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Refugees: Issues and Action
Lesson 3:
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Lesson
Handouts
Academic Standards
Philanthropy Framework
6th-8th Grade
Subjects:

Language Arts, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view
ELA: Group Discussions; Presentations; Vocabulary
PHIL: Service
SOC: 6 genOn; Analyze/Interpret; Common Good; Compare/Contrast; Contemporary Issues; Current Events; Developing Countries; Maps/Globes; Refugees; Research

Purpose:

Students research and report on a country from which refugees originate or countries that provided sanctuary for refugees in a time of crisis. The report may be used as advocacy to raise awareness and support for refugees. Students may design and carry out a service project that addresses the needs of refugees.

Duration:

Three or more 45-Minute Class Sessions including a student planned service project and a reflection activity

Objectives:

The learner will:

  • identify the populations of concern to UNHCR and discuss different reasons people seek asylum in the world.
  • recognize the causes and the effects of being a refugee.
  • research a specific country from which refugees originate or a country that hosts refugees.
  • create potential solutions to improve the refugee situation in the country.
  • select, plan and implement a class or individual sevice project.
  • reflect on their service.

Service Experience:

Although this lesson contains a service project example, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.
Learn more about the stages of service-learning.

Students research countries from which refugees originate and those that receive refugees. They plan and implement a service project that addresses issues faced by refugees or other people in need.

Materials:

  • Copies of a variety of newspapers
Handout 1
Refugees and Resources Rubric
Handout 2
Refugees and Resources: Research Chart
Handout 3
Refugees and Research: Analysis
Handout 4
Fundraising and Service Project Ideas

Instructional Procedure(s):

 Anticipatory Set

Display a copy of the Populations of Concern map (See Bibliographical References).  This map shows populations of concern to UNHCR (refugees, asylum seekers, internally dispaced people, returnees, stateless persons). Guide the learners in responding to the following questions:

1. Which area has the largest population of people of concern? List at least four reasons that may cause this area to have such a large population of people of concern.

2. Which area has the largest population of refugees?

3. Which area has the largest population of IDPs?

4. Which countries resettle the most refugees and where to do asylum seekers go?

  • Show the students the list of countries from the dropdown menu at the bottom of this web page: 
    http://www.unrefugees.org/site/c.lfIQKSOwFqG/b.6235807/k.515C/Additional_Resources.htm .
  • Have students form research groups of 3-4 and choose one country that hosts a large number of refugees to research. (They can access information about each of the countries by choosing their country on the drop-down list and then following the links.) They will research the refugee situation in that particular country, in addition to reasons why that country may have additional refugees because of political or geographical problems.  Students will use the Handout Two: “Resources and Refugees: Research Chart.”
  • After completing the research, students will synthesize the information they have researched by answering the questions in the Handout Three titled “Resources and Refugees: Analysis.”
  • As a culminating activity, students will create a presentation either as an oral presentation (based on a written research paper, see Attachment One: Refugees and Resources Rubric), a multi-media presentation or a poster based on their research and analysis. 

 Day Two

  • Students present their research information to the class. If posters were created they can be displayed in the classroom and students can do a class "walk about" to read each poster. If done as a report or multi-media presentation, allow each pair of students a few minutes to share their research.

Day Three

  • Remind the students of the discussion they had about enlightened self-interest, philanthropy and the common good.
  • Ask a student volunteer to read the list of ideas for ways the students could help refugees or others in need from Lesson Two.
  • Guide the students in coming to consensus on a class service plan or if the class chooses not to do a group service project, support those individual students who are motivated to do service, with ideas for creating their own project. (If needed, suggest additional service ideas using Attachment Four: Fundraising and Service Project Ideas.)
  • Have students plan and implement their response to the issue of people in need.
  • After the service project is completed, have the students reflect on their efforts using the activity in the Reflection section of this lesson. 

Youth Voice:

Students plan and carry out a service project based on their interests and research.

Assessment:

Assess students on their research (if a research paper was assigned, see Attachment One: Research and Resources Rubric) and presentation, as well as participation in group discussions.  A teacher-created vocabulary quiz including all the vocabulary in the unit may be developed.

Cross-Curriculum Extensions:

Social Studies: Students can create position papers in which they support a position from the country that they have researched. (A “how-to” guide for creating position papers can be found at: http://www.unausa.org/munpreparation/positionpapers). The students represent their countries in a mock UNHCR MUN session, in which they present their papers and possible solutions to help the refugees that come from the country they have researched and other nations that are affected by refugees and IDPs.
Language Arts: Students can write a letter to the leader of the country that they researched expressing concern over the issue of refugees.

Reflection: (click to view)

Bibliographical References:

 

 

Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

Refugees and Resources Rubric

 

Name: _________________________Grade: ________/30 Research Report: Refugees and Resources

IDEAS & DEVELOPMENT
5    The paper is clear, focused, and insightful. Relevant examples and details effectively support the main idea.
4    The paper generally maintains focus on the topic. Details appropriately support the main idea.
3    The paper has a recognizable topic, although development and support for the main idea may be uneven or inconsistent.
2    The paper lacks a clear topic. Support for the main idea is inadequate.
1    The paper lacks ideas, details, and purpose.
 
