Lesson 1
Human Migration- Why do People Migrate?
Week-Long Activity: Explorer’s Journals
Every day this week the student will learn or ‘discover’ something new. At the end of each day
the students could draw, write, color, cut and paste print outs or other drawings, or any other
medium that shows what they’ve ‘discovered’.
Major Concepts
Past migrations have helped shape the present makeup of populations just as present
migration patterns are changing the future composition of each region of the world. The
ancestry, or roots, of the people in a region tie them to the migratory paths of their ancestors
and help explain the history of the region. People move to new places for various reasons
however, the most common reasons are for economic improvement, employment, political or
religious oppression, and general dissatisfaction of their current residence.
Key vocabulary words for the students to understand in this lesson are:
 Immigrant: A person who to travels to and settles in a new country.
 Emigrant: Somebody who leaves a place, particularly their native country to go and live
elsewhere.
 Migrant: Someone who moves from one place to another, often for employment or
economic improvement.
For additional information and descriptions of this lesson’s topic the website below may help.
Human Migration Guide (PDF, Adobe Acrobat Reader required) extra information link
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/rabbit/pdf/exhibit.pdf
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/rabbit/procedure.html#activity4
K-2 Activities Summarized
 Activity 1
Then students are asked to identify on a US map, with string/yarn, their movement from
one state to North Carolina to aid in the conceptualization of migratory movements.
 Activity 2
Using photos from the past of families and individuals as well as the student’s own
drawings of immigrants, the class will come up with similarities and differences between
the two.
 Activity 3
Students will interview a class guest about his/her experience as an immigrant.
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
 Activity 4 (Advanced Extension) Using a world map and patterns of historical human
movement, students will work together to draw and identify frequented paths of
migration.
3-5 Activities Summarized
 Activity 1
Using index cards, students write down their prior state and/or country move. Then the
students put together a bar graph and draw conclusions from the graph’s data.
 Activity 2
Using photos from the past of families and individuals as well as the student’s own
drawings of immigrants, the class will come up with similarities and differences between
the two. If additional resources are available, the students could search online and
select the pictures they want to discuss.
 Activity 3
Students will interview a class guest about his/her experience as an immigrant.
 Activity 4
(Graphing option) Using index cards, students will write their country(ies) of ancestry
and work together to create a bar graph of their findings and discuss.
K-5 Activities with Additional Resources
 Activity 1
(Academically Advanced Activity) This activity is an expansion of Activity 4 (above) with
an interactive internet based supplement.
 Activity 2
Students listen to music and read biographies about important Latino immigrants and
their contribution to US music culture. After the main lesson, students can work in
groups to make up their own songs and use any musical instruments that were brought.
1
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Why Do People Migrate?
Introduction to Migration
Basic Activities- K-2
Duration: 30 minutes
(depending on number of
students in class)
Objectives:
 Describe why people
move, specifically in the
United States.
 Identify a previous move
from a different state to
North Carolina
Key Vocabulary:
 Map
 Migration
 Immigrant
 Movement
 Resources
Materials Needed:
 Yarn/String
 US Map
 Pushpins/tape
 Blank paper
 Crayons/markers
 Tape
2
Activity 1: Where are People From?
Lesson Plan:
1. Whole Class Discussion
Migration is a large concept
for K-2 students to
Questions:
understand. It helps to start
1. What are some different
with something small and
types of human
relatable before moving into
movements?
larger, more complex topics.
2. Why do people move?
Ask students to think
about why a group of people would leave one
place to go to another.
3. Ask if anyone in the class has ever moved
(should be everyone in this migrant student
setting)
4. What was the last state you moved from?
2. Use United States map to point out what exact state
the students all live in right now
1. Using a push pin for this spot, have the
students say what state they recently moved
from.
2. Have the student come up to the board, if
possible, and guide the student.
3. Take the piece of string and attach one end
from the push pin. Using either tape or another
push pin, place the other end of the string
(which is taunt, a
straight line) to the
previous state.
4. It might be
helpful to make your
example first, if you
have moved from
another state to this
current state.
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Duration: 45-60 Minutes
Objectives:
 Identify various reasons
why people
immigrate/migrate.
 Describe reasons why
their own families (or
someone they know)
might have moved.
