Refugees and Journeys

Overview

Aimed at Year 4 (ages 8-9), this 60-minute session initiates the unit "Journeys of Refugees," raising awareness and empathy through an age-appropriate exploration of refugees and migrants. It aligns with the English National Curriculum objectives for spoken language, reading, and writing, incorporating PSHE elements to nurture understanding of diversity and global citizenship.

---

National Curriculum Links

English - Spoken Language

• Listen and respond appropriately to adults and peers. (Years 1-6)
• Ask relevant questions to extend understanding and knowledge.

English - Reading - Comprehension

• Develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read by discussing words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination. (Year 4)
• Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives.

English - Writing

• Plan writing by discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write in order to understand and learn from its structure, vocabulary and grammar. (Year 4)

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) – Relationships and Diversity

• Recognise the importance of respecting others, understanding diversity in backgrounds and experiences. (KS2)

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

1. Understand the basic definition of a refugee and how it differs from a migrant.
2. Begin to appreciate the challenges and emotions involved in refugees’ journeys.
3. Develop empathy through listening and responding to real-life stories and multimedia content.
4. Use vocabulary related to journeys, emotions, and migration with increasing confidence.
5. Engage in respectful group discussions and express their thoughts clearly.

---

Resources

• Age-appropriate video clip (~4 minutes) showing a simplified story of a refugee child’s journey (without distressing content).
• Images depicting different modes of journey (foot, boat, train).
• A “Refugee or Migrant?” worksheet with simple definitions and examples.
• Whiteboard and markers or interactive whiteboard.
• Emotion cards (happy, sad, scared, hopeful, confused).
• Paper and coloured pencils.

---

Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes) – What is a Journey?

• Invite whole class conversation: “Who has been on a journey? What kinds of journeys do we take?”
• Record answers on board, prompting travel by foot, car, boat, and train.
• Show pictures representing different journeys. Ask pupils to describe how journeys might make people feel (phantom word bank: safe, scared, excited, tired).
• Transition: “Today we’ll learn about a very important kind of journey – that of refugees and migrants.”

2. Introduction and Key Vocabulary (10 minutes)

• Explain with clear child-friendly definitions:
  • Refugee: A person forced to leave their country because it is not safe to live there anymore.
  • Migrant: Someone who moves from one place to another, often for work or family.
• Use the worksheet to reinforce understanding.
• Group activity: Sort a set of simple scenarios into ‘refugee’ or ‘migrant’ categories. (E.g. Tom moves to a new city for work = migrant; Sara flees because her home is unsafe = refugee).

3. Multimedia Exploration (15 minutes)

• Watch the refugee child’s story video (~4 minutes). Ensure emotional safety; avoid distressing images.
• Use emotion cards to check-in: Which feelings did the child seem to have? Why?
• Guided whole class discussion: What challenges might refugees face on their journeys? How do you think they feel?

4. Group Discussion and Empathy Building (15 minutes)

• In small groups of 4-5, pupils discuss one question: "If you had to leave your home quickly, what three things would you take and why?"
• Give paper and coloured pencils for pupils to draw these items alongside their reasons.
• Groups share their drawings and explain choices briefly with the class.

5. Plenary (10 minutes)

• Recap key points: definitions, feelings, journey types.
• Vocabulary game: Teacher says a word (e.g. scared, boat, family) and pupils say if it relates to refugees’ journeys and why.
• Quick reflective question: “Why is it important to understand the journeys refugees make?” Shared responses noted on board.

---

Assessment and Differentiation

• Formative Assessment:

  • Observation of participation in discussions and group work.
  • Use of vocabulary in speaking and during sorting activity.
  • Check drawings and explanations for understanding of reasons and empathy.

• Differentiation:

  • Support pupils with sentence starters when sharing (“I think refugees feel… because…”).
  • Provide symbols or pictures on the worksheet for lower literacy pupils.
  • Challenge more able pupils to think about how their community might support refugees locally.

---

Reflection and Next Steps

• Record pupil reflections on what they learned about refugees.
• Plan to build on this foundation with upcoming lessons focusing on specific journeys, personal stories, and creative writing inspired by refugees’ experiences.
• Intend to incorporate cross-curricular links with Geography (mapping journeys) and Art (portraiture).

---

WOW Factor: Using empathy-building art alongside multimedia and real-life inspired stories fosters deep engagement and understanding far beyond traditional textbook learning. This approach not only meets curriculum goals but also nurtures kindness and global awareness at age 8-9, equipping pupils to think critically and compassionately.