Lesson 2: The Backpack of the Refugee (For Secondary Students) Time 40 mins Teaching Resources PowerPoint My Packing Cards (Attachment 1) Worksheet: If I were a Child Refugee (Attachment 2) Background Reading Children in Crises: The Syria Crisis and the Refugee Crisis in Europe (Teacher Handouts) Learning Objectives Knowledge: (1) Understand the background of Syria Crisis and Refugee Crisis in Europe (2) Understand the needs and difficulties of child refugees through first-person perspective Attitude: (3) Cultivate empathy (4) Respect the rights of others Skill: (5) Decision making (6) Listen attentively and express opinions (7) Communication and collaboration skills Curriculum Link Life and Society (S1-3): Rights of the Child (Module 21), International Politics (Module 28) Liberal Studies (S4-6): Personal Development & Interpersonal Relationship, Globalization Moral and Civic Education Lesson Plan Time Activities Resources Objectives 5 mins PPT(slide 4-7) (1) 20 mins Understand the background of Syria Crisis and Refugee Crisis in Europe Consolidate the knowledge acquired in first lesson. Briefly introduce the background of Syria Crisis and Refugee Crisis in Europe Activity 1: If I were a Child Refugee What would you take with you if war forced you from your home? Through the ranking activity, students: Experience decision making in what they would take when fleeing to other countries Be encouraged to analyze the basic needs that child refugees are lack of UNICEF/UNI197676/Gilbertson VII Photo PPT(slide 8-11) Attachment 1 Attachment 2 (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7) 10 Activity 2: Observe photos - The REAL backpack of PPT(slide 12-14) (3), (4) mins Child Refugee Through observing the real backpacks photos of child refugees, students: Understand what items are important for child refugees Reflect on the needs, rights and difficulties of child refugees 5 mins Debrief: The rights that child refugees are deprived of PPT(slide 15-17) (2), (3) 1
Activity 1: If I were a Child Refugee (20 minutes) Objective: Through the ranking activity, students: Experience decision making in what they would take when fleeing to other countries Be encouraged to analyze the basic needs that child refugees are lack of Resources: PowerPoint (slide 8-11), My Packing Cards (Attachment 1), Worksheet: If I were a Child Refugee (Attachment 2) Rundown (Part 1): 1. Ask Students: Imagine that you live in a country having a war, are forced to suddenly flee to another country NOW! You only have 8 minutes to pack up the things that you need. What would you take with you? 2. Divide students into 6 groups, each group has 5 6 students. Distribute a set of My Packing Cards (Attachment 1) to each group. 3. Group Discussion: Each group can only choose 9 of the 12 items from the My Packing Cards. Discuss within the group and rank the cards according to their level of importance. Record the choices and reasons in the Worksheet: If I were a Child Refugee (Attachment 2). Most Important 2 nd most Important 2 nd most Important Very Important Very Important Very Important Quite Important Quite Important Important 4. Group Sharing: Teacher invites 2 3 groups to share their decision and their reason with the class: The 3 cards ranked most important The 3 cards that they choose not to take 2
Rundown (Part 2): 5. Teacher sets a new scene to each group of students and now they can only take 3 items: The fastest way to reach Europe is by a dangerous boat journey. The boat is full now and you can only take 3 most important items, other items have to be thrown away. You may need to spend 2 weeks, 1 month or an even longer period of time in fleeing. Do you think the 3 items that you choose can fulfil your basic needs 6. Group Discussion: Each group discusses the following questions, and records them in Worksheet: If I were a Child Refugee (Attachment 2). Teacher can also distribute Student Handouts p.4 to students as discussion material. (1) How do you define basic need? (Suggested Answer) Basic need is the essential element for human survival, growth and development. It is also a kind of right. (2) If you can only take 3 items, what basic needs are you forced to give up? How does this decision affect your living? Please elaborate according to the 4 categories of the children s rights (right to survival, right to protection, right to development and right to participation). (Suggested Answer) Child Right Right to Survival Right to Protection Right to Development