Resources

Carly's Journey

Aim: to develop empathy with refugees

N.B. Carly approaches several strangers and asks them for help, one of whom finally takes her in. You will want to discuss how this is a story, and how the children themselves should keep safe.

Activities:

Watch the video 'Carly' (7 min animation) available from UNHCR free, but £5.00 p+p
'Carly flees her burning home. All alone she sets out to find help in other lands. She encounters the Stone-eaters, Smoky-crows, Silk-tails and others, but none of them will help her because she is 'strange and different from them'. Where will Carly find the safety and warmth of a new family?'
- Recap the story in Circle Time.
  'Tell me one thing you remember about the story'
- Allow the children to clarify any misunderstandings/voice any fears.
  Pass a doll around the Circle, pretending it is Carly.
  'Do you have any questions you'd like to ask her?'
- Developing empathy.
  Ask each child to talk about something which is precious to them, using the doll again.
  'Carly couldn't carry anything with her. She probably had to leave her most precious toy behind. What do you think her precious toy was? Tell her about yours'.
- Resolution.
  Offer the children a chance to make Carly feel better.
  'I wonder how Carly is feeling. Would you like to say something to her to make her feel better? Maybe you could let her play with your precious toy sometimes.'
- Draw a picture of your precious thing/of Carly in her new family etc.
Draw a line map of Carly's journey from home to safety: first to the village, through the forest, then to the lands of the Stone-eaters, Silk-tails, Smoky-crows, Greedy-managers and poor people, until she arrived at Mr. Friendly's house. At each place the children could draw a picture of the inhabitant, their homes, and their food. Could they make this into a board game? Carly's Journey - a line map
Carly had to keep moving on because she was 'strange and different'. Was that fair? Although all the creatures looked different, and ate different food, what did they all have in common? In partners, let the children draw/paint portraits of their partner. Display these, then as a class look at the ways people are the same and how they are different. What is important?