Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. According to the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR), a refugee can be defined as “someone who has been forced to flee conflict or persecution and has crossed an international border to seek safety. They cannot return to their country without risking their life or freedoms. It is a legal term that carries with it certain protections that refugees are entitled to.” What are some of the protections that might benefit a refugee? What considerations must be addressed for individuals and families who relocate as refugees?

Teaching Suggestion: Officially instated as a part of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the term “refugee” has been applied to a variety of waves of individuals who have sought protection from outbreaks of violence in their country of origin. In particular, wars and persecution in Vietnam and Cambodia in the 1960s and 1970s, Lebanon in the 1980s, the Balkan territories in the 1990s, and the Middle East, North Africa, and Ukraine in the early 21st century are some examples of internationally discussed refugee waves.