Types of Migration and Their Impacts

Active learning helps students grasp migration patterns because geographic and human movement are best understood through spatial and experiential work. When students engage with maps, role-plays, and real cases, abstract flows become tangible, supporting deeper retention of social and economic impacts.

• Grade 7
• Geography
• 4 activities
• 30 min–60 min

Learning Objectives

1. Classify different types of migration (internal, international, rural-urban) based on their defining characteristics.
2. Analyze the social, economic, and cultural impacts of at least two distinct migration types on a specific Canadian region.
3. Compare the effects of internal migration versus international migration on the development of a country, using evidence from case studies.
4. Evaluate the challenges faced by migrants in adapting to new social and economic environments.
5. Justify the importance of understanding migration patterns for informing public policy decisions in Canada.

Jigsaw

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Mapping Activity: Migration Flows in Canada

Provide maps of Canada and data on migration types. Students mark internal, international, and rural-urban routes with colored markers, then label social, economic, and cultural impacts at key destinations. Groups share one finding with the class.

Prepare & details

Compare the impacts of internal migration versus international migration on a country's development.

Facilitation Tip: During the mapping activity, circulate with guiding questions like 'What patterns do you notice in the arrows?' to prompt students to think critically about direction and scale.

Setup: Flexible seating for regrouping

Materials: Expert group reading packets, Note-taking template, Summary graphic organizer

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Jigsaw

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Role-Play Simulation: Migrant Challenges

Assign roles as rural migrants, international newcomers, or urban hosts. Groups act out arrival scenarios, discussing barriers like language or jobs, then debrief on real impacts. Rotate roles for broader perspective.

Prepare & details

Analyze the challenges faced by migrants in their new environments.

Facilitation Tip: For the role-play, assign roles with clear stakes so that students experience firsthand the barriers migrants face, such as language tests or credential delays.

Setup: Flexible seating for regrouping

Materials: Expert group reading packets, Note-taking template, Summary graphic organizer

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Jigsaw

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Debate Pairs: Internal vs. International

Pair students to debate which migration type benefits development more, using evidence cards on impacts. Switch sides midway, then vote class-wide on strongest arguments.

Prepare & details

Justify the importance of understanding migration patterns for policy-making.

Facilitation Tip: In the debate pairs, provide sentence stems like 'One difference is...' to scaffold comparison language for students who need support.

Setup: Flexible seating for regrouping

Materials: Expert group reading packets, Note-taking template, Summary graphic organizer

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Jigsaw

⏱ 60 min·Small Groups

Jigsaw: Real Examples

Divide class into expert groups on cases like Syrian refugees or Alberta oil boom migrants. Experts teach their case's impacts to new home groups, synthesizing comparisons.

Prepare & details

Compare the impacts of internal migration versus international migration on a country's development.

Facilitation Tip: During the case study jigsaw, assign each group a different city to focus their analysis, ensuring they examine local data rather than generalizing.

Setup: Flexible seating for regrouping

Materials: Expert group reading packets, Note-taking template, Summary graphic organizer

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should begin with familiar examples before introducing policy or statistics to avoid overwhelming students with abstract data. Modeling how to read migration maps and case study tables helps students develop geographic literacy. Avoid presenting migration as a purely economic issue; integrate social and cultural impacts from the start to build a holistic understanding.

What to Expect

By the end of these activities, students should confidently classify migration types, describe at least two impacts in each category, and connect their findings to Canada’s urban growth. They should also articulate nuanced challenges, moving beyond simplistic views of migration as purely beneficial or problematic.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Mapping Activity: Migration Flows in Canada, watch for students who assume all migration arrows cross international borders.

What to Teach Instead

Use the map legend to highlight internal flows with dashed lines and prompt students to categorize each movement before plotting, such as seasonal farm work from Manitoba to Alberta.

Common Misconception

During Role-Play Simulation: Migrant Challenges, watch for students who believe new arrivals face no ongoing barriers after settling.

What to Teach Instead

Ask role-play observers to note which barriers persist beyond arrival, like credential recognition, and have groups reflect on how these challenges reshape their views.

Common Misconception

During Case Study Jigsaw: Real Examples, watch for students who view migration impacts as universally negative or positive.

What to Teach Instead

Require each group to present one benefit and one challenge from their case study, using data from their jigsaw table to ground their analysis.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Mapping Activity: Migration Flows in Canada, distribute short scenarios and ask students to label the migration type and one impact. Collect responses to check for accurate classification, such as identifying rural-urban migration in the Maria example.

Discussion Prompt

During Debate Pairs: Internal vs. International, circulate and listen for students to compare challenges like language barriers versus housing shortages. Use their discussion points to assess whether they recognize the complexity of migration impacts.

Exit Ticket

After Case Study Jigsaw: Real Examples, have students write a policy suggestion and its importance on a slip of paper. Review these to gauge their understanding of persistent challenges, such as job training programs for credential recognition.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to propose a policy solution for a specific challenge, such as housing shortages in Toronto, using data from the mapping activity.
• Scaffolding: For students who struggle, provide a graphic organizer with three columns labeled 'Type of Migration,' 'Example,' and 'Impact,' and complete one row together.
• Deeper exploration: Invite students to research how migration policies in Canada have changed over time, focusing on a decade like the 1970s when family reunification became a priority.

Key Vocabulary

Internal Migration	Movement of people from one place to another within the same country. This includes rural-urban migration.
International Migration	Movement of people from one country to another country, crossing international borders.
Rural-Urban Migration	The movement of people from rural areas (countryside) to urban areas (cities), often in search of work or better opportunities.
Forced Migration	When people are compelled to leave their homes due to factors like conflict, persecution, or natural disasters, without a choice in the matter.
Voluntary Migration	When people choose to move from one place to another, often for economic, social, or personal reasons.