Geography · Grade 7

Active learning ideas

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.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: Natural Resources around the World: Use and Sustainability - Grade 7

• 30–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• 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.

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.

What to look for

Present students with short scenarios describing a person's move. Ask them to identify the type of migration (internal, international, rural-urban) and one potential social or economic impact. For example: 'Maria moves from a farm in Saskatchewan to a job in Calgary. What type of migration is this and what is one impact?'

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

Activity 02

• 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.

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.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How does the experience of someone moving from a small town in Northern Ontario to Toronto differ from someone moving from India to Canada?' Facilitate a class discussion comparing the challenges and benefits of internal versus international migration.

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

Activity 03

• 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.

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.

What to look for

Students write down one specific policy that could help migrants adapt to a new environment (e.g., language classes, job training programs). They should briefly explain why this policy is important, connecting it to the challenges discussed.

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

Activity 04

• 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.

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.

What to look for

Present students with short scenarios describing a person's move. Ask them to identify the type of migration (internal, international, rural-urban) and one potential social or economic impact. For example: 'Maria moves from a farm in Saskatchewan to a job in Calgary. What type of migration is this and what is one impact?'

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

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.

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.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

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

  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.

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

  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.

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

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

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Methods used in this brief

• Jigsaw