Migration and Britain

Overview

This 60-minute Year 9 Social Sciences lesson starts with a 30-minute in-class assessment on a previous topic, then shifts to a 30-minute creative, collaborative task exploring how socio-economic conditions in Britain contributed to mass migration. Students use reasoning and historical evidence to explain cause-and-effect relationships.

Learning intentions

• Students will complete an in-class assessment demonstrating what they learned in the previous topic.
• Students will explain how socio-economic conditions in Britain acted as “push factors” for migration in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
• Students will describe likely effects of migration on people and communities, using historical concepts.
• Students will collaborate respectfully to build a creative representation and present their reasoning verbally.

Success criteria

• I can answer assessment questions accurately and follow exam/assessment instructions.
• I can identify at least 2 push factors from Britain (for example, agricultural change, poverty, famine, discrimination, job scarcity).
• I can link push factors to outcomes for migrants using clear cause-and-effect statements.
• I can communicate my group’s explanation clearly to the class without using written work.

Curriculum links

• History 7–10: the causes and effects of European imperial expansion and the movement of peoples, including different responses to colonisation and migration.
• History 7–10: changing population movements and settlement patterns during 1750 to 1900, including push and pull factors.
• History 7–10: short-, medium- and long-term effects of population movements and changing settlement patterns (global demographic changes, transport, new ideas, political and social reforms).

Lesson structure ({total minutes})

1. 0–30 min · In-class assessment. Teacher distributes and explains the assessment task; students work silently for the full time, using resources only as instructed.

2. 30–35 min · Transition and task launch. Teacher briefly states: “In the next activity you’ll create an oral, visual ‘migration story’ showing causes, effects and responses.” Students move to groups of 4–5 and open their cue cards (no writing required).

3. 35–45 min · Creative collaboration: Build the “Migration Map.” Teacher models one example: a push factor card connected to a migration route and an effect card (cause → journey → impact). Students build a large group display using cut-outs, arrows, and role props, speaking to agree on explanations.

4. 45–55 min · Oral sharing: “Walk and tell.” Teacher sets timing and listen-for criteria: each group must deliver a 60–90 second explanation using at least two push factors and two effects. Students circulate using a gallery protocol (listen, then ask one verbal question per group).

5. 55–60 min · Quick wrap-up and exit check. Teacher asks 3 rapid prompts on the board: “Name one push factor, name one effect on colonised or migrant communities, and one response migrants/communities showed.” Students answer orally to the teacher or to a partner, then submit the assessment materials completed at the start.

Resources

• Assessment paper(s) and marking rubric for the previous topic
• Timer and board/slide for assessment instructions (no student devices required)
• Group set: large map template (A3/A2), coloured arrows, push-factor cards, effect cards, route cards
• Role props (optional): “factory worker”, “famine survivor”, “ship passenger”, “employer”, “government officer”
• Glue sticks, scissors, markers only if required for display (no written student answers mandated)
• Listening protocol cue cards (e.g., “Ask one question”, “Make a connection”)
• Projector/visuals: one class example of cause → migration → effects (teacher-made)

Assessment

• Summative/graded: the 30-minute in-class assessment at the start of class (teacher collects and marks as planned).
• Formative: during the creative task, teacher uses a quick observation checklist: participation, use of cause-and-effect language, correct identification of push factors, and clear explanation of effects.
• Exit check: brief oral responses to prompts at the end to confirm understanding of socio-economic push factors and impacts.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence stems for speaking (spoken only) such as “A key push factor was… which caused… As a result…”. Offer a “starter card” for groups that need help choosing push factors.
• Support: pre-teach key terms orally (push factor, migration, effects, society/community) and use picture icons on cards to reduce reading load.
• Extension: challenge groups to include one additional layer—how responses differed (for example, acceptance, discrimination, reform) and/or to connect migration to changing settlement patterns 1750–1900.
• EAL/SEN: allow students to contribute by building, sorting cards, or acting roles; ensure the main assessment of learning in this task is verbal communication and reasoning, not spelling.