Objectives:

• Students will gain an understanding of refugees and asylum seekers, including information about refugees’ personal journeys
• Students will examine the number of refugees and asylum seekers in the U.S. and examine the personal stories of two asylum seekers
• Students will explore possible causes of immigration of refugees to the U.S. and the impact on society
• Students will study where refugees and asylum seekers come from, why they flee their homes, and how they journey to the United States

Materials:

• Handout #1: “Facts on Refugees and Asylees”
• Handout #2: “Where do Refugees Come From?”
• Handout #3: “Charting the Refugee Journey”
• Handout #4: “Principal Sources of the World’s Refugees and Asylum Seekers”
• Handout #5: “Refugee Role-play”
• Handout #6: “Mock-up of Asylum Application in English”
• Handout #7: “Mock-up of Asylum Application in ‘Pig Latin’”
• Handout #8: “Overview of Asylum Law”
• Handout #9: “Two Major Points of Refugee and Asylum Law”
• Handout #10: “Togo Asylum Case Story” (English version)
• Handout #11: “Togo Asylum Case Story” (French version)
• Handout #12: “Colombia Asylum Case Story” (English version)
• Handout #13: “Colombia Asylum Case Story” (Spanish version)
• Student notebooks/journals

Time Frame: Four to five class periods

Age Level: Middle school to adult Vocabulary: Refugee, Asylum, Asylum seeker

Relevant Subject Areas and Connection to Minnesota State High School Standards:

• Inquiry and Research: World History and Cultures
• Write and Speak: Academic Writing, Interpersonal Communication
• French language class (Handouts #10 and #11)
• Spanish Language class (Handouts #12 and #13)