Right to participation Items you have given up Food and clean water Hygiene supplies Clothes Medicine Money Family Photo (Parental care) Tent/ proper housing Identity cards and documents Textbooks Toys/Games Cultural/Religious activities Smart phone The basic needs you have lost and how it is affected your living? Malnutrition and unclean water will affect the children s health Improper hygiene will increase the risk of illness Due to lack of warm clothing, children cannot protect themselves and keep warm during the journey. Lack of immediate professional medical treatment risks the health and well-being of children and may aggravate the illness Without spare money, they may face difficulties in coping with emergencies Separation from parents leaves children vulnerable with fear of exploitation Lack of proper housing and shelter exposes children to sickness, exploitation, trafficking and sexual abuse Lack of valid identity documents may delay the process of asylum application Absence from school hinders the learning opportunities of children. Without adequate space and time to play, without toys and peers, the social, emotional and physical needs of children are not met. Absence of adequate cultural or religious activities affect the emotional and physical needs of the children No access to smart phones, it may make it difficult to get the latest information on refugee policy and transportation. Connection with relatives and hope of finding missing relatives may also be lost. 7. Group Sharing: Teacher invites 2 3 groups to share their opinions. Curriculum Linkage: Liberal Studies Apart from child-right perspective, students can apply the concepts learnt in Liberal Studies (e.g. Quality of Life, Personal Development and Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs) for develop multi-perspectives thinking. 8. Debrief: Teacher explains that it is common for the boats used by refugees to be crowded and overloaded, forcing them to take things that are essential or important to them. Then, teacher shows 2 photos of the actual backpack of refugee children (refer to next page and PowerPoint) to students for facilitate better understanding on the child refugees and their needs. 3
Activity 2: Observe photos - The REAL backpack of Child Refugee (10 minutes) Omran (6 years old) From: Syria In his backpack: 1 pair of pants, 1 shirt A syringe for emergencies, bandages, medicine Marshmallows, a food tin Soap, tooth brush and tooth paste Tyler Jump / IRC Omran is on his way to Germany with his parents. His parents plan to travel through forests to avoid detection, they made sure to pack bandages for cuts. Iqbal (17 years old) From: Afghanistan In his backpack: 1 pair of pants, 1shirt, 1 pair of shoes and socks, shampoo and hair gel, toothbrush and tooth paste, face whitening cream, comb, nail clipper Bandages, medicine Money Smart phone and back-up phone, SIM cards Tyler Jump / IRC Iqbal left Afghanistan with a backpack only. He had traveled hundreds of miles and dodged bullets to escape from northern Afghanistan and reach Iran. From there he walked to Turkey finally arriving in Lesbos, Greece, but still unsure of where to go from here. Although he is on fleeing, he still pays attention to appearance. I want my skin to be white and hair to be spiked I don t want them to know I m a refugee. I think someone will spot me and call the police because I m illegal. Source: International Rescue Committee 4
Activity 2: Observe photos - The REAL backpack of Child Refugee Objective: Through observing the real backpacks photos of child refugees, students: Understand what items are important for child refugees Reflect on the needs, rights and difficulties of child refugees Resources: PowerPoint (slide 12-14) Rundown: 1. Teacher invites students to observe 2 photos of backpacks belonging to child refugees and compare them with the items chosen by students in Activity 1: If I were a Child Refugee: Analyze the similarities and differences between the backpacks of real child refugees and the items chosen by you? How are the actual backpacks of real child refugees different from your imagination? (Free answer from students) 2. Teacher categorizes the items in the backpacks and invites students to guess their usage: (Suggested Answer) Category Items Usage Clothing Pants, shirt, shoes and socks Protect self and keep warm throughout the long journey Medical treatment Bandages First aid for cuts and wounds To avoid detection some refugees choose to