Since God is the Creator, all of creation is good. He entrusted us to be the stewards of the earth and its resources, which are destined for the common good of present and future humanity. In this lesson, students will be challenged to develop a proactive attitude and lifestyle toward the environment and all of creation, centered on their relationship with Christ and the Church.

1.2.1

Depth 2

Every human being is created in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, possesses an inherent, inalienable, and inviolable dignity. Justice is a virtue that means treating others in the way that they fairly deserve, and charity is a supernatural virtue that allows us to love God because he is God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. As Christians, we are called to uphold the dignity of human life and assist others in achieving their full human potential at every stage of development from conception until natural death. In this lesson, students will be challenged to move toward Christian discipleship and to promote the dignity of human life by practicing justice and charity.

1.3.1

Depth 2

Solidarity is a moral virtue and foundation of Catholic Social Teaching that unites people of every nation, race, and belief in a universal bond. Stereotypes can lead to prejudice, which can then lead to discrimination, which denies of the dignity of the human person, and all forms of discrimination violate God’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves. Racism can be systemic (present in laws, practices, and situations that are shaped by past and present racial bias) and interior (present in our own hearts and attitudes). Students will be challenged to accept that the protection of human rights is a responsibility that is shared by the Church, the civil state, and each of us individually. Jesus instructed his Apostles to make disciples of all nations, and, in the Catholic Church, all cultures, languages, and ethnic groups are united into a single communion in Christ. As followers of Christ, we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves.

1.4.1

Depth 2

According to the principle of the universal destination of goods, the earth and its resources were created by God for all of humanity. While the right to private property is essential to human freedom and dignity and is a way to meet our daily needs, it is subordinate to the universal destination of goods. Students will be challenged to prioritize concern and action for the poor, the vulnerable, and the oppressed, and work toward meeting their needs and establishing a more just society (preferential option for the poor). Our possessions are related to our stewardship of creation, and we are obliged to help those in need, who are Christ in the distressing disguise of the poor.

1.4.2

Depth 2

Students will be challenged to understand that work is a right and a duty that proceeds from our creation in the image and likeness of God, and workers have a right to receive a just wage for their labor.

1.5.1

Depth 2

The human family, which has its divine origin in the Most Holy Trinity, is at the foundation of all social life—and healthy, loving families are the key to societal freedom, security, and fraternity. Therefore, governments and civil authorities are called to recognize and protect the dignity of families. Marriage is the foundation of the family, and husbands and wives are called to express their love through a free, total, faithful, and fruitful gift of themselves to each other. The Catholic vision for marriage and the family have been under attack since the beginning of time. These challenges continue today. Students will be challenged to engage in protecting and promoting the dignity of both our own family and the family in the larger culture

2.1.1

Depth 2

Students will understand how the events of World War II and the Holocaust influenced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

2.1.2

Depth 2

Students will also use a timeline to learn about key moments that influenced the development of human rights.

2.2.1

Depth 2

Students will reflect on the idea of a “universe of obligation,” or the individuals and groups toward whom obligations are owed, to whom rules apply, and whose injuries call for amends.

2.3.1

Depth 2

Students will understand the collaborative and iterative process that was involved in crafting the UDHR.

2.4.1

Depth 2

Students will categorize the 30 rights that are included as part of the UDHR.

2.5.1

Depth 2

Students will reflect on how the articles of the UDHR can and should be enforced, and discuss the logistics of enforcing and securing those human rights promised by the UDHR.

2.6.1

Depth 2

Students will evaluate the legacies and impacts of the UDHR.

2.7.1

Depth 2

Students will analyze the role culture plays in culture in the way people think about rights and responsibilities.

2.8.1

Depth 2

Students will apply their knowledge of the UDHR to think critically about what it means to be citizens of the world.

2.9.1

Depth 2

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the UDHR by rewriting it for a younger audience, and will think critically about how to teach the topic to that audience.

2.10.1

Depth 2

Students will think critically about the changes that have occurred in the world since the UDHR was passed, and will creatively present their ideas about how to pursue the dream of universal human rights today.

2.11.1

Depth 2

Students will consider how contemporary states respond to violations of human rights and how closely they respect the articles in the UDHR.

3.1.1

Depth 2

Students will identify how their identity is shaped by the past.

3.1.2

Depth 2

Students will interpret a work of art based on descriptive observations.

3.1.3

Depth 2

Students will generate hypotheses based on evidence from a primary document (a painting).

3.1.4

Depth 2

Students will ask questions about the life of Arshile Gorky to guide future inquiry about the Armenian Genocide.

