Refugee: Three Stories, One NovelThree Reasons to Leave | Departure Evidence

Refugee: Three Stories, One NovelThree Reasons to Leave | Departure Evidence Investigation

Help students move beyond simply knowing that the characters in Refugee had to flee and investigate the much bigger question: Why did they have to leave?
In this no-prep novel study lesson, students investigate the specific dangers facing Josef in Nazi Germany, Isabel in 1994 Cuba, and Mahmoud during the Syrian civil war. They examine evidence from the novel, explore the real historical circumstances surrounding each storyline, and analyze the moment when staying home is no longer a safe option.

Designed for Grades 5–8 and 1–2 class periods of 45–60 minutes, this lesson blends literary analysis, historical research, evidence-based thinking, and collaboration.

Students Will
- Identify the specific dangers facing each family
- Examine evidence showing why staying becomes unsafe
- Trace how pressure builds toward the decision to leave
- Analyze the risks of both staying and leaving
- Identify each family's breaking point and decision-maker
- Consider what families leave behind and what they hope to find
- Connect events in the novel to real historical circumstances
- Develop a claim supported with evidence and reasoning
- Collaborate to create a Departure Evidence File
- Explain how historical context deepens their understanding of the characters' choices

What's Included
- Teacher Directions & Lesson Flow
- Student Overview + Mini Research Questions
- Group Investigation Directions
- 3 Student Research, Analysis & Planning Pages
- Color + Black-and-White Versions
- Online Resources, Differentiation & Assessment Ideas

What Teachers Love About This Lesson
- No prep and ready to use
- Goes beyond basic comprehension into cause, consequence, and decision-making
- Integrates ELA and history naturally
- Encourages close reading and evidence-based reasoning
- Helps students distinguish story evidence from historical evidence
- Builds empathy without losing the focus on academic analysis
- Includes structured support for research and group work
- Works with individuals, pairs, or small groups
- Flexible for one extended lesson or two class periods
- Includes printer-friendly black-and-white student pages

Perfect For
Refugee Novel Studies • Middle School ELA • Historical Fiction • Literary Analysis • ELA + Social Studies • Research • Evidence-Based Writing • Group Work • Sub Plans • Grades 5–8

Important Novel & Copyright Disclaimer
This resource is an independently created educational product designed to accompany the novel Refugee by Alan Gratz. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or sponsored by Alan Gratz, the publisher of Refugee, or any related copyright or rights holder.
The novel Refugee is NOT included with this resource. No portion of the novel's text is reproduced, provided, or distributed as part of this product, and this resource is not intended to replace reading the novel.
Teachers and students should have access to legally obtained copies of Refugee when completing activities requiring reading, rereading, quoting, or referring to the text. Purchase of this resource does not provide a copy of the novel or permission to copy, scan, reproduce, upload, distribute, or otherwise share the book.
Refugee, its characters, storylines, settings, and other original elements remain the intellectual property of their respective copyright holders. References to the novel are included solely to support classroom instruction, literary analysis, historical research, discussion, and educational activities.