Right Now: Refugee Awareness

Supplemental Enrichment

Lesson 1
Words Matter: Distinguishing Between the Words Refugee and Immigrant

In order to understand the difference between refugees and immigrants, students need to explore what defines an immigrant and what defines a refugee.

PART 1: Introduction to related terminology: 
  • Ask students to create a KWL chart on a piece of paper, or if technology permits, create a shared google doc and have students discuss in writing what they believe the following terms mean:
    • UNHCR
    • Migrant
    • Refugee
    • Persecution
PART 2: Share the following video and guide students to take notes as the terms are explained. Pause film as necessary.
  • After responses are collected, show the video linked above and discuss the discrepancies between the students’ answers compared to that of what the video discusses. 
Important Terms Defined

UNHCR: UNHCR is a United Nations programme with the mandate to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people, and assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country.
Migrant: Someone who chooses to move to improve their lives in some way.
Ex: Moving to find a better job or income elsewhere.
Refugee: Someone who is fleeing arms conflict or persecution and cannot safely return home.
Explain what the word persecution means: Poor treatment, and threatening behavior towards individuals or groups because of their race, political, or religious beliefs. 

PART 3: Journal/Quick Write
  • Have students respond in writing to the following question: What do you think it means and feels like to be a refugee?
  • Next, instruct students to share their written responses in pairs and/or small groups. 
  • Engage in a class discussion to review responses.
PART 4: View the video from the UNHCR: Video Link “To Be a Refugee”. 
  • Afterwards, have students discuss the ideas/points they will take away from the film and how such ideas aligned or differed from their original responses to the Quick Write.
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Rock Your World is a Program of Creative Visions, a 501(c) (3) organization that supports creative activists - individuals who use the power of media and arts to create positive change in the world.