OVERVIEW:
Throughout the world, 250 million children are working
to earn money for their families, 125 million work full
time. The conditions under which they labor are
often brutal and because they work, they are denied an
education to improve their condition, they are denied
the protection of the law, and are denied the opportunity
to be a child.
CORE QUESTION: What are the conditions under which
children are forced to work?
TIME REQUIRED: One 40-minute classroom period, some
carryover into another 40-minute segment possible.
SUGGESTED GRADE LEVELS: Most appropriate for Middle
or Junior High School students involved in Global Studies
classes, or who are involved in more topic-oriented social
issues-based classes at the High School level. Access
to a computer with the ability to demonstrate the images
on the computer onto a larger TV screen is needed.
Access to a computer lab for your entire class is a better
way to proceed. Access and availabilities of poster
board and art supplies and old magazines is vital in the
creation of posters.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS: Social
Studies, Visual Arts (posters/photography)-This
lesson is based on the interpretation of visual materials
and suits multiple learning styles. English-thematic
or interpretive essay writing.
NEW JERSEY CORE CONTENT STANDARDS
:
6.1: 10-13; 6.2: 9-11; 6.3: 9,12,14; 6.4: 9-13; 6.5 13-5;
6.6 13-15; 6.7: 11-12; 6.8: 12-17;
OBJECTIVES:
- Students will describe the conditions that children
work under through the world
- Students will contrast differences in regions through
interpretation of photographic evidence
- Students will evaluate the harshness of life and relate
to their own circumstances in a written essay form or
in visual art form in the creation of a poster.
STRATEGIES:
I) IF A COMPUTER LAB IS AVAILABLE:
Have the students access the Internet and go to http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/album/index.htm
and have them enter "child labour" (spelled
the European way--labour) into the search engine. Approximately 35 pictures will be culled from the
photo archives of the International Labour Organization
(ILO) that deal with child labor. The teacher could
narrate or allow the students to view the pictures on
their own at their own pace. After completely viewing
all photos, teacher will then ask for the students to
offer their opinions of what they saw and guide the discussion
towards how children in the United States view work.
If there are any recent immigrants to the US from "developing"
nations, ask them to contribute their experiences from
their former home countries. This would begin the
process of eliminating stereotypes, break down inherent
xenophobia, and allow for more open discussion.
Next go to http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/posters/index.htm
and view the posters that the ILO has created on all issues
of labor. Clicking on the poster thumbnail will
enlarge it, clicking on the PDF link will bring up the
poster in Adobe Acrobat Reader. View styles, wording,
imagery and discuss the relative effectiveness of the
poster and its message.
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader:
1) Click on the poster and it will come up in JPG format
2) Download Adobe Acrobat Reader free by clicking on the
link provided. It is a very useful program.
The potential assignments:
A) After the students have exchanged ideas in an honest discussion,
have the students bring up a word processing program.
Instruct them to select one of the pictures which shows
a child engaged in labor and write a journal entry as
that child. The journal entries should note which photograph
(by number and brief description) the student is using
as his/her model. The journal entries should contain
separate paragraphs on the conditions of the child's labor
(physical, mental, financial) and on their outlook towards
life and growing up. Print before time has expired.
AND/OR
B) Have the students create, from materials at hand (preferred)
or at home posters that bring to light the causes and
consequences of child labor. Posters should address
one aspect of labor and be visually stimulating.
II) IF A COMPUTER LAB IS NOT AVAILABLE--but you can display
the pictures on the TV.... display the pictures, discuss,
then go back and select several examples for the students
to use, then allow the students to write their journal
entries, collect when finished.
As a follow-up: After the essays are returned, the teacher
could read several good examples aloud, asking the students
why they selected them and why they chose to respond in
the way that they did.
III) If neither scenarios above work for you, the ILO allows
its posters and photos to be reproduced. Below is
its statement taken from its web page:
"ILO
photographs are copyright free but appropriate credit
must be given to the International Labour Office and the
photographer. The photographs should be used in a manner
which respects human dignity without causing prejudice
to any party."
Copy and paste, then print photographic examples that you find
compelling and work into the lessons above.
MATERIALS:
Computer lab or research packets.
RESOURCES:
Research packets can be compiled from the following sources, or
students may access them directly:
International Labour Organization
web site (www.ilo.org). Individual page addresses
are listed above with the lesson. Suggest that you
try searching images on Altavista.com (
www.av.com--then
click IMAGES--then type in Child Labor as the topic) for
more examples. The use of those pictures found on such
a search are governed by the copyright holder and may
not be available freely.
ASSESSMENT: Quality class participation in the discussions
should be noted in whatever manner is consistent with
your grading rules. Essays should be graded on their
detail, authenticity, and the ability to comprehend and
synthesize visual information into an expanded writing.
For posters--effort, on-point with the message, creativity,
should be taken into account when grading.
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