Refugee Experiences
A Multimodal & Inquiry Unit
By: Megan Hamrick, Abby Edwards, Shannon Anderson, Lauren Fidler & Alix Shaver
Welcome to Our Site!
This website contains resources such as text sets, comprehension lesson plans, and vocabulary instruction ideas based around the anchor text, Home of the Brave. This book explores themes of perseverance, the power of friendship and shared experiences as they relate to refugee experiences. Through the resources we have created, we hope to highlight certain experiences that refugees may encounter as a result of their journey to a new country. Many of the texts we have selected have refugee protagonists. The goal of the text set is to allow students to read across multiple texts in order to form a deeper understanding of the unique experiences of others.
Focusing Questions for the Unit
1. How do our personal experiences shape our identities?
- How might refugees' experiences in leaving home shape their identities?
- How can certain policies shape the way we feel about ourselves / the way others feel about themselves?
- Do our past experiences have to define us? Why or why not?
- How does family play a role in someone's identity?
2. What factors may drive a person to persevere in difficult situations?
- What effect does a strong support system have on an individual's will to overcome challenges?
- What does it mean to persevere?
- What actions can you take to support others?
3. What challenges might arise from differences in culture?
- How can we embrace and celebrate differences in culture?
- Why is it important to understand both differences and similarities we have with others?
- How can we discuss cultural differences in a positive way?
4. What does it mean to have a sense of belonging?
- What determines whether or not a person feels like they belong?
- How can a person begin to feel at home in a new place?
- What actions can people take in order to ensure others feel like they belong?