Refugees and Forced Migration:

A Multimodal Text Set & Inquiry Unit

Anchor Text: A Crack in the Sea

by H.M. Bouwman

What is the purpose of this website?

Welcome! This is a website for a thematic language arts unit on the timely social justice issue of refugees and forced migration. The anchor text that we have chosen for this unit is A Crack in the Sea by H.M. Bouwman, a novel for young readers that beautifully blends science fiction, history, social commentary, and fantasy. Accompanying texts for the unit were carefully selected in order to represent diverse and nuanced perspectives and illuminate the complex topic at the heart of the unit. We intentionally incorporated various genres and media in order to make learning about refugees and forced migration accessible for our students.

Basic Information for Unit

Topic, Theme, Issue: Forced Migration and Refugees

Suggested Grade Level: Seventh Grade

Significance of Text Set

As educators, it is our responsibility to empower our students to think critically and with empathy about the world around them.

Refugee crises are increasingly featured in nightly newscasts and debated on the national stage. No matter their age, students are aware on some level of what’s going on in the world. We may possibly even have students who have come to us as refugees or asylum-seekers. Units such as this one can help us create safe spaces out of our classrooms -- spaces where equitable learning can thrive and prejudice does not.

Focusing Questions for the Unit

1. What does the author want the reader to think?

What is the author's message or big idea to share with the world?
What does the book want me to believe? How does it help change my viewpoint?

2. What are some other groups that I know who are being marginalized today?

Why are they being marginalized? Is it because of the difference in their beliefs, appearance, status, socioeconomics, or race?
What can I do to help those who are being treated unfairly?

3. What is a lesson I have learned about justice and fairness?

Having learned this lesson how will my attitude or actions change?
With that changed attitude or action what is one thing you could do to make a positive impact on one of your peer's lives?

4. How can I use this information to promote equity and justice?

How can I live my life differently because of what I have learned?
What could I do to change a rule, procedure, or attitude that is unfair or unjust in my school or in my community?

Foundational Background Knowledge

We believe that, in order to teach and learn accurately and with respect, it is important for educators to strive to remain in-the-know about the politics of language. To ensure that our entrance into an inquiry about the social justice issues of refugees and forced migration is sensitive and informed, we compiled a list of words and phrases that we feel are most appropriate when discussing this topic with our students.

Refugees- People who are fleeing conflict or persecution

Migrants- People moving to another country for reasons beyond conflict and persecution

Internally displaced people- People seeking safety in other parts of their country

Asylum-seekers- People seeking international protection from conflict and persecution

Returnees- People who have returned home after being displaced

Stateless people- People who do not have the nationality of any country

Slaves vs. enslaved people- The adjective “enslaved” is used to describe the position that members of society were subjected to, rather than reducing them to the position.

http://www.unhcr.org/teaching-about-refugees.htmlhttps://andilit.com/2011/10/12/slaves-vs-enslaved-people-the-subtle-strong-power-of-words/

North Carolina ELA Standards

RL.7.2: Determine a theme of a text and analyze its development over the course of a text; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.7.6: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the perspectives of different characters in a text.

RL.7.9: Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.

W.7.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

SL.7.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

North Carolina Social Studies Essential Standards

7.H.1: Use historical thinking to analyze various modern societies.

7.H.1.3: Use primary and secondary sources to interpret various historical perspectives.

7.C.1: Understand how cultural values influence relationships between individuals, groups and political entities in modern societies and regions.

7.C.1.1: Explain how culture unites and divides modern societies and regions (e.g. enslavement of various peoples, caste system, religious conflict, and Social Darwinism).

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