3.2.1

Depth 2

Students will understand background information about the Armenian people such as the following: They are an ancient people that have lived in the area that is now Turkey for approximately 2,000 years. They are mostly Christian. They were the first people to formally adopt Christianity as their national religion, even before Rome. They have their own language and culture. Beginning in the 15th century, the Armenians were ruled by the Ottoman Empire. As subjects of the Ottoman Empire, the Armenians had some rights, but did not enjoy equal rights. In the late 19th century, many Armenians began demanding greater rights.

3.2.2

Depth 2

Students will identify how religion, history, and national identity are used to create distinctions between "we" and "they."

3.2.3

Depth 2

Students will learn about the challenges minorities faced when demanding equality in a traditional society through an examination of Armenian demands for civil rights in the Ottoman Empire.

3.3.1

Depth 2

Students will analyze primary source evidence of the Genocide of the Armenians.

3.3.2

Depth 2

Students will understand the systematic nature of the Armenian Genocide.

3.3.3

Depth 2

Students will evaluate how the study of history can be "used" as a tool to prevent future atrocities and "abused" as a tool to reinforce divisions among people.

3.4.1

Depth 2

Students will examine primary and secondary sources to learn about the range of choices available to individuals, groups, and nations in response to the Armenian Genocide.

3.4.2

Depth 2

Students will understand the dilemmas facing individuals, groups, and nations responding to genocide in a time of war.

3.4.3

Depth 2

Students will consider their own actions when confronted with information about acts of injustice in their community.

3.5.1

Depth 2

Students will analyze choices made by the United States and its representatives during the Armenian Genocide.

3.5.2

Depth 2

Students will understand the concept of sovereignty and how it applies to US intervention during the Armenian Genocide.

3.5.3

Depth 2

Students will discuss the range of options available to Americans at that time.

3.6.1

Depth 2

Students will define justice in their own words.

3.6.2

Depth 2

Students will identify the results of the trials held by the Turkish government in 1919 and be able to describe what ultimately happened to the leaders of the Armenian genocide (Enver Pasha, Talaat Bey and Djemal Pasha).

3.6.3

Depth 2

Students will apply their understanding of justice to the treatment of Enver Pasha, Talaat Bey, and Djemal Pasha.

3.6.4

Depth 2

Students will connect their understanding of justice to events in their own lives.

3.7.1

Depth 2

Students will understand the terms mandate and League of Nations.

3.7.2

Depth 2

Students will evaluate the role of the United States in building nations in other parts of the world.

3.7.3

Depth 2

Students will defend an argument with persuasive evidence.

3.8.1

Depth 2

Students will understand the definition of genocide (as defined by Raphael Lemkin and used in the UN Genocide Convention).

3.8.2

Depth 2

Students will evaluate historical evidence that supports the theory that the crimes against the Armenians satisfy the UN definition of genocide.

3.8.3

Depth 2

Students will recognize the Turkish government's interpretation of events and consider the implications of this denial for Armenians, Turks and others;

3.8.4

Depth 2

Students will debate the limits of free speech as it relates to genocide denial.

4.1.1

Depth 2

Students will use primary source material to develop a clearer understanding of the relationship between trekboers and Africans from one African’s perspective.

4.1.2

Depth 2

Students will understand the consequences of the Great Trek on one African group.

4.1.3

Depth 2

Students will compare the Sotho’s experience to other African groups.

4.2.1

Depth 2

Students will explore the relationship between political events and literature.

4.2.2

Depth 2

Students will compare and contrast 1950s poetry from black South Africa.

4.2.3

Depth 2

Students will evaluate the impact of the Sharpeville massacre on blacks in South Africa.

4.3.1

Depth 2

Students will analyze the issues that framed the debate on the future of anti-apartheid protesting.

4.3.2

Depth 2

Students will sharpen rhetorical skills through debate and discussion.

4.3.3

Depth 2

Students will cooperate with classmates in staging a persuasive presentation.

4.4.1

Depth 2

Students will understand their own perspectives on the use of violence as a means to an end.

4.4.2

Depth 2

Students will consider the morality of armed struggle against apartheid and the values involved in this decision.

4.4.3

Depth 2

Students will analyze the effectiveness of the use of violence to protest apartheid.

4.4.4

Depth 2

Students will compare the situation in South Africa with other movements involving violence.

4.5.1

Depth 2

Students will consider the effects of apartheid on people's minds.

4.5.2

Depth 2

Students will work in groups to interpret the writings of Steve Biko.

4.5.3

Depth 2

Students will consider the relevance of Steve Biko's words for South Africa in the 1970s, for South Africa today, and for other cases in which people are oppressed.

4.6.1

Depth 2

Students will differentiate between fact and opiion.

4.6.2

Depth 2

Students will consider bias of firsthand accounts of the Soweto student uprisings.

4.6.3

Depth 2

Students will analyze primary sources to understand an historical event.

4.7.1

Depth 2

Students will consider what it was like to live in South Africa under apartheid.