What if you had no choice but to leave everything behind and seek asylum elsewhere? Do countries have an obligation to accept refugees? To gain an understanding of the complexity of the issues of refugee rights, class members first investigate the voyage of the SS St. Louis and the attempts of Captain Gustav Schroeder to find a safe refuge for his 937 passengers. Groups then examine the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention and apply these standards to refugee applications.

Concepts

refugees, the holocaust, jewish history, asylum, world war ii

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Have groups investigate the current refugee policies of other countries, including the United States, Ireland, Germany, France, and Saudi Arabia

Classroom Considerations

• Although designed for Canadian classrooms, the policies and actions described are appropriate for any classroom
• Assumes a protocol is in place for a mature, respectful discussion of sensitive issues

Pros

• The 10-page packet includes activities, extensions, worksheets, a link to a video about the SS St. Louis voyage, and handouts

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.1 RH.11-12.1