 List the common reasons
why people immigrate.
 Compare similarities and
differences between the
student’s family and the
families chosen from
pictures.
Key Vocabulary:
 Immigrant
 Emigrant
 Migrant
 Experience
 Transportation
 Resources
Materials Needed:
 Print pictures from site:
http://www.loc.gov/teac
hers/classroommaterials/
lessons/rabbit/pdf/exhibi
t.pdf
http://www.loc.gov/teac
hers/classroommaterials/
lessons/rabbit/procedure
.html#activity4
Activity 2: Faces of Migration
Lesson Plan:
 First, go over some of the important vocabulary
words. Explain to the students the difference
between ‘immigrant’, ‘emigrant’ and ‘migrant’.
Then have each student draw a picture in their
Explorer’s Journals representing their own personal
immigration/migration experience or what they
think of when they hear ‘immigrant/migrant’
 This can be anything from family pictures to
transportation vehicles to tangible reasons for
moving to a new place.
 Present the other pre-selected photos (link is under
materials) that represent lots of different
immigrants and reasons people immigrate
 Work in large group to find some common and
unique themes between the photos and groups of
immigrants
 After addressing those themes, have the children
look at their own drawings of their migrant
experience, and discuss the similarities and
differences
 Extension idea: You can take these pictures and
themed statements to make a collage on the wall!
Lesson Source:
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/
rabbit/pdf/exhibit.pdf
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/
rabbit/procedure.html#activity4
3
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Duration: 45-60 Minutes
Objectives:
 Identify and summarize
key reasons why the
interviewee
migrated/immigrated to
the United States.
 Record questions and
responses in relation to
the interview.
 Draw conclusions on
other immigrant
experiences in relation to
this interview.
Key Vocabulary:
 Immigrant
 Emigrant
 Migrant
 Interview
 Interviewer
 Interviewee
 Resources
 Transportation
Materials Needed:
 Pages 24-27 from
http://www.utexas.edu/c
ola/orgs/hemispheres/_fi
les/pdf/migration/Studen
t_Activity_1.pdf
 Pages 24-25 from
materials are a guide to
help you refine this
lesson while pages 26-27
are questions for the
students to fill out.
4
Activity 3: Interview with an Immigrant/Migrant
Discuss and meet with interviewee
prior to performing lesson.
Lesson Plan:
1. Options for who to interview:
 Have a student volunteer to be interviewed by
the entire class as a group.
 Bring in an adult migrant farmworker to have
the entire class interview together as a group.
 Bring in an adult who immigrated to the US for
reasons other than farming (for further
perspective).
2. Discussion
 Go over each question on page #26. Make a few
key summarizations of why people migrate-why
student’s families might have migrated.
 Students should write answers and observations in
their Explorer’s Journals
3. Optional Extension
 Homework: Interview family/family friends who
have immigrated/migrated to the US
Lesson Source:
http://www.utexas.edu/cola/orgs/hemispheres/_files/pdf
/migration/Student_Activity_1.pdf
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Duration: 45-60 Minutes
Objectives:
 Identify and label
migration patterns in
various continents.
Key Vocabulary:
 Immigrant
 Migrant
 Continents
 Patterns
 Ancestors
Materials Needed:
 Print National
Geographic human
journey packet National
Geographic: Geography
Action!—Migration: The
Human Journey Packet
(PDF, Adobe Acrobat
Reader required)
 Blank world map for
students:
http://www.outlineworld-map.com/mapimages-original/blankworld-map-white-thinb3a.png
 Yellow and green
crayons/markers
5
Activity 4: Advanced Extension People on the Move
This activity is much more advanced
for K-2. If you are working with a
group that has a firm grasp or prior
knowledge of world maps and
continents, this could be a good
expansion activity.
Lesson Plan:
1. Read over the human journey packet and print out
necessary pages and the blank map.
2. As a class, look at the "People on the Move" map in
the National Geographic: Geography Action!—
Migration: The Human Journey Packet (PDF, Adobe
Acrobat Reader required) and guide them in
pointing out some current patterns of migration
across the globe.
3. Every student does not need their own packet. They
can share several packets in groups, or if you have
computer/internet access they can all look at the
screen of the projector.
