAS (the International Development Education Association of Scotland), the coalition of Development Education Centres and NGOs in Scotland.
Latest Amnesty news for teachers in Scotland:
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Activity pack: Seeking safety
Age group: 6+
Cost: Free
A selection of activities for primary classes to explore asylum and refugee issues in a participatory way. Created by our Edinburgh office for schools in Scotland, this is a great resource for schools anywhere in the UK.
Download: Activity pack: Seeking safety
The first activity is accompanied by Kids welcome asylum seekers. When will grown-ups catch up? a thought-provoking two minute documentary on primary school children's experiences of asylum seekers, produced by Glasgow-based mediaco-op and funded by Oxfam Asylum Positive Images Project with support from ESF Equal Atlas Partnership. Order your DVD
SCOTTISH CURRICULUM RESOURCE: CHILD SOLDIERS
Age group: 11-14
Cost: FREE
A resource on child soldiers, suitable for Curriculum for Excellence, based on a talk by a former child soldier.
Download: Child Soldiers resource
TEACHING RESOURCES: CHINA
These resources have been designed for the new Curriculum for Excellence, to help teachers in Scotland introduce human rights to a number of different subjects and as a cross-curricular theme. Most of the resources are available in English and Gaelic. They are aimed primarily at 11-16 year olds, depending on the ability of the students.
LESSON PLANS
Closing Minds - Designed for use in English/Literacy classes and tailored to the Curriculum for
Excellence, this lesson uses poetry and cartoons to explore issues around censorship
and freedom of expression.
Download for FREE: Closing Minds
The Great Firewall of China - Designed for use in ICT classes, this lesson uses film, internet research and
informal role play to explore internet repression in China.
Download for FREE: The Great Firewall of China | Balla-Bacaidh Mor Shiona
The Death Penalty and China - Designed for use in Maths classes and tailored to the Curriculum for Excellence,
this lesson explores statistics and views on the death penalty world-wide and
in China in particular. Pupils use mathematical techniques to explore and present
data.
Download for FREE:
The Death Penalty in China | A' Bhinn Bais Ann An Siona Agus Air Feadh An T-Saoghail
MULTIMEDIA RESOURCES
Powerpoint: Images of China - A powerpoint presentation of images, complete with notes for teachers, to illustrate The Great Firewall of China, The Death Penalty in China and The World and Closing Minds lessons. Images include: the death penalty, James Fenton, Helena Hung, the Tiananmen Mothers and Shi Tao and his poetry. Download powerpoint presentation.
Chinese Music on Human Rights - This haunting and beautiful song is used to commemorate those who were killed in the massacre in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. You could use it at the beginning of an assembly on China, or at the start of a lesson. It is sung by Chinese human rights campaigner, Helena Hung. Lyrics in Chinese and English / Download MP3
Short Animations on Human Rights in China - These hard-hitting animations introduce human rights issues in China such as torture and the death penalty. They can be used with ages 11+. However, although they are cartoons, they are very powerful and may not be suitable for your classes - please check before viewing! Animations
'Tiananmen' - James Fenton, journalist, poet and university professor, wrote this poem in China ten days after the 4 June massacre in Tiananmen square in Beijing. The poem is used as part of the lesson plan Closing Minds (above), but this recording of James reading his poem could also be used as part of another lesson, or an assembly. Download MP3
OTHER RESOURCES
French: Text and Suggested Activities - French teachers can bring human rights into their classroom with this text on the death penalty in China. Download for FREE here: French text
China Campaign Materials - Amnesty's campaign materials on human rights in China include case studies, action sheets, stickers, t-shirt transfers and downloadable placards. China materials
Scottish Curriculum resource: Slavery Today
Age group: 14+
Cost: Free
A lesson of activities to raise awareness of modern forms of slavery, with a
particular focus on trafficking, a modern day slave trade and one of the fastest
growing forms of slavery. A Scottish Curriculum for Excellence resource suitable
for History, RME, PSHE and cross-curricular work on Citizenship.
Download:
Slavery Today (Scottish Curriculum) | Trailleachd An-Diugh (Gaelic)
More Amnesty Resources
In addition to our resources linked specifically to the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, Amnesty International produces a wide range of resources which can be adapted for use across the UK.
These resources for human rights classroom activities include curriculum-integrated powerpoint presentations, DVDs, worksheets, posters and books, accompanied by teachers notes and actions for pupils can take. Explore Amnesty's teaching resources
Teachrights
TeachRights is our network for teachers interested in bringing human rights into the classroom. Check out the latest TeachRights ezine, which includes a calendar of upcoming human rights events plus details of recommended courses for pupils and professional development. Sign up now
School Speakers
Amnesty International Scotland can arrange for an Amnesty member to come to your school to speak about our work or to run a workshop on one of our campaigns such as control arms, the death penalty or refugees. If you would like to invite a speaker, please email scotland@amnesty.org.uk
Please note that as part of our commitment to working with young people, Amnesty has developed a Child Protection Policy. In line with current good practice, if you invite a speaker to come to your school or youth group, please ensure that:
- As a guest in your school or youth group, the speaker is accompanied by a teacher, youth group leader or member of staff at all times
- You have discussed the content of the session with them beforehand and that you are happy with the areas they will be covering.
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Interested in becoming a speaker? We run free training days for people who want to take part in our volunteer speaker programme, designed to help develop the skills you need:
The next training day will be held in Edinburgh on Saturday 9 May 2009. For more information, or to book your free place, please contact scotland@amnesty.org.uk |
SHARE AMNESTY RESOURCES
Order a free poster for your staffroom noticeboard - email scotland@amnesty.org.uk
Human Rights and Curriculum For Excellence
Amnesty's new Human Rights and Curriculum For Excellence leaflet (pdf) gives details of all our Primary and Secondary classroom resources that have been tailored to the new Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland. These resources are suitable for teaching under Health & Wellbeing, Expressive Arts, Religious & Moral Education and Social Sciences, and focus on a range of issues, including China, child soldiers, modern slavery and poverty. Many are also suitable for teaching across subjects.
News
How do you approach teaching rights? What positive experiences have you had? What problems have you encountered? Have Amnesty's resources been valuable?
We would like to hear from Scottish teachers about their experiences of teaching human rights to enable us to illustrate the practical benefits and challenges in our media work. If you would like to share your experiences, please email Graeme McGregor
Primary and Secondary Teacher Training Opportunities
In collaboration with the Scottish Human Rights Commission and others, we are planning to host new human rights training events for Scottish teachers, to better equip them to teach human rights issues in the classroom, a key requirement of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Would you be interested in attending such a training event - and what subjects and issues do you think the events should cover? Please email Graeme McGregor
Amnesty at Glasgow Youth Film Festival: 11 + 15 February
Amnesty will be hosting two events at this year's Glagsow Youth Film Festival:
11 Feb: Poverty + Human Rights
A special screening of Amnesty's Poverty and Human Rights film for schools about the Deep Sea settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and the community's struggle with the threat of forced eviction. This will be followed by a short film of Amnesty youth activists interviewing members of the Deep Sea community during a visit to the UK, and an interactive workshop to explore issues of human rights, poverty and how young people can make a difference.
15 Feb: Human Rights + Filmmaking Workshop
Young people will work with Amnesty, EthicalTV and Diversity Films to think about human rights films, and how, in the age of YouTube and camera phones, they can expose human rights abuses and reach a global audience.

On Screen
On Facebook?
POVERTY AND HUMAN RIGHTS