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8th grade · Social Studies · Unit 1 of 7

Human Rights Around the World

Rights, fairness and speaking up

What your child practices

Practices what human rights are and looks at selected examples of human rights issues around the world.

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 8.1.3.1 · the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and how rights are protected

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Human rights belong to every person. Every child has the right to food, clean water, a safe home, school and being heard.
  2. Freedom of speech means people can share ideas and opinions peacefully.
  3. When someone is treated unfairly, be kind to them and tell a trusted adult.

Example: Is going to school a right of every child? Children have rights that help them grow. Learning is one of them. Every child has the right to an education. Answer: yes

Human Rights Around the World in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 1 of 7 in 8th grade Social Studies, before World Beliefs.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Freedom of speech means…

    • people can shout at anyone
    • only leaders can talk
    • people can share their ideas and opinions peacefully
    • people must stay quiet

  2. Question 2

    What is a human right?

    • a gift for adults only
    • a treat for good grades
    • something every person deserves simply because they are human
    • a prize given only for winning

  3. Question 3

    Which is fair treatment?

    • letting only some students learn
    • ignoring some students’ voices
    • picking by hair color
    • giving everyone the same chance to learn

  4. Question 4

    What does it mean when a right is denied?

    • they move to a new house
    • a person is not allowed what they should have
    • they get extra of what they need
    • they win a prize for something they did

  5. Question 5

    What is discrimination?

    • treating people unfairly because of who they are
    • planning a trip
    • liking a sports team
    • choosing a snack for lunch

  6. Question 6

    Treating a person unfairly because of their skin color or beliefs is called…

    • a tradition
    • taxation of income
    • good teamwork
    • discrimination

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