4. Help students interpret the maps and discuss the
following questions:
 From which continents are the most people
leaving?
 To which continents are the most people
moving?
 What are some patterns of migration in
North America? In the United States?
5. Why do you think these patterns are happening?
 Give students a copy of a blank world map.
Using the "People on the Move" map, have
students find information to complete the
following activities:
 Color yellow the country to which more
people move than anywhere else.
 Color green all the continents from which
people move to come to the United States.
 Ask students why they think so many people
move around the world, and why so many of
them move to the United States. [Continued]
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
 Explain to students that everyone in the
United States today has ancestors who
originally came from somewhere else. Have
students find information about the first
people in their families who came to the
United States, and where they came from.
(Alternatively, you can have students select a
particular ethnic group in their community
to find information about that group's
country of origin.)
Lesson Source:
National Geographic Handbook link
6
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Why Do People Migrate?
Introduction to Migration
Basic Activities- 3-5
Duration: 30-45 minutes
Activity 1: Where are People From?
Objectives:
 Describe why people
move, specifically in the
United States.
 Identify a previous move
from a different state or
country to North
Carolina.
Lesson Plan:
1. Whole Class Discussion Questions:
 What are some different types of human
movements?
 Why do people move? Ask students to think
about why a group of people would leave one
place to go to another.
 Ask if anyone in the class has ever moved
(should be everyone)
2. Graphing Activity (Alternate graphing in activity 4)
 Find out what main states or countries the
students have recently moved from, and write
these states on the ‘x’ axis while number of
students is marked on the ‘y’ axis
 Give each student a sticky note and ask them to
put their name on it
 Then have each student place their sticky note
above the state they just moved from, making
sure the sticky notes remain stacked on top of
each other
 Introduce the ‘bar graph’ and ask the students
what they can infer from this graph
Key Vocabulary:
 Map
 Migration
 Immigrant
 Movement
 Resources
 Bar Graphs
 “X” and “Y” Axis
 Graphing
Materials Needed:
 Sticky notes
 Markers
 Whiteboard or large
white paper
7
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Duration: 45-60 Minutes
Activity 2: Faces of Migration
Objectives:
 Identify various reasons
why people
immigrate/migrate.
 Describe reasons why
their own families (or
someone they know)
might have moved.
 List the common reasons
why people immigrate.
 Compare similarities and
differences between the
student’s family and the
families chosen from
pictures.
Lesson Plan:
1. Have each student draw a
picture in their Explorer’s
This lesson can be
Journals representing their own
supplemented if
personal immigration/migration
computers are available.
experience or what they think of
Instead of printing out the
when they hear
pictures in the links below,
‘immigrant/migrant’.
they can be shown on a
 This can be anything
projector.
from family pictures
to transportation
vehicles to tangible reasons for moving to a
new place.
2. Present the other pre-selected photos that represent
lots of different immigrants and reasons people
immigrate (Depending on resources, students can be
given the option of searching for pictures on their own
in their groups to present to the class).
3. Work as a single group to find some common and
unique themes between the photos and groups of
immigrants
4. After addressing those themes, have the students look
at their own drawings of their migrant experience, and
discuss the similarities and differences.
 You can take these pictures and themed
statements to make a collage on the wall!
Key Vocabulary:
 Immigrant
 Migrant
 Experience
 Transportation
 Resources
Materials Needed:
 Print pictures from site
below (If a
computer/projector isn’t
available)
 Blank paper
 Crayons/markers
 Tape.
8
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Duration: 45-60 Minutes
Activity 3: Interview with an Immigrant/Migrant
Objectives:
 Identify and summarize
key reasons why the
interviewee
migrated/immigrated to
the United States.
 Record questions and
responses in relation to
the interview.
 Draw conclusions on
other immigrant
experiences in relation to
this interview.
Lesson Plan:
1. Options for interviews:
 Have a student volunteer to be interviewed
by the entire class as a
Discuss and meet
group.
with interviewee
 Bring in a migratory
prior to performing
adult to have the
lesson
entire class interview
together as a group.
 Bring in an adult who immigrated to the US
for reasons other than farming (for further
perspective).
2. Discussion
 Make sure to go over each question on
pages 26-27. The students should try first to
answer the questions on their own and then
review as a class. Record questions and
answers in their Explorer’s Journals.
