Process
First, you will work in pairs using websites provided to learn about the United Nations and their four main purposes. You and your partner will complete history questions and define vocabulary related to the UN.
Second, you and your partner are part of a UN Task Force to achieve one of the eight UN Millennium Goals. Your goal will be assigned to you by your teacher. You and your partner will create a plan to successfully achieve the goal within a certain time frame with specific actions that will be implemented. After the plan has been developed, you and your partner will present the plan to the General Assembly (your class). The General Assembly will vote on each plan and decide whether or not to pursue it. If the General Assembly confirms they would like to implement your plan, your Task Force will earn points for that part of the webquest.
Lastly, your Task Force will reflect on the purpose of the UN and whether it is an organization the United States should continue to be a part of. You will write a letter to the Secretary-General of the UN expressing your opinions and use your new knowledge of the organization to support your opinions.
Second, you and your partner are part of a UN Task Force to achieve one of the eight UN Millennium Goals. Your goal will be assigned to you by your teacher. You and your partner will create a plan to successfully achieve the goal within a certain time frame with specific actions that will be implemented. After the plan has been developed, you and your partner will present the plan to the General Assembly (your class). The General Assembly will vote on each plan and decide whether or not to pursue it. If the General Assembly confirms they would like to implement your plan, your Task Force will earn points for that part of the webquest.
Lastly, your Task Force will reflect on the purpose of the UN and whether it is an organization the United States should continue to be a part of. You will write a letter to the Secretary-General of the UN expressing your opinions and use your new knowledge of the organization to support your opinions.
Part 1: Questions and Vocabulary
Answer the following questions on your own paper:
1. When did the UN begin and why?________________________________________________
2. How many countries are members of the UN?________________________________________
3. Fun Facts:
Location of headquarters – ___________________________________________________
Official languages – ________________________________________________________
Senior Officer Title and current leader – __________________________________________
4. What was the League of Nations, and why did it fail? ___________________________________
5. Summarize the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. _________________________________
6. What is a UN Task Force? Give an example found on the UN website. ________________________
Define the following vocabulary words on your own paper:
1. General Assembly
2. Secretary-General
3. humanitarian
4. World Health Organization (WHO)
5. World Trade Organization (WTO)
6. UNICEF
7. human rights
8. sustainable development
9. sanctions
10. refugee
11. genocide
12. indigenous people
13. human trafficking
14. terrorism
15. disarmament
16. decolonization
17. climate change
18. deforestation
19. overpopulation
20. globalization
21. G20 (Group of 20)
22. G8 (Group of 8)
1. When did the UN begin and why?________________________________________________
2. How many countries are members of the UN?________________________________________
3. Fun Facts:
Location of headquarters – ___________________________________________________
Official languages – ________________________________________________________
Senior Officer Title and current leader – __________________________________________
4. What was the League of Nations, and why did it fail? ___________________________________
5. Summarize the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. _________________________________
6. What is a UN Task Force? Give an example found on the UN website. ________________________
Define the following vocabulary words on your own paper:
1. General Assembly
2. Secretary-General
3. humanitarian
4. World Health Organization (WHO)
5. World Trade Organization (WTO)
6. UNICEF
7. human rights
8. sustainable development
9. sanctions
10. refugee
11. genocide
12. indigenous people
13. human trafficking
14. terrorism
15. disarmament
16. decolonization
17. climate change
18. deforestation
19. overpopulation
20. globalization
21. G20 (Group of 20)
22. G8 (Group of 8)
Part 2: UN Task Force Mission to Achieve Millennium Goal
You and your partner are part of a UN Task Force to successfully achieve one Millennium Goal. Your Goal has been assigned to you and your mission is to research that Goal using the websites listed under the Resources tab. Decide which of you will do the following:
Next your task force will meet to prepare the information and ideas for the General Assembly to review. The task force will create a poster to use as a tool for presenting their ideas to the General Assembly. The presentation of your task force findings will be done in a Socratic Seminar format. All group members must be prepared to speak about their problem and action plan for their Millennium Goal. The General Assembly will vote on the action plan your task force presents.
- Historian – Research the history and causes of the problem presented in your Goal.
- Advocate – Use the information gathered and compile a list of legitimate ideas as to how the Millennium Goal assigned to your group could be achieved.
Next your task force will meet to prepare the information and ideas for the General Assembly to review. The task force will create a poster to use as a tool for presenting their ideas to the General Assembly. The presentation of your task force findings will be done in a Socratic Seminar format. All group members must be prepared to speak about their problem and action plan for their Millennium Goal. The General Assembly will vote on the action plan your task force presents.
Part 3: Reflection Letter to the Secretary-General
Reflect on the purpose of the UN and whether the United States should continue to be a part of this organization. You will write a letter to the Secretary-General of the UN expressing your opinions. Use your new knowledge of the United Nations to support your opinions. Please write at least two good paragraphs (5-7 sentences per paragraph).