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Children On The Move

Secondary, Middle

Description

This lesson plan aims to give a brief introduction to children’s lives from the perspective of a refugee or migrant.

During the lesson, students will:

  • build an understanding of what life is like for people forced to flee their homes and families.
  • learn about “people on the move”, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and displaced people. 
  • explore their attitudes and build an understanding of what life is like for people forced to flee their homes.

Included with the resource are videos and different case studies explaining individuals' background stories. 

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

This activity requires students to listen, respond and formulate, an opinion on refugees and migrants.

Strengths

  • This lesson is simple and easy to follow.
  • This lesson is an ongoing debate and is expected to remain a global issue that we need to address.
  • Includes links, videos and handouts

Weaknesses

  • The lesson is more of an introduction lesson.
  • More attention could be given to student understanding of the causes of the refugee crisis and the mixed response we are witnessing in those countries that are asked to admit the refugees.

Recommendation of how and where to use it

The resource has relevance related to Social Studies units that have student examine current conflicts, their causes, and their consequences. It also may be used to have students discuss such issues as globalization or world issues, the concept of global citizenship or human rights, and  social justice.  

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Themes Addressed

  • Human Rights (3)

    • Refugees and Immigration
    • Social Justice
    • War and Peace

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Satisfactory

The motives for this exodus and our obligation to respond are not debated. This perspective may not be universally accepted, and teachers would have to look to other resources to offer other perspectives.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Satisfactory

The lesson is limited to developing student knowledge of the refugee crisis. It is up to the teacher to dig deeper and investigate solutions.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Satisfactory

This lesson aims to give a brief introduction to children’s lives from the perspective of a refugee or migrant.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Poor/Not considered
Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Good

Teachers may exploit the opportunities presented in investigating the refugee crisis to have students reflect on our responsibility to respond to others' suffering and the larger issue of social justice. 

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Very Good

The resource includes true stories and videos that help with discussions on the reasons for and the suffering of families needing to flee their countries. 

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Poor/Not considered

The focus is on raising awareness of the struggles of fellow humans rather than affinity with the earth.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good
Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Good

Student could be expected to lead to a consideration of the factors that are contributing to the policies that may promote or reduce future migration.  

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Good

Student discussion of the causes of the refugee crisis and the opinions they have is present.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Satisfactory

The refugee issue is most likely to be discussed in Social Studies classes as students consider the causes and possible responses to the issue. The topic has particular relevance for those courses or units concerned with citizen education and global citizenship implications.

Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Good

Since this resource was developed in partnership by UNICEF, which is very much involved in helping refugees around the world, this lesson is built to encourage students to act on behalf of the refugees. 

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Satisfactory

This lesson does include different videos depending on the age group.  

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Good

The refugee crisis is a serious issue and one that students should explore. 

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory
Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Satisfactory

The resource does not include provisions for summative evaluation. Teachers may observe the success of student efforts and can evaluate through discussion.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Poor/Not considered
Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Good
Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Good
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.