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December is Universal Human Rights Month. This worldwide celebration of humanity is also an opportunity to celebrate the growing diversity of Oregon's classrooms. According to Oregon's most recent statewide report card (2022-2023) our students and teachers are more diverse than ever, bringing a wealth of languages (333 unique languages spoken by Oregon students!), experiences, strengths and opportunity. Our Oregon Open Learning team would like to provide resources that help you uplift, recognize, and provide welcoming spaces for the students we serve. It is also important to note that since 2021, Oregon's social science standards have included integrated ethnic studies standards. The 2021 standards are supported with resources on OOL. The social science standards also include Holocaust and genocide learning concepts. Finally, the Tribal History Shared History lessons help teachers address the social science standards. For more information, please explore these resources:
This year marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which remains the leading guidepost for achieving freedom, equality, and justice for everyone around the world, and there is a strong connection between UDHR and Open Educational Resources (OER).
In fact, in 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) connected the need for free global access to OER to the critically important work of ensuring universal human rights. The Recommendation on Open Educational Resources (OER) document, includes:
Affirming the principles embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that all people have rights, duties and fundamental freedoms that include the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers (Article 19), as well as the right to education (Article 26),
And
Recognizing that, in building inclusive knowledge societies, Open Educational Resources (OER) can support quality education that is equitable, inclusive, open and participatory as well as enhance academic freedom and professional autonomy of teachers by widening the scope of materials available for teaching and learning…
So, in many ways participating in the development, use, distribution and remixing of OER is a small step to a collaborative and collective contribution towards universal human rights. We appreciate all efforts to spread the word of Oregon Open Learning and OER to all of your school colleagues and students!
I am the K-12 Social Science Education Specialist on the Standards and Instructional Supports team. Prior to working at ODE, I taught high school social science in the Beaverton School District.
Passions in Education
I continue to be excited about the opportunity to serve in this position. I joined ODE at a time of increased national and state interest in social science, particularly in history and civics. It is inspiring to see the advocacy of students and educators encouraging the legislature to pass laws for more inclusive social science standards, including ethnic studies and Holocaust and genocide education, as well as a renewed focus on democracy and civics. The opportunity to work with teachers for the implementation of the 2021 Social Science Standards and the facilitation of the current standards panel is a fantastic and rewarding academic and professional challenge.
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Social Science News
In addition to the ongoing work of the social science content panel reviewing and revising the standards for implementation in the 2026 school year, school districts are preparing for the new requirement for a .5 civics and government course required for high school graduation. Oregon also adopted SB 1050 providing funding for professional development for the teaching of Holocaust and genocide education as well as the ethnic studies integrated social science standards, and ODE is currently working on the implementation of this new learning opportunity for educators.
Open Education Resources and Social Science
The Oregon Social Science group includes collections for the teaching of the ethnic studies integrated social science standards and Holocaust education.
Contact information:
Amit.Kobrowski@ode.oregon.gov
Social Science Newsletter sign-up
Primary:
Overview: This lesson utilizes the wordless picture book I Walk With Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness.
After a whole-class read-aloud, students divide into groups to create dialogues for specific scenes in the book. The activity encourages students to discuss why people choose different roles in a situation allowing collaborative problem solving and practicing how to care for and protect others. The optional fourth and fifth-grade student extension includes analyzing historical examples and discussing why and how people have failed to protect others and how we can be better allies to those being harmed in our communities today.
Middle School:
Overview: Essential questions in this four class period unit include such as:
- In what ways do “single stories” impact our own identities, how we view others, and the choices we make? How do stereotypes influence how we view and treat others?
- How, when, and why do stereotyping and scapegoating escalate to discrimination, prejudice, and violence?
- What are different ways people can combat stereotypes and scapegoating?
High School:
Overview: In this math unit, students will read and interpret primary sources to address the question “How do we measure the attainment of human rights?”
By exploring the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN’s Guide to Indicators of Human Rights, and data about development indicators from multiple databases, students will unpack the complexities of using indicators to measure human rights.
Overview: In this project, students will explore a real-world problem, and then work through a series of steps to analyze that problem, research ways the problem could be solved, and then propose a possible solution to that problem. Students will work to fully understand a human rights challenge, research possible solutions, and then propose a solution supported by information and evidence.
NCSS - Seizing Constitutional Moments in the Social Studies Classroom:
During this session, participants will learn how to build civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions through everyday moments within the classroom. Educators will gain tools and strategies for identifying and fortifying these moments as opportunities to teach constitutional knowledge and democratic values. This session is relevant for k-12 civics educators; and all educators interested in developing a civically conscious culture with students.
