Paired Texts > Going to School as a Refugee

by Caroline Garrison 2016

We've identified these texts as great options for text pairings based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. To assign a paired text, click on the text to go to its page and click the "Assign Text" button there.

5 Surprising Facts about the Refugee Crisis
5 Surprising Facts about the Refugee Crisis
Jason Beaubien

In the informational text "5 Surprising Facts about the Refugee Crisis," Jason Beaubien discusses refugee crises around the world and how countries are responding to them.

Pair “5 Surprising Facts about the Refugee Crisis” with “Going to School as a Refugee,” and ask students to consider the consequences of war. How are the pictures conveyed by the two texts different, even though both are about refugees? How do personal accounts add to students’ understanding of war’s consequences? How do numbers and statistics contribute to that understanding? Why is it important to learn about and consider topics such as refugee crises from both kinds of perspectives?

8th Grade News 1040L
'Chasing Memories' In Their Refugee Camp 40 Years After Fleeing Vietnam
'Chasing Memories' In Their Refugee Camp 40 Years After Fleeing Vietnam
Hansi Lo Wang

Vietnamese American refugees who fled communist rule in their home country in the late 20th century reunite at a former processing center.

Pair “‘Chasing Memories’ in Their Refugee Camp 40 Years After Fleeing Vietnam” with “Going to School as a Refugee,” and ask students to compare the experiences described in the two texts. How are the experiences of Burmese refugees today similar to the experiences of Vietnamese refugees in the ‘70s and ‘80s? Based on the information presented, how have the resettlement experiences of refugees in America changed over time?

9th Grade Informational Text 1070L
The Night Oak Street Burned Down
The Night Oak Street Burned Down
Thomas Pool

In "The Night Oak Street Burned Down," a suburban neighborhood struggles to accept their new neighbors from a different planet.

Pair “Going to School as a Refugee” with “The Night Oak Street Burned Down” and have students compare Max’s experiences with the experiences of the refugees in the article. What programs could be implemented for the Visitors to help them on Earth? What would help the Earthlings better accept the Visitors?

8th Grade Short Story 690L
The Band Room
The Band Room
Jazmine Hughes

In "The Band Room," Jazmine Hughes writes about the experiences of students in the Ravenna High School marching band.

Pair “Going to School as a Refugee” with “The Band Room” and ask students to discuss the importance of community-building in schools. What are some of the challenges students who are refugees face in high school according to “Going to School as a Refugee”? What are some of the challenges students in Ravenna, Ohio face according to “The Band Room”? How do the students in both texts form communities that help them face the challenges in their lives?

7th Grade News 1040L