 Make a few key summarizations of why
people migrate-why student’s families might
have migrated
3. Optional Extension
 Homework: Interview family/family friends
who have immigrated/migrated to the US
Key Vocabulary:
 Immigrant
 Migrant
 Interview
 Interviewer
 Interviewee
 Resources
 Transportation
Materials Needed:
 Pages 24-27 from
http://www.utexas.edu/c
ola/orgs/hemispheres/_fi
les/pdf/migration/Studen
t_Activity_1.pdf
 Pages 24-25 from
materials are a guide to
help you refine this
lesson while pages 26-27
are questions for the
students to fill out.
 Give the question pages
to each student.
9
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Duration: 45-60 Minutes
Objectives:
 Create and describe the
results of graphing.
Key Vocabulary:
 Bar Graphs
 Graphing
 Ancestry
 Immigrant
 Migrant
 Community
 Patterns
Materials Needed:
 National Geographic:
Geography Action!—
Migration: The Human
Journey Packet (PDF,
Adobe Acrobat Reader
required)
 Index Cards
10
Activity 4: Optional, Alternative Graphing Activity Past
Moves, Present Patterns
Lesson Plan:
If you chose not to do the graphing
1. Have students share
activity in Activity 1, this is a good
information about
alternate choice of graphing
what they found out
activity.
about the first people
in their families (or the community group they
learned about) who came to the United States.
2. Then, have students examine the "Past Moves,
Present Patterns" map for the United States in the
National Geographic: Geography Action!—
Migration: The Human Journey Packet (PDF, Adobe
Acrobat Reader required) and look at the tapestry
of American ancestry, as shown by the most
common ancestry by county.
3. Pass out one or more index cards to each student
and have them write their family's (or selected
group's) country or countries of origin on the cards.
Each card represents one country of origin, so
some students may need multiple cards. Have
students take turns building a concrete bar graph
on the classroom floor by placing their cards in bars
with others who have similar ancestry.
4. Discuss the following questions:
 How do the ancestry patterns of your class
compare to those on the "Past Moves,
Present Patterns" map?
 Do more people from certain countries
immigrate to one area than another
because their ancestors did? Why do you
think this is so?
 How do you think communities with
different ancestry and migration patterns
are different from one another?
 What factors might contribute to these
patterns?
 Record answers in Explorer’s Journals
through writing, drawing and other
mediums.
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
K-5 Computer/Library Needed
Duration: 30-45 Minutes
Objectives:
 Highlight major
differences and
similarities in movement
throughout the globe.
 Identify main reasons for
human movement.
Key Vocabulary:
 Immigrant
 Migrant
 Natural Disasters
 Crops
 Globe
 Continents
Materials Needed:
 Computer to follow this
site:
http://education.national
geographic.com/archive/
xpeditions/lessons/09/gk
2/humanmigration.html?
ar_a=1
11
Activity 1: Advanced Atlas of the Human Journey
If students have a grasp on world
maps/continents then this activity
will be appropriate. Otherwise this
can be skipped.
Lesson Plan:
Read through the site under materials prior to the lesson.
This website will be your guide through this activity.
1. Using the link under materials, follow the
interactive website. Go through various parts of
the map highlighting the major differences and
similarities in movement across the globe.
2. After going through the global reasons of
movement, bring the focus back to the US.
3. Look at why people move from state to state and
have class generate various answers:
 Following the crops, natural disasters, no
work, and so on.
4. Record findings and observations in Explorer’s
Journal through writing, drawing, cutting and
pasting, etc.
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
Duration: 30-45 Minutes
Objectives:
 Explore and describe two
different immigrant
groups and their
contributions to the
United States.
 Discover and name
connections between
Latino immigrants and
the effect on music.
Key Vocabulary:
 Crossover
 Exile
 Genre
 Identity
 Immigration
 Mainstream
 Migrate
 Population
 Regionalism
 Solidarity
Materials Needed:
 One computer and
projector screen for the
teacher to use and
demonstrate for the
students
 Music Player/computer
speakers
 Map of North America
 Materials Needed that
are included in the link:
http://www.empsfm.org/
media/29067/13a_eleme
ntary_teacher_guide_eng
lish.pdf
[Materials Continued in
Column Below]
12
Activity 2: Latino Immigration
and Music
This activity might be too
advanced for K-2, but it
depends on the level of the
students in each particular
summer camp. For grades 3-5
this activity should be an
appropriate level, but use
your own judgment. This
activity is also resource and
material heavy.
