Refugee: Three Stories, One NovelThree Searches for Safety | Safety & Survival

Refugee: Three Stories, One NovelThree Searches for Safety | Safety & Survival Evidence Map

What does “safety” really mean when simply reaching a destination may not be enough?

Help students dig deeper into Refugee by Alan Gratz with this engaging no-prep literary analysis and research lesson. Students investigate the searches for safety experienced by Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud, examining what each family is escaping, what they believe safety will look like, the obstacles standing between them and their goal, and how circumstances force their plans to change.
As students compare the three storylines, they discover that safety is not simply a place on a map. Geography, borders, government policies, transportation, timing, resources, physical danger, and the decisions of others can all influence whether—and how—a family reaches safety.

Designed for Grades 5–8 and 1–2 class periods of 45–60 minutes, this lesson combines literary analysis, textual evidence, cause and effect, geography, research, comparison, and real-world connections.

Students Will
- Define what safety means for each of the three families
- Identify what each family is escaping and hoping to reach
- Analyze geographic, political, legal, and physical barriers
- Trace how obstacles force families to change their plans
- Distinguish between factors characters can and cannot control
- Follow changes in a family's search for safety across the novel
- Gather and explain evidence from important moments in the text
- Compare Josef's, Isabel's, and Mahmoud's experiences
- Explore whether safety is a place, a condition, or both

What's Included
- Teacher Directions & Lesson Flow
- Student Overview + Mini Research Questions
- Safety & Survival Evidence Map Group Activity
- 3 Student Research, Analysis & Planning Pages
- Color Student Pages
- Printer-Friendly Black-and-White Student Pages
- Differentiation Ideas
- Assessment Ideas

What Teachers Love About This Lesson
- No prep and ready to use
- Goes beyond basic plot comprehension
- Gives students a clear purpose for returning to the novel
- Integrates literary analysis with geography and real-world context
- Builds strong cause-and-effect thinking
- Encourages meaningful use of textual evidence
- Helps students compare all three storylines without simply summarizing them
- Provides structured support for deeper thinking
- Combines independent research with collaborative learning
- Works with individuals, partners, or small groups

Perfect For
Refugee Novel Study • Middle School ELA • Literary Analysis • Character Analysis • Theme • Text Evidence • Cause & Effect • Compare & Contrast • Geography Connections • Refugee Studies • Research Skills • Critical Thinking • Collaborative Learning • Group Projects • Sub Plans • No Prep Lessons • Grades 5–8

Important Novel & Copyright Disclaimer
This resource is an independently created educational supplement for Refugee by Alan Gratz and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the author, publisher, or rights holders.
The novel is NOT included. Students will need legally obtained copies of Refugee to complete activities requiring reading or textual evidence.
Refugee, its characters, and storylines remain the property of their respective copyright holders.