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8th Grade  Project 5 weeks

Refugee Rally: Students for Change

Maria A
Updated
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1
D4.3.6-8
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.7
D4.7.6-8
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.5
+ 15 more
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Purpose

Students investigate refugee experiences and local support systems, then decide on a realistic class action that raises awareness and gathers tangible support for refugee families. Through research, discussion, persuasive writing, and data displays, they create letters, fact sheets, posters, and an exhibit to communicate real needs to Refugee Protection International, school leaders, and public officials. The project builds students’ ability to collaborate, use evidence, revise for audience and purpose, and assess how civic action can make a local impact. It ends with a gallery walk and student-led reflection panel where students share learning, respond to feedback, and identify one next step they can take.

Learning goals

Students will investigate refugee experiences, needs, and local support systems by analyzing stories, maps, charts, and informational texts, then use that research to identify realistic actions their class can take. They will collaborate in discussions to plan team roles, evaluate options for civic action, and make decisions about awareness efforts, donation strategies, and outreach to Refugee Protection International, school leaders, and public officials. Students will write, revise, and present persuasive letters, fact sheets, posters, and data displays that use evidence clearly for authentic audiences beyond the classroom. They will reflect on feedback, explain how revision improved their work, and articulate their learning, collaboration, and next steps during a student-led reflection panel.

Standards
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1 - Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • [National Council for the Social Studies] D4.3.6-8 - Present adaptations of arguments and explanations on topics of interest to others to reach audiences and venues outside the classroom using print and oral technologies (e.g., posters, essays, letters, debates, speeches, reports, and maps) and digital technologies (e.g., Internet, social media, and digital documentary).
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.7 - Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
  • [National Council for the Social Studies] D4.7.6-8 - Assess their individual and collective capacities to take action to address local, regional, and global problems, taking into account a range of possible levers of power, strategies, and potential outcomes.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.5 - With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.7 - Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
  • [National Council for the Social Studies] D4.8.6-8 - Apply a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions and take action in their classrooms and schools, and in out-of-school civic contexts.
  • [National Council for the Social Studies] D4.6.6-8 - Draw on multiple disciplinary lenses to analyze how a specific problem can manifest itself at local, regional, and global levels over time, identifying its characteristics and causes, and the challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address the problem.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 - Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.9 - Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Competencies
  • Social Studies - Make an Impact - Take Action (SS.3.4) - How well can I plan and take action to address local, national, and global problems by engaging multiple stakeholders and reflecting on key learnings through the experience?
  • Social Studies - Make an Impact - Build Civic Knowledge (SS.3.3) - How well can I assess options for individual and collective action to address local, regional, and global problems?
  • Social Studies - Make an Impact - Make a Positive Impact on my Community (SS.3.1) - How well can I apply a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions and take action in my classroom, school, and out-of-school civic contexts?
  • Social Studies - Make an Impact - Examine Enduring Problems (SS.3.2) - How well can I identify and investigate specific problems or issues in my local, national, or global community?
  • English Language Arts - Express Ideas - Reflect on process, product, and impact (ELA.2.5) - How well can I reflect on my process, my creation/product/performance, and my impact?
  • English Language Arts - Engage in Discussion - Demonstrate preparedness and responsibility (ELA.6.1) - How well do I participate in the discussion?
  • Visual Arts - Create Visual Art - Demonstrate understanding of the responsibilities that come with the freedom to create (VA.1.3) - How responsible am I when creating my project?
  • Wayfinding - Discover, Plan, and Present My Learning Journey - Lead my conferences (WF.1.2) - I can lead a conference to explain my progress and growth in my competencies, share evidence of my work, and determine if I am on track to graduate by my target date.
  • English Language Arts - Present to an Audience - Present findings and supporting evidence (ELA.8.2) - How well do I organize, present, and support my ideas?
  • Wayfinding - Discover, Plan, and Present My Learning Journey - Present my learning (WF.1.4) - I can create a formal presentation aligned to the skills on the Present to an Audience competency to share evidence of my growth and progress aligned to our Portrait of a Graduate (Profile of a Learner) and our competencies. I can reflect on my readiness to graduate and how my learning journey has prepared me to achieve my postsecondary plan.

Products

Students create research notes, refugee story summaries, local support maps, simple donation/awareness data charts, and first drafts of respectful outreach letters to Refugee Protection International, the mayor, senator, representative, governor, and superintendent. Teams then produce revised persuasive letters, evidence-backed fact sheets, and student-designed posters/data displays for the Bridge the Welcome gallery walk, where peers, staff, community partners, and invited officials can leave feedback and donations. By the end, each team presents a student-led awareness exhibit and assembles a community showcase packet with revised letters, posters, visual data, and a one-page impact summary. Students also prepare brief reflection panel notes that highlight evidence of learning, one meaningful collaboration moment, one revision that strengthened their work, and one next action for supporting refugee families.

Launch

Begin with “Letters and Lift-Off”: students read a short refugee profile, study one photo or map, and complete a 3-minute quickwrite on what support a new family might need in their community. In pairs, they draft a respectful opening message to one public audience such as the mayor, senator, representative, governor, or superintendent, then share one insight and one question with the class. Close by revealing the challenge to create awareness materials, outreach letters, and a public gallery walk for Refugee Protection International, school staff, and invited officials. End with a fast team vote on possible actions—donation drive, awareness campaign, or advocacy letters—to launch the first week’s inquiry.

Exhibition

Host “Bridge the Welcome” as a public gallery walk where teams display posters, local support maps, simple donation and awareness data charts, refugee story summaries, and revised outreach letters. Invite classmates, staff, Refugee Protection International, and the superintendent plus local officials such as the mayor, senator, representative, or governor’s office to leave written feedback, questions, and possible support commitments at each station. During the event, students present a short explanation of their evidence-backed claims and offer a takeaway packet with revised letters, fact sheets, and a one-page impact summary. Close with a brief student-led reflection panel in which students share evidence of learning, name one collaboration moment, explain one revision that improved their work, and state one next action for supporting refugee families.