Lesson Plan:
1. Visit this website prior to
class to review and
download the materials:
http://www.empsfm.org
/media/29067/13a_ele
mentary_teacher_guide
_english.pdf
2. Research to briefly address in class:
 Latino contributions to science (Ellen Ochoa)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Ochoa
 Education (Jamie Escalante)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaime_Escalante
 Politics (Cesar Chavez)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesar_Chavez
 Cultural (Either Tito Puente or Carlos Santana)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tito_Puente
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Santana
3. As mentioned briefly above, this lesson is laborintensive to gather materials for presentation AND
for the students to learn, particularly for K-2. For
this grade level only introduce concepts and people
and focus more on the musical aspect of this
activity. The online lesson plan resource is a guide
to be used only by you; it does not need to be
printed or handed out to the students.
For grades 3-5, feel free to move further into
descriptions of bios.
4. Using the resources from the lesson plan link and
those included under background information,
introduce students to Latino contribution(s) to the
United States. Emphasize cultural contributions
and specifically highlight music. Examples (links to
bios in background information):
 science (Ellen Ochoa, astronaut)
 education (Jaime Escalante, math teacher)
 political (Cesar Chavez, civil rights leader)
 cultural (Either Tito Puente or Carlos
Santana)
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
 Lyrics to “Siembra” by
Ruben Blades in English
and Spanish, “La Vida es
un Carnaval” by Celia
Cruz in English and
Spanish
Songs:
 Siembra by Ruben Blades
 La Vida es un Carnaval by
Celia Cruz
 Oye Como Va performed
by Tito Puente
 Oye Como Va performed
by Carlos Santana
Brief Biographies:
 Tito Puente
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Tito_Puente
 Carlos Santana
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Carlos_Santana
 Celia Cruz
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Celia_Cruz
 Ruben Blades
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Ruben_Blades
13
5. To highlight music as a contribution to American
culture, introduce legendary musicians Ruben
Blades and Celia Cruz as examples of immigrant
musicians who have contributed to the cultural and
artistic development of the United States.
 Blades wrote songs about solidarity and
political points of view. His songs carry
messages of hope and social consciousness.
 As a class activity, read the lyrics to Blades’
song Siembra (found in the lesson plan).
Siembra is a song about justice and social
progress. Discuss how the song is an
important vehicle to communicate this
message.
 Celia Cruz brought attention to the political
plight of Cubans through her personal
experience as an exiled person.
 Known as the Queen of Latin Music, she
excelled in a male-dominated field and
opened doors for other female artists.
6. As a class activity, listen to Cruz’s song La Vida es
un Carnaval (link found in lesson plan). The song is
an anthem for positivity. It relays a message of
hope and the importance of enjoying life despite its
hardships. How does this song compare musically
to Blades’?
 Introduce instruments used by Latino
musicians. This link to a percussion
instruments vendor includes audio clips of
claves, timbales, congas, guiros and maracas
(http://lpmusic.com/Product_Showcase/Hea
r_Our_Instruments/index.html)
 Audio clips can also often be found at the
Wikipedia page for each instrument.
(www.wikipedia.org)
7. Play song “Oye Como Va” as originally recorded by
Tito Puente and then play the version by Carlos
Santana. Ask the students to listen for and identify
differences in instruments and rhythm.
[Continued on Next Page]
NC Migrant Education
Movement: Human Migration Throughout History Social Studies Curriculum
8. Have students complete the Compare and Contrast
chart found in the lesson plan between Carlos
Santana and Tito Puente. This chart can be written
on the board for the class to complete together.
 Extension Activity: Optional
 If musical instruments are brought in, students
can work in small groups to come up with a
short song using any traditional Latino
instruments that were discussed during class.
One student can sing while others can play
various instruments that were brought into the
class.
Sources:
http://www.empsfm.org/media/29067/13a_elementary_t
eacher_guide_english.pdf
14