An Internet-Based
Treasure Hunt on Landmines

Instructions

The purpose of this webpage is to give you an opportunity to learn all about landmines: the facts, the issues, the dangers and the worldwide movement to ban them. You will have a chance to use the World Wide Web as a research tool. You may complete the following Internet activities alone or by working in a group.

Note: The bolded underlined links on this page will take you to many Internet sites. Clicking on the links will open a new browser window.

The Questions

1.  What is the difference between an anti-tank and an anti-personnel landmine?
   International Campaign to Ban Landmines (Hint: look under Resources)
   
   
2. What are the 3 basic types of landmines? How do they work? Give examples with illustrations.
   Landmine Survivors Network
   Canadian Red Cross- Landmines
   
   
3. Explore these sites to answer the following questions:
   Schools Demining Schools: Factsheet
   Canadian Landmine Foundation - Fact Sheet
   
   1. How much does it cost to make and to remove a landmine?
   2. How many active landmines are there scattered in the world?
   3. How many countries are affected by them?
   4. Which continents are the most affected? (show with a map)
   5. What is the estimated number of stockpiled landmines? (Check stockpile in the dictionary if you are not quite sure of the meaning.)
      
      
4. How many people are injured or killed by landmines every month?day? minute? 
   Schools Demining Schools: Factsheet
   CARE Landmine Information Center
   Adopt-A-Minefield
   
5. What effect do landmines have on people and places (clearance, rehabilitation, farming etc. )?
   Schools Demining Schools: Factsheet
   Canadian Red Cross- Impact on Society
   Safelane- FAQ
   
   
6. How many landmines are there in the world? How much would it cost to remove all the active landmines in the world? How long would it take? How is it done?
   Clearance and Production of Landmines
   The Canadian International Demining Centre
   Photo Gallery at the Safe-Lane Website,
   
    
7. The United Nations started the Schools Demining Schools project. What was the main purpose of this project?
   
    
8. Who is Song Kosal? Why did she start the Youth Against War petition?
   What does the petition hope to accomplish?
   
   
9. How can you clear landmines with the click of your mouse? Go to Clear Landmines to find out how technology can help you make a difference. Explain how it works.
   
   
10. Why are children especially victims of landmines?
    UNICEF: Impact of Armed Conflict on Children
    Schools Demining Schools: Teaching Units
    (Hint: look under The Scourge of Landmines. Check scourge in the dictionary if you are not quite sure of the meaning.)
    
    
11. How is UNICEF helping children who have the misfortune of living in landmine-affected countries?
    The Silent Shout
    
    
12. On Dec. 2-4, 1997 the Ottawa Convention was signed by many nations of the world.
    1. What is the official name of this treaty?
    2. What do the countries signing it promise to do?
    3. How many countries have signed it? Who hasn't?
    4. When did the treaty become an international law?
       Moving Towards a Total Ban
       Safe-Lane Web Site
       Links and Resources
       International Red Cross - Landmines 
       
       
13. You have been assigned to make a presentation on landmines to your class. Using the information you found in this treasure hunt give 10 reasons why landmines should be banned.
    

The Big Question

The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child came out in 1979, and it entitled all children in the world among other things to an education, food, shelter, love and security. You have been asked to be part of a team to write a Declaration of the Rights of the Child who is living in an landmine-affected country. Check out the original Convention at UNICEF to help your team come up with 12 special rights that you think these children should have.

Are you wondering why this letter is here?
Take our challenge!