What you will be able to do
distinguish migrant, immigrant, and refugee without guessing anyone’s story or status; identify varied reasons people move; describe migration without assumptions or required disclosure
Migration, Immigration, and Refugees
Why do people move, and how can we use migration words accurately and with care?
Activate what you know
Think of something that can change when a fictional person moves, such as route, home, school, language surroundings, work, or community connections
- migrationmovement away from a usual home to live in another place for a time or for a long period
- migranta person who moves away from a usual home to live in another place
- immigranta person who moves to another country to live there
- refugeea person outside their country who needs international protection because returning would be unsafe for reasons covered by refugee law
- belongingfeeling connected, accepted, and included
1
Use the Most Accurate Word
Migration is a broad word for movement away from a usual home to live elsewhere. People may move within a country or across a border, for a time or for many years. An immigrant moves to another country to live there. A refugee is outside their country and needs international protection because returning would be unsafe for reasons covered by refugee law. The exact legal rules can vary, so use the word a reliable source uses. People move for work, education, family, safety, environment, housing, culture, or many connected reasons. Some movement is chosen, some is pressured, and some is forced. A short source may not reveal every reason, so do not invent one
2
Center People, Rights, and Belonging
People who move are not only travelers or workers. They are family members, students, artists, neighbors, leaders, and people with knowledge and rights. New communities may offer opportunities while also presenting language, access, discrimination, or separation challenges. Belonging can grow when schools and communities provide welcome, accurate information, language access, safety, and fair treatment. A learner is never a classroom source about migration unless the learner freely chooses to share something nonprivate
A Route Does Not Tell the Whole Story
A map can show where movement occurred, but it may not show choice, legal status, feelings, danger, family ties, or the many reasons behind the move
Separate What the Source Shows
Say: The source shows movement from ____ to ____. It states the reason was ____. It does not tell us ____
Not Every Migrant Is a Refugee
Refugee has a specific legal meaning connected to protection. Do not use it for all immigrants or guess it from a person’s country, language, or route
Read a Fictional Movement Map
Use a fictional map and source card. Trace the route, identify only the reason the source states, and add two questions the source cannot answer
Migration includes many kinds of movement and reasons. Accurate study uses movement words carefully, avoids guessing, and centers people’s dignity, knowledge, rights, and belonging
Practice and answer guide
Work through all 8 questions. Open an answer only after you have written or explained your response.
- 1. Which is the broadest word in this lesson for a person who moves away from a usual home to live in another place? A. migrant B. candidate C. seller
Check answer
Migrant
- 2. What is an immigrant?
Check answer
A person who moves to another country to live there
- 3. Which word fits a person outside their country who needs international protection because returning would be unsafe for reasons covered by refugee law? A. refugee B. tourist C. commuter
Check answer
Refugee
- 4. Name three different reasons people may move
Check answer
Acceptable reasons include family, work, education, safety, persecution, conflict, environment, housing, culture, or several combined reasons
- 5. Draw a fictional migration map with an origin, route, destination, and one stated reason
Check answer
The drawing should show all four requested elements and clearly mark the reason as fictional or source-stated rather than guessed
- 6. Name two important parts of a migration story that a route map may not show
Check answer
Examples include whether movement was chosen or forced, legal status, feelings, family ties, skills, danger, language needs, discrimination, or plans
- 7. Correct this idea: “A person’s accent tells us the person’s legal status.”
Check answer
An accent may reflect language experience but does not reveal citizenship or immigration status. Legal status is private and cannot be guessed
- 8. Name one action a school can take to support welcome and belonging
Check answer
Examples include using names correctly, providing language and disability access, stopping bullying, explaining routines, offering a peer welcome, and including new students without demanding personal stories