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The varied activities within this lesson have been designed to develop cross-curricula knowledge,
understanding, skills and values. The lessons engage with learning objectives from subjects including
Citizenship, PSHE, English and Geography.
Knowledge and Understanding: Lesson as a whole raises awareness of rich and poor, similarities and
difference between people, and sense of the wider world.
Skills: Encourages the development of an enquiring mind, gives opportunity to begin to state opinions,
facilitates empathising and responding to others, and making links between our lives and the lives of
others.
Values and Attitudes: Develops interest in and concern for others, stimulates engagement with social
justice and what is right and wrong.
En1 Speaking and listening: A variety of group discussions stimulate interaction (learning to speak
confidently and listen to what others have to say) and give pupils the chance to organise and express
thoughts and feelings.
En2 Reading: Neya and Ajay’s case-study gives the opportunity to pupils to develop their skills in
learning to read confidently and independently, working out the meaning of straightforward texts and
gaining familiarity with non-fiction texts.
En3: Task 2 in Part 2 allows children to improve spelling, handwriting and presentation skills.
Knowledge and understanding: Helps develop an increased sense of the wider world and similarities and
differences between countries, as well as starting to let children engage with human and social features of other
countries.
Skills: Use secondary sources of information
2
The cards below introduce children to the idea of child rights by helping them to consider the difference
between a WANT and a NEED. The basic needs that should be met so children and young people grow up
to reach their full potential are enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (a summary of
which is included below for your reference). The 18 cards divide as follows – the appropriate Article from
the Convention is noted beside each of the ‘needs’:
Clean water (Article 24)
A home (Article 27)
Education (Articles 28 & 29)
Have your say (Article 12)
Medical care (Article 24)
Nutritious food (Article 24)
Play (Article 31)
Practise beliefs, culture & language (Article 30)
Protection from abuse (Article 19)
Protection from discrimination (Article 2)
Bicycle
Fashionable clothes
Holiday trips
Pocket money
Personal computer
Mobile phone
Television
Own bedroom
(10 minutes)
In pairs, divide the cards into: MOST IMPORTANT & LEAST IMPORTANT.
In groups of four, decide which the six most important cards are.
(15 minutes)
Following on from Activity 1, you can move to discuss the terms ‘wants’ and ‘needs’, thinking about a
need as something required for children to grow healthily and happily.
The pupils again divide the cards into two categories: WANTS / NEEDS.
This time, you can explain that the things children NEED, they have a right to have. Children’s NEEDS
should be met because they cannot provide most of them for themselves but rely on adults.
However, there are some NEEDS that they can ensure that they do not deprive any other child of. For
example: protection from discrimination, opportunity to express your opinion and to be educated.
Discuss: how can pupils ensure that they do not deny any other children of these rights?
(15 minutes)
Hand out Neya and Ajay’s story and give pupils time to read over it independently.
Discuss as a class:
Which of Neya and Ajay’s needs are not being met?
Is it fair that Neya and Ajay have to live on the streets and are not having their needs met?
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Protection from abuse
Clean water
A Home
Education
Have your say
Medical Care
Healthy Food
Play
Practice beliefs, culture
and language
4
Bicycle
Fashionable Clothes
Protection from
discrimination
Holiday Trips
Pocket Money
Personal Computer
Mobile Phone
TV
Own Bedroom
5
’
This is Neya and Ajay.
They are from India.
Neya is 10 years old, and lives on the street with her brother Ajay who is 6.
They used to live in a house and go to school, but after their mum lost her job at a
factory they had to move on to the street and start working to earn money. Neya
works washing car windows on the main road. Ajay collects rubbish and scrap
metal.
Neya says sleeping on the streets is scary and she would like to go back home and
play with her friends. Sometimes people are nasty to them and think they’re bad
people because they live on the street.
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Everyone under 18 years of age has all the rights in this Convention.
The Convention applies to everyone under 18, whatever their race, religion, or abilities.
All organisations concerned with children should work towards what is best for each child.
Governments should make these rights available to children.
Governments should respect the rights and responsibilities of families to direct and guide their children.
All children have the right to life.
All children have the right to a legally registered name, a nationality and the right to know and, as far as possible,
to be cared for by their parents.
