The third-grade annotated inquiry focuses on the concept of universal human rights and fair treatment of all people through the compelling question “Do people around the world care about children’s rights?” This question highlights the idea that human rights, including the right to have one’s basic needs met, are to be universally ensured and protected. Around the world there are many instances of human rights violations, but there are also individuals, groups, and nations who work to protect and defend human rights. The focus on children’s rights—the idea that children have unique rights that apply to them as nonadult members of the global citizenry—offers students an opportunity to examine the idea that they have rights and to understand that they can have an impact on the world.