travel through forests where they may sustain cuts and wounds enroute Medicine and syringe for First -aid for treatment of illnesses emergencies Cleansing and Soap, shampoo, tooth brush Maintain good hygiene appearance and tooth paste Hair gel, face whitening cream, Maintain good grooming. To avoid being targeted as illegal comb and nail clipper refugees some maintain good grooming. Information Smart phone Stay connected with relatives Assist in finding missing relatives Smartphone with online map function helps track the location and get the transport information Money Money Buy necessities Food Food tin and marshmallows Provide energy to sustain the journey Other Teaching Tips: Empathy Students may feel surprise and curious on the items like mobile phones, hair gel and whitening cream. Teacher can help students to put into others shoes by asking: If you re refugee, why you need to take.? as opening. Through this type of questioning, it helps students to think from the perspectives of refugees and they ll figure out why refugees need to take these things by themselves. 3. Ask Students: Do you think the items of child refugees can fulfil the needs as a child? (Free answer from students) 4. Teacher further discusses about the rights and needs of child refugees that are usually neglected when fleeing (refer to PowerPoint). 5
My Packing Cards (Attachment 1) Tent UNICEF/UN012784/Georgiev Money UNICEF/UNI190199/Quarmyne UNICEF/UNI102696/Sautereau Identity cards and documents UNICEF/UNI127656/Vishwanathan Food and clean water Clothes UNICEF/UN08799/Vas UNICEF/UN05635/Gilbertson VII Photo Family Photo *If you give up this card, you lost parental care for 3 years. 6
My Packing Cards (Attachment 1) Textbooks UNICEF/UN08278/Khuzaie Medicine UNICEF/UN03327/Ose *If you give up this card, you cannot back to school for 3 years UNICEF/UNI197793/Gilbertson VII UNICEF/UNI188241/Sekine Toys / Games Hygiene supplies *If you give up this card, you cannot play for 3 years. UNICEF/UNI170899/Khan UNICEF/UNI188791/Beechey Cultural / Religious activities *If you give up this card, you cannot join the cultural and religious activities for 3 years Smart phone 7
Worksheet: If I were a Child Refugee (Attachment 2) Part 1 Background: Imagine that you live in a country having a war, are forced to suddenly flee to another country NOW! You only have 8 minutes to pack up the things that you Resources: need. What would you take with you? My Packing Cards (1 sets 12 cards) 1. Read the My Packing Cards, choose 9 out of the 12 items from the My Packing Cards. 2. Discuss with your groupmates and rank the cards according to their level of importance. Place the most important item in the first row, place the second most important on the second row and so on. 3. Record your choices and reasons below. Most Important 2 nd most important 2 nd most important Very Important Very Important Very Important Quite Important Quite Important 4. In your group, which 3 cards were chosen as the most important and the 3 cards that were not picked? Give reasons for your choice. 3 cards that are most important Important Cards Reason 3 cards that are not picked 8
Worksheet: If I were a Child Refugee (Attachment 2) Part 2 A new scene, each group of students can only take 3 items: The fastest way to reach Europe is by a dangerous boat journey. The boat is full now and you can only take the 3 most important items, other items have to be thrown away. You may need to spend 2 weeks, 1 month or even a longer period of time in fleeing, do you think the 3 items that you choose can fulfil your basic needs? Curriculum Linkage: Liberal Studies Apart from child-right perspective, students can apply the concepts learnt in Liberal Studies (e.g. Quality of Life, Personal Development and Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs) for develop multi-perspectives thinking. Discuss the following questions with your groupmates: 1. How do you define basic need? If you can only take 3 items, what basic needs you re forced to give up? And how is it affected your living? How does this decision affect your living? Please elaborate according to the 4 categories of children s rights (right to survival, right to protection, right to development and right to participation). Rights to Survival (E.g. Is there enough food to eat?) Rights to Protection (E.g. Can receive adequate care?) Rights to Development (E.g. Can receive age-appropriated education?) Rights to Participation (E.g. Can access to information?) 9