You will learn
- Define emigrant, immigrant, diaspora, host country.
- State the scale of international migration.
- Describe common patterns.
- Discuss contributions and challenges neutrally.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Migrants cross national borders for many reasons.
- About 280 million people live outside their birth country.
- Most migration is within regions.
- Migrants bring skills and connections.
Words to know
a person who leaves their country to live elsewhere
a person who comes to live in a new country
people who share an origin and live in different countries
the country where a migrant lives
1. Discover: A letter across borders
Ms Smith reads a made-up letter from Ada, who moved from one country to another to study nursing. “I am an emigrant from my home country and an immigrant in my host country,” she writes. “I miss home, but I learn and work, and I share what I learn.” Ms Smith adds: “Around 280 million people, about 3.6% of the world, live outside the country they were born in. Many move within their own region, such as within West Africa. Migrants contribute skills and ideas, and countries work out fair rules for entry and work.”
Think: How might a migrant’s skills help both the host country and the home country?
2. Understand: International migration
Idea 1: Who migrates
An emigrant leaves a country; an immigrant arrives in a new one; both can describe the same person. International migrants live outside their country of birth. The United Nations estimates about 280 million such people, around 3.6% of the world’s population. Most people stay in their birth countries.
Idea 2: Patterns
Many migrants move within their own region, such as within West Africa under ECOWAS free movement arrangements. Others move for work, study, family or safety to cities and countries farther away. A diaspora is a group of people who share an origin and live in various countries, and they often keep ties through culture, trade and support.
Idea 3: Contributions and challenges
Migrants fill jobs, start businesses, pay taxes, share skills and enrich cultures. Challenges include language, recognition of qualifications, fair treatment, safety and belonging. Fair rules and respect help both migrants and communities. We avoid stereotypes: migrants are people with many different stories.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Define
Immigrant.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: A person arriving to live in a country.
Example 2 (We do it together): Define
Diaspora.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: People of shared origin in other countries.
Example 3 (You try): Name
A common reason to migrate.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Work or study.
Did you know?
ECOWAS free-movement arrangements allow citizens of member states to travel within West Africa under agreed rules.
Why this matters
Understanding migration helps us treat all people fairly and understand the world.
4. Explore: Migration data
Study a simple made-up table of migrants by region and reasons for moving. Draw a bar chart, describe two patterns, and write one question you would like to research with an approved source.
- Read.
- Draw.
- Describe.
- Ask.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Most migration is within regions.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- An emigrant is ___.
- An immigrant is ___.
- A diaspora is ___.
- A host country is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is an emigrant?
Leaves a country.
Question 2. What is an immigrant?
Arrives in a country.
Question 3. What is a diaspora?
Shared origin abroad.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is an emigrant?
- What is an immigrant?
- What is a diaspora?
- What is a host country?
- How many migrants?
Level 2: Grow
- Why do people migrate?
- Why fair rules?
- Why avoid stereotypes?
Level 3: Stretch
- Read the table.
- Draw the chart.
- Describe patterns.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Explain one reason people migrate internationally and one contribution of migrants.
Show a sample answer
Study; skills for businesses.
Another one. Look at a world map and find regions where people move between countries, in general terms.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Most do not.
Fix: Stories differ.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can define emigrant, immigrant, diaspora, host country.
- I can state the scale of international migration.
- I can describe common patterns.
- I can discuss contributions and challenges neutrally.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Migrants cross national borders for many reasons.
- About 280 million people live outside their birth country.
- Most migration is within regions.
- Migrants bring skills and connections.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Reasons people move. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Define emigrant and immigrant. [2 marks]
- Give three reasons for migration. [3 marks]
- Explain one contribution and one challenge. [3 marks]
- Explain why stereotypes are unfair. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Emigrant [1]; immigrant [1]
- Three [3]
- Contribution [1]; challenge [1]; link [1]
- Reason [1]; example [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is an emigrant?
- What is an immigrant?
- What is a diaspora?
- What is a host country?
- How many migrants?
- Why do people migrate?
- Why fair rules?
- Why avoid stereotypes?
- Read the table.
- Draw the chart.
Homework
Draw migration arrows.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is an emigrant? | Leaves a country. | 1 |
| 2. What is an immigrant? | Arrives in a country. | 1 |
| 3. What is a diaspora? | Shared origin abroad. | 1 |
| 4. What is a host country? | Where a migrant lives. | 1 |
| 5. How many migrants? | About 280 million. | 1 |
| 6. Why do people migrate? | Work, study, family, safety. | 1 |
| 7. Why fair rules? | Respect and order. | 1 |
| 8. Why avoid stereotypes? | People differ. | 1 |
| 9. Read the table. | Read. | 1 |
| 10. Draw the chart. | Draw. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Leaves a country.; 2 Arrives in a country.; 3 Shared origin abroad.; 4 Where a migrant lives.; 5 About 280 million.. Level 2: 1 Work, study, family, safety.; 2 Respect and order.; 3 People differ.. Level 3: 1 Read.; 2 Draw.; 3 Describe..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Define emigrant, immigrant, diaspora, host country | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 State the scale of international migration | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Describe common patterns | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Discuss contributions and challenges neutrally | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Most people live outside their birth country.” Most do not.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a migration chart.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child studies international migration using general data. Please keep talk respectful and general. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Use a world map.
- Avoid stereotypes.
- Respect all families.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: define emigrant, immigrant, diaspora, host country; state the scale of international migration; describe common patterns; discuss contributions and challenges neutrally.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 6 ideas: population distribution maps, migration across history, trade routes and Africa’s regions.
Materials. Data tables. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare data tables.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the letter across borders story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach international migration.
Guided activity (10 min). Migration data.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Why and where do people migrate between countries?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Most people live outside their birth country.” Most do not.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make a migration chart. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 6 Unit 8, topic 4; NCSS C3 Framework, human population, movement and cultural patterns; Cambridge Lower Secondary Humanities, population and migration; IB Primary Years Programme, where we are in place and time. These sources informed the lesson.