Refugee Boy - Introduction

A clear, engaging first lesson for introducing Refugee Boy to Year 7. Students explore the ideas of home, safety, and belonging before meeting Alem in Chapter 1.

What’s Included

• Simple context on Ethiopia/Eritrea

• Prediction paragraph task

• “Safe Space” collage/drawing activity

• Discussion prompts and success criteria

Lesson Overview
Students begin by discussing what makes a home feel safe. They learn the basic background of the conflict affecting Alem’s family, then read a short extract from Chapter 1 to form first impressions.

They write a prediction paragraph using clues from the text and context. The lesson ends with a creative ‘Safe Space’ collage or drawing, where pupils design a personal space filled with images, colours, and words that represent comfort and safety.

Perfect For
Year 7 English, empathy‑building, creative expression, and introducing key themes of the novel.