- Definition
The United Nations is a group of countries that work together to try and keep the world peaceful and help countries develop.
When countries work together through the UN to send food and medicine after an earthquake, they are promoting peace and development.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: The United Nations is like a student council for the whole world, where countries meet to solve problems and help each other.
Ask your child: If all the schools in our city met, what's one big problem they could solve together?
Common mix-up: Kids might think the UN is a world government that bosses countries around. It's more like a meeting place where countries agree to cooperate, but they still make their own laws.
Examples
- UN peacekeepers helping to maintain safety in a conflict zone.
- Countries agreeing on goals to fight climate change at a UN conference.
United Nations is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
