Topic: Citizen’s rights and obligations

Author: Anna Rabiega

Addressee:

high school / technical school student

Core curriculum:

• old curriculum:

extended level:

11. Citizen and citizenship.

The student:

3) lists the constitutional obligations of Polish citizens.

• new curriculum:

standard level:

IV. Human rights and their protection.

The student:

1) lists the “general principles” and the human rights catalogue set out in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland.

extended level:

XII. Human rights and their international protection.

The student:

8) obtains information on confirmed cases of human rights and freedoms violations in the Republic of Poland; writes a public speech on the subject.

The general aim of education:

The student explains the character of human rights and freedoms and the fundamental protection mechanisms.

Learning outcomes:

The student:

• explains how human dignity is the foundation for human rights and freedoms.

• explains what personal, political, economic, social and cultural rights and freedoms a Polish citizen enjoys, as well as what obligations to the Polish state he has.

• analyzes when and to what extent the citizen’s rights and freedoms may be limited.

Key competences:

• communicating in a foreign language,

• digital competence,

• learning to learn,

• social and civic competences.

Teaching methods:

• discussion,

• brainstorming,

• mind map,

• teaching conversation using interactive exercises.

Forms of work:

• self‑learning,

• group work,

• whole‑class activity.

Material & equipment needed:

• computers with loudspeakers/headphones and internet access,

• multimedia resources from the e‑textbook,

• soft ball (plush toy),

• interactive whiteboard/blackboard, felt‑tip pen/a piece of chalk.

Lesson plan overview (Process):

Introduction:

1. The teacher presents the goal of the lesson: You will analyze the rights and freedoms the Polish citizens enjoy, as well as the obligations they need to fulfil.

2. The teacher informs the students, that human rights and freedoms result from human dignity and asks the students what is their understanding of the term is:

• Does it mean that not every person is worthy of (dignified enough) enjoying human rights?

• Does a person who behaves “inhumanely” lose his human rights?

The teacher moderates a class discussion. At the end he asks one of the students to sum it up.

Implementation:

1. The teacher asks the students to stand up. He informs the students that once they answer a question, they are excluded from the game and become auditors. The subsequent questions are:

• Give an example of a human right or freedom enjoyed by Polish citizens.

• Explain, what the right named by you colleague means.

• What category does this right belong to (personal, political, civil, economic, social, cultural – the teacher can write the categories on the board if the students have trouble remembering them)?

• How is this right implemented (in practice)?

• Is this right violated in our country or elsewhere in the world? How?

The students decide themselves, who is the one to answer the next question, throwing a soft ball (plush toy) at that person. Students who are willing to answer the next question may raise their hands to let their colleague know they wish to receive the ball and answer the question. After providing a correct answer the student is allowed to take his seat and does not participate in the game anymore (he becomes an auditor). The series of questions above is asked a couple of times (each time involving a different human right or freedom), until all the students in the class are seated again. If the game doesn’t prove too difficult and runs smoothly it can be repeated to go through more examples of human rights and freedoms.

2. The teacher initiates a discussion on the causes of limitations to human rights and freedoms. First, he asks the students to read article 31 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland contained in the abstract, then he asks the students to give examples of situations in which specific human rights and freedoms are limited and assess if these limitations are in their opinion necessary, justifying their answers. At the end of the discussion the teacher asks a willing /selected student to sum it up from his point of view.

3. The teacher informs the students that they will use the brainstorming method to establish, what obligations Polish citizens have. He sets the time to complete the task and appoints a moderator, who writes down the suggestions of his colleagues on the board in a form of a mind map. After the time has elapsed the teacher asks the students to read an excerpt from the Constitution of the Republic of Poland regulating the question of citizen’s obligations included in the abstract, and the verify and supplement their mind map. At the end of the activity the teacher asks a willing/selected student to sum it up.

4. The teacher asks the students to solve Exercise 1. Then he asks willing/selected students to read the exercise one sentence after another. Together with the rest of the class the teacher decides if the suggested solutions are correct.

Summary:

1. As a form of a summary the teacher asks the students to use the generator in the abstract to create a multiple choice question (Exercise 2). The question should concern the issues discussed in the class. Then the students exchange their questions or solve a couple of them together. The teacher monitors if the questions and answers are correct.

2. Homework proposal:

a. Familiarize yourself with the interactive schemes: “Personal freedoms and rights”, “Political rights and civil liberties”, “Economic, social and cultural rights”. Choose one right or freedom from each of the three groups, which you find most important and justify your choice.

b. Listen to the abstract recording to review the material and new vocabulary. Then do the vocabulary exercise at the end of the chapter.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Citizen’s rights and obligations

The principle of human dignity is the foundation for constitutional rights and freedoms. It is referred to twice in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland - in the preamble and article 30. Article 30 states that dignity is inherent (that is, resulting from having been born a human being) and inalienable (that is, one can not be deprived of it). It is also inviolable and remains a source of freedom and human and civil rights. This article also imposes a duty to respect and protect human dignity on public authorities.

It is impossible to formulate a precise legal definition of the concept of „dignity”, rather it is the subject of philosophical debates. However, there are some of the most important elements of this rule:

• the source of human dignity is the natural law, and thus it belongs to man regardless of whether the law explicitly refers to this principle;

• it is inalienable – a man cannot renounce it,

• it is inviolable – the legislator cannot abolish, limit or suspend it,

• every man is entitled to it equally, regardless of sex, race, nationality, citizenship, education, religion or social position,

• it is the foundation of the constitutional order - other norms and values contained in this order must be referred to the principle of dignity.

Citizens' rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland

Limitations on the rights and liberties

The rights and freedoms of citizens in the modern world are subject to restrictions, among others due to the rights and freedoms of other people or other important public interest (e.g. state security). However, the scope of these restrictions cannot be the effect of arbitrary decisions of the authorities, but should result from existing legal regulations and be subject to parliamentary control.

Obligations of Polish citizens

The catalog of civic duties, enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, is relatively limited.