Civics Today: Citizenship, Economics, & You

Chapter 28: An Interdependent World

Web Activity Lesson Plans

Introduction
In this chapter students read about the ways in which nations around the world depend on each other. Since the end of World War I attempts have been made to form organizations that would work for world peace. The United Nations was established in 1945. Its main purposes are to maintain international peace, develop friendly relations among nations, promote justice and cooperation, and seek solutions to global problems.

Lesson Description
Students will visit the Web site maintained by the United Nations. Within the resource section of the UN's CyberSchoolBus is a virtual tour of the UN. Students will take the tour reading about the various chambers and works of art. Finally they will design or describe a gift from American students to the UN. In planning their gift they should consider the world at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

1. The learner will be able to describe the goals of the United Nations.
2. The learner will be able to identify works of art that symbolize the goals of the United Nations.
3. The learner will be able to design or describe a gift that symbolizes the attitude of American young people toward the world and the United Nations.

1. The UN Headquarters is located on an 18-acre site in the East side of Manhattan, New York City, New York.
2. The UN emblem is a map of the world as seen from above the North Pole. The map is flanked by olive wreaths as a symbol of peace.
3. The main responsibility of the Security Council is to maintain international peace and security.
4. The Japanese Bell is made of coins collected by children from 60 different countries. According to Boutros-Ghali, the message of the Japanese Bell is, "Peace is precious. It is not enough to yearn for peace. Peace requires work-long, hard, difficult work."
5. Students' designs will vary.