Refugees Through Literature

Overview

Unit: Understanding Refugees Through Literature
Lesson: 2 of 6
Title: Exploring The Boy at the Back of the Class
Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 10 students
Year group: Year 7 (ages 11–12)
Subject: English

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National Curriculum Links

This lesson aligns primarily with the English programmes of study for Key Stage 3 (Year 7), specifically:

• Reading: comprehension (Years 7–9)

  • Understand increasingly challenging texts through detailed reading and discussion (English PoS, Reading: Comprehension).
  • Identify and discuss themes and conventions in texts (English PoS).
  • Summarise ideas and arguments, distinguishing between facts and opinions (English PoS).

• Vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation (Years 7–9)

  • Understand and use precise vocabulary when discussing texts (English PoS).

• Spoken Language (Years 7–9)

  • Participate in discussions, listen and respond appropriately to others (English PoS).
  • Use spoken language to organise ideas clearly (English PoS).

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Identify and explain key themes of The Boy at the Back of the Class, especially bullying and courage, with reference to text excerpts.
2. Collaborate effectively in small groups to summarise chapters, demonstrating comprehension and critical thinking.
3. Participate actively in a class discussion, articulating ideas about character motivations and thematic elements.
4. Use subject-specific vocabulary linked to the unit confidently when discussing the text.

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Resources Needed

• Copies of The Boy at the Back of the Class excerpt (pre-selected pages focusing on bullying and courage) – one per student or per small group
• Whiteboard and markers
• Summary worksheet template (to scaffold group work)
• Sticky notes for student responses
• Timer/clock for activity management

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Purpose: Set the context for the session and activate prior knowledge.

• Display a single powerful quote from the book on the board that encapsulates themes of bullying or courage (e.g., “You don’t have to be a hero to stand up to bullying”).
• Ask students to think-pair-share:
  • What does this quote mean to you?
  • Can you think of a time when someone showed courage in tough circumstances?
• Share a few responses with the class.
  Curriculum link: Spoken Language – participate in discussions, listen and respond appropriately.

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2. Introduction to the Book & Themes (10 minutes)

Purpose: To introduce students to the narrative, key characters, and themes.

• Brief overview of the author and storyline of The Boy at the Back of the Class (contextualise refugee experience gently and age-appropriately).
• Highlight main themes: bullying, courage, empathy, friendship.
• Read aloud two carefully selected short excerpts (approx. 3 minutes each): one depicting bullying, one showing an act of courage.
• Discuss briefly: What emotions do these passages evoke? How do the characters react and why?
  Curriculum link: Reading comprehension - identifying themes; vocabulary development (discuss words like 'courage,' 'empathy').

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3. Group Reading and Summarising Activity (20 minutes)

Purpose: Students practise summarising and deepen comprehension through collaboration.

• Divide the class into two groups of five.
• Each group is assigned a separate chapter excerpt (provided in printed form) focusing on key scenes of bullying or courage.
• Provide a summary worksheet that asks:
  1. What happened in this chapter? (Key events)
  2. Which characters were involved?
  3. What themes do you notice?
  4. What emotions do the characters experience?
  5. What vocabulary words stand out?
• Groups read together (or take turns reading aloud) and complete the worksheet collaboratively.
• Teacher circulates, scaffolds, and challenges students with prompting questions (e.g., “Why do you think the character responded this way?”).
  Curriculum link: Reading comprehension; speaking and listening skills; collaborative learning.

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4. Whole-Class Discussion (8 minutes)

Purpose: Review comprehension and promote critical thinking.

• Each group shares their summary and thematic insights.
• Teacher writes key points on the board to create a shared understanding.
• Discuss:
  • How does the theme of courage help the characters?
  • How were the victims of bullying supported or changed?
  • Why is understanding refugee stories important?
• Use sticky notes for students to anonymously write one question or reflection about the text or its themes, which can be addressed later in the unit.
  Curriculum link: Speaking and listening – articulating ideas clearly, responding to others.

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5. Plenary / Reflection (2 minutes)

Purpose: Consolidate learning and link to the next lesson.

• Teacher summarises the key themes discussed and explains that upcoming lessons will explore the refugees' experiences further through the text.
• Quick round-robin: each student shares one word or phrase that captures their feelings about today’s lesson.
• Collect sticky notes to inform future planning.

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Assessment for Learning

• Formative assessment during group work and class discussion based on students’ ability to summarise content and engage with thematic ideas.
• Quality of verbal contributions noting use of thematic vocabulary (bullying, courage, empathy).
• Sticky notes provide insight into students’ understanding and questions for follow-up.

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Differentiation

• Provide excerpts with simplified language for lower reading abilities.
• Challenge higher-attaining students to infer implicit meanings or predict character motivations beyond the text.
• Encourage use of dictionaries or digital devices (if available) for new vocabulary during group work.

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Extension Ideas

• Creative writing prompt: Write a diary entry from the perspective of the refugee boy describing a courageous act.
• Drama activity: Role-play a scene about standing up to bullying using dialogue from the book.

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This lesson plan not only meets National Curriculum requirements for Year 7 English but also fosters empathy and deeper understanding of refugees through literature, engaging students with relevant, meaningful content in an interactive way.