United+Nations+Children+Fund+(UNICEF)

"As much as we would like to believe that things like that aren't happening, 'the sad truth is that millions of children throughout the world work daily under nightmarish conditions,' according to Charles J. Lyons, president of the U.S. Committee for UNICEF. "They work in factories and in fields, in cities and in remote villages. Some struggle just to stay alive; others support entire families."

**Subject Matter Background:** The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1946 and there were three approaches that the UN Children's Fund took ahead. After the war in 1950, they had the emergency needs approach established, and this provided food, clothes, health benefits for children in Europe. They were at an expenditure of $112,000,0000! They gave many cloths and necessitates to millions of children in several countries, vaccinated millions against tuberculosis, and provided daily meals to million of children as well. They also seek to protect the health of children; thus they conduct campaigns against tuberculosis, leprosy, malaria, and other types of diseases to help people become aware of how important their children's health is. The UNICEF help countries by giving them food, provide them with foster programs and educate people to many life's necessities. They also provide training for mothers in child rearing and home improvements as well! They aid services for children through neighborhood or community centers, as well as daycares, youth clubs, and family counseling. They established a 'country approach' which allowed UNICEF to “implement in appropriate ways the priorities established by each nation in meeting the needs of its children” (The Nobel Foundation). This allows the UNICEF to provide assistance to teacher education and curriculum reforms. They help fund for “pre-vocational training in usable skills, promoted information on the uses of technology. UNICEF projects, in short, reflected a comprehensive view of the child, seeing him as 'a future agent for economic and social change' “ (The Nobel Foundation). The UNICEF helps thousands and millions of children around the world, and they try to fulfill as many of the children's intellectual, psychological, physical, and vocational needs. UNICEF, an international aid organization, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.

"Nobelprize.org". Nobelprize.org. 15 Oct 2010. "http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1965/unicef-history.html" __http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1965/unicef-history.html__

**Instructional Ideas:** I think there are many ways to teach about the UNICEF at //any// grade level. In a 6th grade classroom, I can always relate to how the UNICEF helped children in South America & Europe. In a 7th grade classroom, I can relate to how the UNICEF helped children in Africa, Asia, and Australia (perhaps). In a 8th grade classroom, I can always relate the UNICEF to how it had helped children in North Carolina. But, what will I want my students to learn? I would want my students to understand that many children in different places across the world don't have the opportunity to live in freedom as the U.S. children have. If I were to teach this in my classroom, I would want to focus more on child labor and the role of UNICEF. Through this, I would have the students identify their own goals and priorities in their lives. This would enable them to think ahead and plan for the future. Now, how will I plan for my students to learn the subject matter about child labor and the UNICEF? Since we are focusing on Geography, I could have my students work in groups to find a list of countries I will have on the board. If this was for a 7th grade classroom, some of the countries I will write on the board are: Morocco, India, China, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Philippines. If I were doing 6th grade, I would write on the board: Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, and Portugal. Next, they would locate these countries on a world map. They would either color coordinate them or circle them on their world map. They will then talk about how child labor is a widespread problem and how the UNICEF is helping children all over the world live peacefully. I could also have my students help out the UNICEF in many ways. One way is that I could have my students raise money through car washes, bake sales, or any other fun activity they enjoy. We could use the money to make a change, such as help a poor family, pay a scholarship for a chid in need of education, or we could even raise the money for an anti-child labor group. Now how will I determine if they learned the material? I think that the students would quite enjoy learning about other children just like them. After the geography lesson, I could have the students write two paragraphs on what they have learned about child labor and how does the UNICEF help children globally. Students will also participate in a helpful and meaningful activity to help the UNICEF with their funds.