Elementary Lesson Plans and Classroom Activities
| These classroom-ready lesson plans for the elementary classroom were developed to help achieve curriculum aims. |
| Please view PDF files before printing. You may wish to copy and print certain lesson plans rather than the entire files, since some files exceed 50 pages. |
Elementary
Global Citizenship Calendar
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This Global Citizenship Calendar highlights the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The calendar brings to life the values of global citizenship by focusing on one day in each month as designated by the United Nations. Note: Teachers should exercise discretion if providing copies of this calendar directly to students, and make the decision based on the age-appropriateness of the calendar date topic. |
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Join UNICEF Canada each month as we explore UN days highlighted in the Global Citizenship Calendar.
November: These classroom friendly activities celebrate Universal Children's Day, also known as National Child Day in Canada. |
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Download the Kindergarten to Grade 3 Level Activities |
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Download the Grade 4 to Grade 8 Level Activities |
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December: These classroom friendly activities celebrate Human Rights Day on December 10. |
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Download the Kindergarten to Grade 3 Level Activities |
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Download the Grade 4 to Grade 8 Level Activities |
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January: These classroom friendly activities provide age appropriate materials for Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th. |
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Download the Kindergarten to Grade 3 Level Activities |
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Download the Grade 4 to Grade 8 Level Activities |
When Disaster Strikes
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When Disaster Strikes - Elementary GuideStudents in elementary grades will examine UNICEF global education concepts in relation to humanitarian emergencies and disaster relief. The classroom-ready activities are presented in a sequence which follows the UNICEF Global Classroom programme cycle from understanding, to personal response, to informed action. The country specific insert will allow you to explore specific emergencies. |
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When Disaster Strikes: Horn of Africa Supplementary GuideBy early July, 2011, it became apparent that a crisis was unfolding across Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti, an area known as the Horn of Africa. A worsening drought, rising food prices, and on-going conflict in Somalia have created a severe humanitarian crisis, with some 12.5 million people in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.This supplementary guide for teachers explores the crisis in the Horn of Africa. You may use it on its own, but for more extensive classroom activities, please check out the Elementary and Secondary guides, When Disaster Strikes: Understanding Humanitarian Emergencies. |
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When Disaster Strikes - Pakistan Supplementary GuideOn July 27, 2010, the first of what would eventually be a series of heavy monsoon rains arrived in Pakistan, largely affecting the northwestern province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Monsoon season takes place from July to September every year in Pakistan and averages about 63.5 millimetres of rainfall per month. In a mere three-day span from July 28 to July 30, Pakistan received over 203 millimetres of rain! Imagine your neighbourhood receiving more than three months worth of rain in less than 72 hours. This is what happened to the country of Pakistan, and it immediately killed more than one thousand people while displacing millions of others. |
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When Disaster Strikes - Haiti Supplementary GuideOn the evening of 12 January 2010, the strongest earthquake to hit Haiti in more than 200 years struck just 17km south-west of Haiti's densely populated capital city, Port-au-Prince. The quake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, lasted mere seconds, but the impacts will be felt for years to come. |
Classroom Activities for Children's Rights
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These lesson plans for all grades introduce basic concepts of children’s rights. Students will develop an understanding of what rights are, discover the universal rights set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and identify the relevance of these rights locally and globally. The responsible exercise of rights is encouraged, with respect for the rights and freedoms of others. |
Rights, Wants and Needs Activity Kit
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This resource helps children to explore the idea that people’s basic needs are considered rights, and to see the link between rights and responsibilities through participatory activities. |
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Rights, Wants & Needs cards |
The Heaven Shop Teacher's Guide
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This is the companion teacher’s guide for The Heaven Shop, a novel about children orphaned by AIDS in Africa, by Canadian children’s author, Deborah Ellis. Inside, teachers will find a synopsis of each chapter, guiding questions and extension activities to help students process the text and understand the challenges these children face. |
Asmina's Story
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Asmina's Story is a resource appropriate for students in Grades 6 to 8 to address the subject of children orphaned by AIDS. This colourful, engaging comic book and accompanying teacher's guide were developed by staff at UNICEF Canada. |
Asmina's Story Teacher's Guide
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The teacher's guide contains pre- and post-reading questions meant to assess literal comprehension, as well as extend thinking and encourage inference. The guide also includes extension activities designed to help students increase their understanding of and compassion for children affected by AIDS. |
Bringing Children's Rights Alive
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These lessons, developed by staff and volunteers at UNICEF Canada, are consistent with the sixth grade language arts and social studies curricula in each province. Explore issues such as rights vs. wants, income disparities and the food crisis through a range of fun and engaging activities. |
A School Like Mine
A School Like Mine takes readers on a journey to 30 different classrooms around the world where children discuss their lives, views, home life, and hopes for the future.
Grades 3 to 6. Hardcover. Currently available in English only.
Children of the World
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The educational kit Children of the World visits young people in eight countries. This adventure is an opportunity for preschool and primary school children to face challenges, to confront other realities, and, as with any journey, to deepen their understanding of themselves as young citizens who can help initiate change. The Children of the World educational kit was developed in collaboration with the Brundtland Green establishment (GBE-CSQ) and several other organizations in Quebec. |
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Educational guide |
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Case histories and fact sheets |
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Cultural files, by country |
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Flashcards on essential needs |
Read the Convention in a variety of languages, and use it to support any of the UNICEF Canada resource guides. The activity cards found under the Rights, Wants and Needs Activity Kit section, are a great way to explore the Convention with your class.
Use these two versions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in your classroom.
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The Convention in Child Friendly Language |
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The Convention on the Rights of the Child - Abbreviated Version |
