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Year 9

Families and migration: refugee stories in art

I can create an artwork which shows empathy towards refugees.

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Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 9

Families and migration: refugee stories in art

I can create an artwork which shows empathy towards refugees.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A refugee is a person who has escaped from their country for political, religious, economic reasons or because of war
  2. By addressing themes of migration, artists discuss issues such as racism and inequality
  3. Art can move us to consider what unites us rather than what divides us through exploring people's stories

Keywords

  • Refugee - a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster

  • Migrate - to move from one country to another

  • Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person

Common misconception

Refugees are illegal and take jobs away from others.

Refugees are protected under international law and have the right to seek asylum. While they may need help when they arrive in a new country, many refugees go on to contribute positively to their communities.


To help you plan your year 9 art and design lesson on: Families and migration: refugee stories in art, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Create a safe, respectful space for discussion by starting with real-life stories that humanise refugees. Use creative activities to help students build empathy and better understand the challenges and strengths of people forced to flee their homes. Make a bird template and photocopy to save time.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Paper or card, scissors, glue, ruler, pencil, pencil crayons, collage materials, old maps, string, paint, marker pens

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Risk assessment required - equipment
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the best description for community?
A group of people who are a family
A group of people who live in different places
Correct answer: A group of people who live, work, or help each other
Q2.
What does environment mean?
Correct answer: The world around us, including where we live, learn and play
A type of food that grows naturally in the world
Plants and flowers from around the world
Q3.
How can community cohesion be strengthened through art?
By encouraging individuals to create art privately, without sharing it
Correct answer: By inviting people to collaborate on shared creative projects
By limiting participation to one cultural group to preserve tradition
Q4.
How can art bring people together in a community?
Correct answer: By creating a sense of pride and belonging.
By causing disagreements and conflicts in the neighbourhood
By making people feel isolated and ignored
Q5.
Why is a wellbeing room in school beneficial?
It replaces the need for academic lessons
It is only for teachers, not students
Correct answer: It provides a quiet space for students to relax and manage stress
Q6.
Why are shared spaces important in schools?
They limit students’ opportunities to communicate
They are only used for storage and not for learning
Correct answer: They encourage teamwork and social interaction among students

Assessment exit quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
What is a refugee?
Someone who travels for fun
Correct answer: Someone forced to leave their home because of danger
Someone who moves to a new country
Q2.
How do refugees often travel when fleeing danger?
They always have passports and travel legally
Correct answer: They may travel by foot, boat, or other unsafe methods to reach safety
They usually travel by plane with all their belongings
Q3.
What is the main difference between a migrant and a refugee?
Migrants and refugees are exactly the same
Correct answer: Migrants move by choice; refugees move because they are forced to escape danger
Migrants only move for work; refugees only move for education
Q4.
Which of the following is a common misconception about refugees?
Correct answer: Refugees are illegal and take jobs away from others
Refugees are forced to leave their homes because of danger
Refugees often face many challenges in finding safety
Q5.
Why is a bird a symbol of migration?
Correct answer: Because birds naturally travel long distances during different seasons
Because birds are only found in one region
Because birds never leave one place

Additional material

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