ORGANIZATION
5    The organization enhances the main idea. The order, structure, and presentation of information effectively move the reader through the text.
4    The organizational structure supports the main idea and moves the reader through the text.
3    The paper has an organizational structure that helps move the reader through the text, although the structure may be uneven or inconsistent.
2    The paper lacks clear organizational structure. Ideas, details, or events are loosely strung together.
1    The paper has no discernible organization.
 
WORD CHOICE (Diction)
5    Words effectively convey the intended meaning in a specific and engaging way.
4    Words convey the intended meaning in a clear and appropriate way.
3    Words generally convey the intended meaning, but may lack energy and specificity.
2    Word choice is limited and may not convey the intended meaning.
1    Word choice does not convey the intended meaning.  
 
SENTENCE FLUENCY (Syntax)
5    The writing has an effective rhythm. Sentences are well developed, with structural variety, including parallel structure, that supports the purpose.
4    The writing has appropriate sentence variety and structural clarity.
3    The writing is generally clear, but sentences may be mechanical or lack variety.
2    The writing demonstrates limited understanding of sentence structure.
1    The writing lacks appropriate sentence structure.

VOICE
5    The writer’s voice is individual and engaging, demonstrating awareness of and respect for the audience and the purpose.
4    The writer’s voice is appropriate to the purpose and engages the audience.
3    The writer’s voice is generally clear but may not be fully engaged with the audience or purpose.
2    The writer’s voice is indifferent and unengaged with the audience and purpose.
1    The writer’s voice is not evident.            
                                     
CONVENTIONS
5    The writer uses conventions effectively to support meaning.
4    The writer uses conventions with few or no errors that distract or interfere with meaning.
3    The writer generally uses conventions appropriately, although at times errors are distracting and may interfere with meaning.
2    The writer consistently makes errors in conventions that distract the reader and interfere with meaning.
1    The writer lacks control of conventions.
 

 

Handout 2Print Handout 2

Refugees and Resources: Research Chart

Handout 3Print Handout 3

Refugees and Research: Analysis

Handout 4Print Handout 4

Fundraising and Service Project Ideas

COLLECTION/GENERAL SOLICITATION

Summary:
This type of fundraising involves collecting or soliciting donations from members of your community. Funds can be collected at community or school functions, outside of popular department or grocery stores, or door-to-door. Be aware that children should only do door-to-door fundraising while being accompanied by an adult. Caroling for donations is a great example of this type of event.
Variations: Hold a Penny Drive or a Penny War: To hold the competition, each class or team competes against all others. Each team has a jar in a central location labeled with the team name and the charity they are raising money for. The idea is to earn the most money for your class or grade. In a penny war, teams try to collect the most pennies, and silver coins count against their total. This creates a competition where other teams try to sabotage the other teams by adding silver coins or dollar bills to the competitors' jars. The value of the coins count against the total, so a quarter subtracts 25 points from a jar of pennies. You can have two winners: one winner is the team that has the most points and another winner collects the highest monetary value.
Possible Timeline:
This event can be planned far in advance or it can be planned in the span of a few days. Solicitations and collections can also be executed multiple times. For example, solicitors can stand outside of a particular store every Saturday morning for a month.
Common Pitfalls:
Beware of signs prohibiting solicitation.
 
SALE OF GOODS AND SERVICES
Summary:
This type of fundraising involves the sale of a good or service in exchange for a donation. Participants purchase items and their payment is treated as a donation to USA for UNHCR, as opposed to being treated as a profit for the organizer. This type of activity could prove successful for any type of host including individuals and groups.
Variations:
Garage sale, car wash, selling a cookbook of favorite recipes, etc.
Expected Investment:
This depends entirely on the scope of the activity. With volunteers, this sort of activity requires minimal investment. However, you must account for funds devoted to advertising and signage for the event. If you plan to hold a car wash, you must consider how you will pay for the space or how you will approach a business owner and ask for the space to be donated. If you’re selling a cookbook, you must factor in the cost of having the cookbook printed. It is possible to get things like space or signage donated by businesses.
Possible Timeline:
Planning should occur not less than 3 weeks in advance of the event.
Common Pitfalls:
Don’t underestimate the cost of advertising and promotion. For some service-related activities, advertising might be the only cost, but it will make or break the success of the event.
Make sure that you pay your expenses first, then donate the remainder to USA for UNHCR.
 
Adapted from the Community Fundraising Handbook published by USA for UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, found at http://www.unrefugees.org/atf/cf/%7BD2F991C5-A4FB-4767-921F-9452B12D742%7D/Final%20Community%20Fundraising%20Handbook.pdf
 
SERVICE PROJECT IDEAS
 
·         Hold a collection drive for food or other materials like baby formula, diapers, or baby clothes, and donate the items to a local food pantry or to an organization that helps children globally.
·         Make fleece baby blankets and deliver to a local shelter or donate to an international children’s relief organization.
·         Identify a group of children in need in your local community (e.g., children may be in a shelter, hospital, or another difficult situation). Identify their needs, then collect and/or make necessary items for the children. Put the collected items in bags or backpacks and deliver to the children or organization.
·         Collect used books to donate to a shelter or domestic abuse center.
·         Draw a picture and/or write a story about what you have learned about refugees. Share your work with your families and the community. Ask them to support organizations that help children in need like USA for UNHCR, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages.
 

Philanthropy Framework:

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Unit Contents:

Overview:Refugees in Today's Society Summary

Lessons:

1.
What Is a Refugee?
2.
Getting to Know Refugees
3.
Refugees: Issues and Action

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