001 - Human Flight

Factual Question

What is a migrant?


Conceptual Question

Why do people move to cities?

Key Terminology

  • Migrant

Useful Link


You will be exposed to a number of key terms throughout this lesson but you will be using a worksheet to document them and discover what they mean. The link below will help you with a number of those terms.

Activity One - Define

This lesson is all about exploring why someone may wish to move from one location to another. Many of you in this room are migrants but what does that word mean and what may cause migration?


  1. Watch the YouTube clip below and define what a migrant is.

  2. As you watch the YouTube clip write down all the reasons that are mentioned concerning why people migrate.

  3. What is the difference between a migrant and a refugee?

  4. Why would you wish to migrate from Geneva?

  5. Using the graph in the 'Useful Resources' box below, describe the trend in the movement of migrants.

Describing Graphs - A reminder

Describe - say what you see.


  1. Describe the overall trend (what is generally happening - rising, falling, fluctuating, etc).

  2. Illustrate that trend with data (take numbers from the graph to show the changes).

  3. Describe any anomalies and again illustrate them with data (is there anything that doesn't 'fit'?

Useful Resources

Figure One - Migration Policy Institute
Migration Terms

Activity Two - It's a Mystery!

For this activity we are going to explore an example of international migration. We will be investigating why someone would want to leave Venezuela and migrate to Brazil. To do this we will be using a number of stimuli from YouTube clips and maps to statements of information that you will be required to cut out. Don't worry I have scissors at the ready!


Task One - Think

  1. Watch the YouTube clip below and mind map why a Venezuelan may wish to leave their country of origin.


Task Two - Puzzle

  1. You will be placed in to four or five groups using the 'pot of destiny'.

  2. Each team will be given fours sheets of hexagons to cut out. Grab your scissor and cut the information cards out.

  3. Once all the hexagons are cut out place them in a pile in the middle of the table. Take it in turns to read out the information on the hexagons. If you come across any words that you don't understand take the time to write them on the hand out and to define them using either the link in the 'Key Terminology' box or by doing a quick internet search.

  4. Now sort the information on the hexagons into at least eight categories. The categories will be decided by each team, so they can be different. There isn't a wrong answer here. You will have approximately 20 minutes to do this.

              • We will discuss the categories you have created as a class.

  5. Collect a piece of flip chart paper (this can also be done by placing the cards on the desk). The next challenge is to try and link the hexagons together. Where the hexagons meet they must have a link that you can explain. (The aim isn't to tessellate the hexagons and make them look neat on the page. You will probably have branches that come from the main idea.)


Extension - Explore

  • Create between ten and twenty questions based on the hexagons that you have read and how you have linked them together. For example, Why was Cezar in Rio de Janeiro? (The information in the hexagons may not answer your questions, they may be questions that you would just like to know that would help you to explore this scenario deeper.)

Useful Resources

Vox - The collapse of Venezuela

Image Three - Google Earth

It's a Mystery Cards

Image Four - Mystery by Kawalan Icon from Noun Project

Activity Three - Processes

Throughout the first two activities you have been exploring the processes of change. Why someone would want to move and the potential consequence of that happening. These processes have two key terms attached to them:


  • Rural to urban migration

  • Urbanisation


Define those two processes using the links in the 'Useful Resources' box below.

Useful Resources

Thank you to Mr. Allaway at www.geographyalltheway.com for the lesson idea, cards and the Google Earth Project above.