Human Rights Day
As global citizens, students at Scarsdale Middle School must learn to see themselves as members of an interdependent society, who can impact the world on both a local and global level. With these goals in mind, the Middle School began working on a human rights curriculum, and an annual full day human rights conference, 11 years ago for students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Students at all 3 levels use critical and creative thinking to explore complex global issues. The presentations below, highlight several of our Human Rights Day activities.
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
World Languages
In addition, World Language teachers designed special lessons for Human Rights Day. For example, some classes focused on the important role that education plays in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Eighth Grade students compared their classroom experiences with the educational opportunities available to students in Colombia and Paraguay. They viewed documentaries about "Biblioburro" and the "Landfill Harmonic" and then held discussions comparing our schools with those of children in other countries. Our students were impressed with how wonderful the Landfill Harmonic sounds, even though their instruments are made of trash. They also discussed the value of empathy and service to others, as exemplified by the efforts of Biblioburro to bring books to impoverished children.
