Family and Belonging

Overview

This 45-minute lesson explores the theme of family and belonging within the unit "Understanding Refugee Experiences." Students will draw on their own experiences and those of characters in the book studied throughout this unit, fostering empathy, self-awareness, and cultural understanding. The lesson supports the development of historical empathy and personal reflection as outlined in the National Curriculum for History (England), Key Stage 3.

National Curriculum Links

History (Key Stage 3)

Pupils should be taught to:
- Understand and empathise with people from the past, including refugees and displaced communities.
- Develop historical enquiry through analysing sources and narratives.
- Extend chronological knowledge and understanding of how refugee experiences link across time and cultures.
Relevant Programme of Study:
- Pupils should gain historical knowledge about migration and displacement as human experiences and relate them to the stories of individuals and families.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) - Non-statutory but highly relevant:

Developing self-awareness and empathy for others.
Understanding the concept of identity, family, and community belonging.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Share and articulate their own experiences and ideas about family and belonging.
Compare and contrast these experiences with those of the refugee characters they have studied.
Create a meaningful visual representation that expresses what family means to them personally.
Develop empathy by recognising similarities and differences between their lives and historical refugee experiences.

Resources Needed

Copies or excerpts from the refugee-focused book used in the unit
Large paper or card for visual artwork (A3 preferred)
Colouring materials (markers, coloured pencils, crayons)
Sticky notes or small cards for sharing points
Whiteboard or flipchart
Projector or interactive whiteboard (optional, for displaying discussion prompts)

Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

Activity: Quick Write + Share

Give students 3 minutes to write a few sentences capturing what 'family' means to them.
Ask for 3-4 volunteers to share their sentences aloud.
Teacher notes key words on the board (e.g., love, support, safety, connection).

Purpose: Engage prior knowledge and personalise the concept of family.

2. Guided Discussion (10 minutes)

Activity: Compare Experiences

Briefly recap key refugee family stories from the book used in the unit.
Using the whiteboard, create two columns labelled ‘My Family’ and ‘Refugee Families’.
As a class, discuss and list similarities and differences under the two headings.
Discuss feelings tied to family and belonging on both sides.

Key questions:

What are the most important things families provide?
How might refugee family experiences be different? How are they the same?
How does belonging influence how characters feel about their identity?

Outcome: Foster empathy and critical thinking about personal and historical experiences.

3. Main Activity (20 minutes)

Activity: Visual Representation of Family

Students create a piece of artwork that visually represents what family and belonging means to them.
Encourage creativity: collages, drawings, symbols, family trees, or abstract representations.
They can incorporate themes or images drawn from the book to show shared understanding.
Prompt student reflection by asking them to include at least one element inspired by the refugee characters’ experiences.

Support: Circulate and support students in linking personal ideas with the unit’s historical context.

4. Sharing and Reflection (8 minutes)

Activity: Gallery Walk + Sticky Note Feedback

Students display their artwork around the classroom.
Each student walks around, viewing peers’ work, and leaves a positive comment or question on sticky notes.
Return to seats; invite a few students to share their favourite peer artwork and what they learned from it.

Purpose: Promote active listening, peer appreciation, and reinforce empathetic understanding.

5. Plenary (2 minutes)

Recap the learning objectives.
Ask: How can understanding others’ family stories help us better understand their experiences?
Set a reflective homework task (optional): Write a paragraph about how the feelings of family and belonging might change for someone forced to leave their home.

Assessment Opportunities

Formative: Observation of contributions in discussions and gallery walk comments.
Summative: Evaluation of visual artwork for engagement with theme, creativity, and understanding of family in refugee experiences.
Self-assessment: Students reflect on their own work and learning during sharing.

Differentiation

Provide sentence starters for writing tasks for students who require additional support.
Allow alternative responses, e.g., the option to produce written descriptions or mind maps instead of artwork.
Challenge more able students to incorporate metaphor or historical comparison explicitly into their visual work.

Extension Idea

Invite students to interview a family member about what 'family' means to them and how it has changed through time or distance. Write a short report connecting history and personal narratives.

Teacher Reflection Notes

Monitor student engagement emotionally as family issues can be sensitive.
Scaffold empathy carefully, ensuring no one feels isolated due to differing family situations.
Use student artwork to plan the final lesson focusing on collective understanding and community-building activities.

This lesson will deepen students’ understanding of family as a core element of identity and belonging, while strengthening historical empathy for refugee experiences – a vital skill in the National Curriculum’s vision for 21st century learning.

Teaching Instructions