When: Dec 13, 10 a.m. PST
Where: Online
Register here
Institute for Human Rights and Business: From ‘Small Places’ to New Frontiers
An event to mark 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, hosted by the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB).
Join the Institute for Human Rights and Business for a panel discussion to explore the roles and responsibilities of businesses in the ‘small places’ and new frontiers where business has a profound impact on human rights, from the factory to the digital world, to the green economy.
Panelists and attendees will discuss how the human rights framework can act as a compass to navigate multiple crises facing humanity - the existential threat of climate change, violent and protracted conflict, persistent inequality, the rise of ungoverned AI, multilateral breakdown, and the role of the private sector in each.
When: December 11, 6:00 am. - 9:30 a.m. PST
Where: Online
Register here
UN WebTV Human Rights Council - This UN council has been regularly adding new videos connected with Universal Human Rights Month and related topics. Keep an eye out for more content being added throughout the month of December.
Conversations For International Human Rights Day Webinar Series
Access to Asylum at the U.S. - Mexico Border
Delve into the pressing issue of access to asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border with a discussion between Christina Ascenscio, Director of Research & Analysis, Refugee Protection, and Felicia Rangel-Samponaro, Director of The Sidewalk School for Children Asylum Seekers, an organization that provides services to asylum seekers and migrants in the Mexican border towns of Matamoros and Reynosa, opposite the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. They will provide insight into the current challenges and risks faced by migrant children and adults who are stranded in Mexico waiting to obtain CBP One appointments to seek U.S. asylum protection.
When: December 6th, 9 a.m. PST
Where: Online
Register here
Supporting Human Rights Defenders Globally
Senior Advisor Brian Dooley and Ingeborg Moa, Executive Director of the Norwegian Human Rights Fund, will engage in a discussion about the efforts to support human rights defenders globally. The conversation will explore the initiatives required to make cities like Oslo safe havens for human rights defenders and the challenges and opportunities faced in this pursuit.
When: December 7th, 8:00 AM PST
Where: Online
Register here
Afghan Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Pakistan: Challenges and Pathways
The discussion will revolve around the impact of Afghan asylum seekers in Pakistan, seeking permanent refuge amid the challenges upon being forcibly returned to Afghanistan.
When: December 11th, 9:00 PM PST
Where: Online
Register here
Looking for complete social studies textbooks? Looking to pull pieces from one for your curriculum? There are a large number of high-quality social science resources available on the Oregon Open Learning site that are considered either full OER textbooks or complete OER courses. While you can always pick and choose lessons and resources from these materials, some could be considered complete enough for a district to think about an independent adoption as they are not approved by the Oregon State Board of Education at this time. If you have any questions about social science materials and/or independent adoption, please get in touch with Amit Kobrowski at Amit.Kobrowski@ode.oregon.gov.
Some of the many high-quality examples include:
The Michigan Open Books Project: This project includes a number of complete, free and interactive Creative Commons-license based K12 textbooks. Resources include complete teacher textbook guides that map open source textbooks onto NCSS C3 standards and provide numerous additional resources. Some of their OER textbooks include:
The OpenStax Project at Rice University: OpenStax is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable corporation that works to improve educational access and learning for everyone, mostly by creating high-quality open source content for both K12 and higher education. Their OER textbooks come with abundant teacher and student resources. A few of their social science-specific examples include:
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American Government 3e - A textbook aimed at both high school and community college students. As with this textbook, many OpenStax resources include open cartridge and Canvas specific courses and course modules, teacher guides, slide decks, answer sheets etc.
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World History Volume I (to 1500) and World History Volume II (from 1400): According to OpenStax, these textbooks present concepts and assessments to help students think critically about the issues they encounter and broaden their perspective of global history. A special effort has been made to introduce and juxtapose people’s experiences of history for a rich and nuanced discussion. Primary source material represents the cultures being discussed from a firsthand perspective whenever possible. World History, Volumes 1 and 2 also include the work of diverse and underrepresented scholars to ensure a full range of perspectives. As with their other open source textbooks, OpenStax offers abundant teacher and student resources for their World History texts.
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Introduction to Business: Another OpenStax textbook aimed at both high school and community college students, Intro to Business, also has an abundant list of resources for both teachers and students including LMC course cartridges, a test bank, an annotated video guide and student resources like notetaking guides and review resources.
Please Note: Unless hosted, facilitated, or published by The Oregon Department of Education (ODE), these resources have not been endorsed by ODE, but are being shared as relevant opportunities for education professionals to consider.
Questions, comments, or additions? Please get in touch with the ODE Oregon Open Learning team at OregonOpenLearning@ode.oregon.gov. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Want to stay connected with OER at the Oregon Department of Education? Subscribe to the OOL Newsletter Quarterly Newsletter!
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