Current Events Lesson Plan: December 17-30, 2015
Current Event: One Millionth Migrant Reaches Europe
As of December 21, more than 1 million migrants have entered Europe by sea or land in 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration. This number represents a fourfold rise over 2014. Most of the migrants have come by way of the Mediterranean Sea. The rest came by land, crossing from Turkey into Bulgaria and Greece. More migrants entered Europe across the Mediterranean in October than in all of 2014. Europe now faces the biggest refugee crisis since World War II (1939-1945). Half of those crossing the Mediterranean in 2015 were Syrians escaping civil war in their homeland. More than 4 million Syrians have fled the four-year conflict. Afghans made up 20 percent of the migrants, and Iraqis accounted for 7 percent. Nearly 3,700 of those traveling by sea have drowned or are missing after attempting to cross the sea in unseaworthy boats. Germany was the main destination for many of the migrants entering Europe. In August, German Chancellor Angela Merkel adopted a broad refugee policy that dramatically expanded the flow of Syrian refugees to Europe.
Objective:
Immigration is the act of moving into a foreign country to live. The act of leaving one’s country is called emigration. Immigrants who flee their country because of persecution (based on religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political beliefs); war; or such disasters as famines or epidemics are known as refugees or displaced persons (DP’s). Most refugees wait in neighboring countries for conditions at home to improve so that they can return. However, some refugees resettle as immigrants in faraway countries. Others move to countries in which they want to resettle and apply for asylum. Asylum is shelter and protection given by a nation to a person who is fleeing another nation. However, the main reason for international migration is economic opportunity—the lure of better land, a better job, or a better life. The Behind the Headlines news story and related World Book articles explore immigration and refugees.
Words to know:
- Alien
- Angela Merkel
- Asylum
- Citizenship
- Deportation
- European Union
- Human rights
- Immigration
- Refugee
- Syria
Discussion Topics:
1. Ask your students to name some countries or areas from which many people have emigrated in recent years. (Students might say Asia: Afghanistan, China; Eastern Europe: Poland, Romania; Iraq; Latin America: Mexico; Syria. Students may wish to use World Book’s Immigration article for help.)
2. Ask your students to name some countries or areas that have received many immigrants in recent years. (Students might say Australia; Canada; Europe: Germany; Turkey; United States. Students may wish to use World Book’s Immigration article for help.)
3. Ask your students to name some reasons why people leave their home country. (Students might say people migrate for better economic opportunity; or to escape persecution, war, famine, epidemics, or disasters. Students may wish to use World Book’s Immigration and Refugee articles for help.)
4. Ask your students “Should countries welcome all migrants? Why or why not?”
5. Ask your students to use World Book’s Timelines feature to create a timeline of important events in the history of immigration. (Use World Book’s Immigration article for help.)