Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Human Rights and Totalitarian Regimes

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 7 minutes)

The objectives section clearly establishes what is expected for students to understand and be capable of doing by the end of the class. Intended to guide both the teacher and the students, this stage serves as a compass for the subsequent activities, ensuring that the focus of learning is aligned with the proposed educational goals.

Main Objectives:

1. Analyze the philosophical and practical aspects of totalitarianism, identifying its main characteristics and differentiating it from other systems of government.

2. Explore how human rights are affected under totalitarian regimes, using historical examples to illustrate violations and the suppression of individual freedoms.

Side Objectives:

1. Develop critical skills in students so they can identify and discuss the ethical and social implications of totalitarian regimes today.

Introduction

Duration: (8 - 10 minutes)

The introduction stage is crucial for engaging students with the lesson theme and reviewing key concepts that have been previously studied. By utilizing problem situations, students are encouraged to think critically about the implications of totalitarian regimes and the importance of human rights. The contextualization with real and historical examples serves to solidify the relevance of the topic and prepare students for the discussions and activities that will follow.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine a government where all decisions are centralized in the power of a single leader, where there are no free elections or independent courts. How would this affect your daily life and personal freedoms?

2. Think of a situation where the media is completely controlled by the state and only favorable information to the government is disseminated. How would this influence your perception of the world and your ability to make informed decisions?

Contextualization

To contextualize the importance of Human Rights and totalitarian regimes, consider the case of Nazi Germany under Hitler and the Soviet Union under Stalin. These leaders used their power to suppress freedoms, control information, and perpetrate acts of mass violence. These historical examples illustrate the extreme consequences of totalitarian regimes and the importance of protecting human rights to prevent such atrocities in the future.

Development

Duration: (70 - 75 minutes)

The Development stage aims to provide students with a practical and deep application of the concepts of totalitarianism and human rights. Through playful activities and debates, students are encouraged to think critically and apply their knowledge creatively and reflectively, preparing them to understand and question power structures in different contexts.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - Dictatorship on the Island

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Analyze the immediate impact of a totalitarian regime on society and human rights.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups, and each group will represent citizens of a fictional island that has just suffered a coup d'état, establishing a totalitarian regime. Each group must discuss and list the immediate changes in the daily lives of the citizens, considering aspects such as freedom of expression, civil rights, and access to information.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group receives a base scenario, where details of the coup and the totalitarian leader are presented.

• Groups must use the scenario to project the possible changes in the island's society.

• After 30 minutes of discussion, each group will present its conclusions to the class.

• Conduct a feedback session where each group can comment on the ideas of others.

Activity 2 - The Great Debate

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop argumentation skills and understanding of the ethical dilemmas involving totalitarian regimes.

- Description: Students will participate in a simulated debate where they will defend or criticize the principles of a totalitarian government. The teacher will randomly assign roles and provide base arguments for each side. The goal is to explore the ethical and moral values involved in defending or criticizing such regimes.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into two large groups: defenders and critics of totalitarianism.

• Provide base arguments and historical information for each group to prepare their defense.

• Conduct a structured debate, allowing each side to present their arguments and counter-arguments.

• Conclude with a symbolic vote to see which side was more convincing.

Activity 3 - Escaping Totalitarianism

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Foster creativity and critical thinking on how to resist or alter oppressive regimes.

- Description: In this playful activity, students will be 'citizens' in a totalitarian regime and must create strategies to escape or change the system. The teacher will create obstacles and scenarios that the groups must overcome using creativity and knowledge about human rights.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into small groups.

• Describe the totalitarian scenario and the challenges they face.

• Groups must plan and present their 'escape' or change strategies.

• Discuss each group's strategies and evaluate their viability and creativity.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate students' learning, allowing them to articulate and reflect on what they learned during the activities. This discussion helps ensure that students can connect theory and practice and deeply understand the impacts of totalitarianism on human rights. Additionally, it promotes communication and argumentation skills by encouraging students to share and debate their ideas.

Group Discussion

Initiate the group discussion with all students gathered. Explain that this is a crucial moment to share insights and learn from the experiences of other groups. Encourage them to discuss not only what they learned but also how the activities changed their perception of totalitarianism and human rights. Suggest starting with a brief summary from each group about their activities and conclusions, followed by an open discussion about the different experiences and perspectives.

Key Questions

1. What are the greatest threats to human rights in a totalitarian regime, based on the activities conducted?

2. How do you think people can resist or change oppressive regimes based on what you learned today?

3. In what ways did the experiences from the activities change your view on the importance of human rights?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Conclusion stage is essential to reinforce and synthesize the key learnings of the lesson. It serves to ensure that students can connect theoretical concepts with the practical activities conducted, recalling the main discussions and insights. Additionally, this stage highlights the relevance of the topics addressed, encouraging students to reflect on the importance of Human Rights and the need to be aware of governance forms that can affect their personal and collective freedoms.

Summary

Summarize the discussion on Human Rights and Totalitarian Regimes, emphasizing the characteristics and impacts of totalitarian regimes on society and individual rights. Recap the activities carried out, such as 'Dictatorship on the Island', 'The Great Debate' and 'Escaping Totalitarianism', which helped illustrate the concepts discussed.

Theory Connection

Explain how the practical activities and debates conducted in class connected previously studied theoretical concepts with practical applications, demonstrating the relevance of the topics discussed in daily life and in the critical formation of students.

Closing

Emphasize the importance of understanding Human Rights and vigilance against totalitarian regimes, highlighting how the knowledge acquired can be used to promote a fairer and more equitable society.