Governments should respect children's right to a name, a nationality and family ties.
Children should not be separated from their parents unless it’s for their own good.
Families who live in different countries should be allowed to move between those countries so that parents and
children can stay in contact or get back together as a family.
Governments should take steps to stop children being taken out of their own county illegally.
Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them,
and to have their opinions taken into account.
Children have the right to get and share information, as long as the information is not damaging.
Children have the right to think and believe what they want and to practise their religion, as long as they are not
stopping other people from enjoying their rights.
Children have the right to meet together and to join groups and organisations.
Children have a right to privacy. The law should protect them from attacks against their way of life, their good
name, their families and their homes.
Children have the right to reliable information from the mass media.
Both parents share responsibility for bringing up their children, and should always consider what is best for each
child.
Governments should ensure that children are properly cared for, and protect them from violence, abuse and
neglect by their parents or anyone else who looks after them.
: Children who cannot be looked after by their own family must be looked after properly, by people who respect
their religion, culture and language.
When children are adopted the first concern must be what is best for them.
Children who come into a country as refugees should have the same rights as children born there.
Children with any kind of disability should have special support to lead full and independent lives.
Children have the right to good quality health care and to clean water, nutritious food and a clean environment so
that they will stay healthy.
Children looked after by their local authority should have their situation reviewed regularly.
The Government should provide extra money for the children of families in need.
Children have a right to a standard of living that is good enough to meet their physical & mental needs.
Children have a right to an education. Primary education should be free.
Education should develop each child's personality and talents to the full.
Children have a right to learn and use the language and customs of their families.
All children have a right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of activities.
Government should protect children from work that’s dangerous or harms their health or education.
The Government should provide ways of protecting children from dangerous drugs.
The Government should protect children from sexual abuse.
The Government should make sure that children are not abducted or sold.
Children should be protected from any activities that could harm their development .
Children who break the law should not be treated cruelly.
Governments should not allow children under 15 to join the army.
Children who’ve been neglected or abused should receive special help.
Children who are accused of breaking the law should receive legal help. Prison sentences for children should
only be used for the most serious offences.
If national laws protect children better than the articles of the Convention, then those laws should stay.
The Government should make the Convention known to parents and children.
7
Neya and Ajay are just two of an estimated 100 million children living on the street around the world.
This part of the lesson introduces children to the global issue of children living on the street.
(10 minutes)
Use the introductory PowerPoint (KS2 Lesson 1 PowerPoint) to explore:
Who are children on the street?
Where are children on the street?
Why are there children on the street?
These questions will be explored in more depth in the following three lessons.
(You can print the slides and notes together by going to ‘Print Preview’ and selecting ‘Notes’ format).
(10 minutes)
The second to last slide on the PowerPoint is a picture of Betty in her home on the street in Uganda.
Working either by themselves or in groups the pupils should write down a list of all the things they would
miss from their lives at the moment if they were living on the street like Betty.
Get each child to share one of their points and create a mind-map on the board.
Accreditation:
Case study: The case study used here for Naya and Ajay is created based on the story of children on the
streets but not the actual names or stories of the children in the photo.
Photo Credits for teaching pack:
Picture 1: Mike Asiya, Salve International
Picture 2: Arun Ganesh, photo taken in India
Photo credits for PowerPoint presentation:
Slide 1: (Clockwise from top left): 1. Jonathan McIntosh 2. Tanvirul Islam 3. Zirland 4. Peter Rimar 5.
Biswarup Ganguly 6. Esther Dobson 7. Predrag Bubalo 8. Esther Dobson 9. Biswarup Ganguly 10.
Sumanth Garakarajula
Slide 2: Sumanth Garakarajula
Slide 3: Jonathan McIntosh
Slide 4: Esther Dobson, Salve International
Slide 5: Tanvirul Islam
Slide 6: Esther Dobson, Salve International
Slide 7: Mike Asiya, Salve International
Slide 8: (Clockwise from top left): 1. Jonathan McIntosh 2. Jonathan McIntosh 3. Arun Ganesh 4. Peter
Rimar 5. Esther Dobson 6. Sumanth Garakarajula 7. Tanvirul Islam
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