Push and Pull Factors of Migration

Active learning works for this topic because students need to test abstract ideas against real experiences to grasp how push and pull factors interact. Moving beyond listening to a lecture, they manipulate data and debate choices, which builds empathy and analytical clarity at the same time.

• 6th Class
• Global Explorers: Our Changing World
• 4 activities
• 20 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Classify push factors of migration into economic, social, political, and environmental categories.
2. Explain how specific pull factors, such as job opportunities or political stability, influence an individual's decision to migrate.
3. Analyze case studies of migration to identify and differentiate between the push and pull factors involved.
4. Construct a decision-matrix to illustrate the process of weighing different push and pull factors when considering migration.

Decision Matrix

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Pairs: Build a Decision Matrix

Pairs receive a migrant scenario, like a family facing drought. They list 5 push and 5 pull factors for two destinations, score each 1-5 on importance, then select and justify the best choice. Share one matrix with the class.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between economic, social, political, and environmental push factors.

Facilitation Tip: For the Pair: Build a Decision Matrix activity, give each pair a ruler and colored pencils to keep their table neat and visible for quick checks.

Setup: Groups at tables with matrix worksheets

Materials: Decision matrix template, Option description cards, Criteria weighting guide, Presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Decision Matrix

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Small Groups: Case Study Sort

Provide cards with real migration factors from cases like Syrian refugees. Groups sort into push/pull categories, discuss influences, and present one economic vs. environmental debate. Use visuals for support.

Prepare & details

Explain how pull factors influence migration decisions.

Facilitation Tip: During Small Groups: Case Study Sort, circulate with a checklist of the four categories so groups can self-correct as they classify.

Setup: Groups at tables with matrix worksheets

Materials: Decision matrix template, Option description cards, Criteria weighting guide, Presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Decision Matrix

⏱ 35 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Migration Role-Play

Assign roles as migrants facing push factors. Class votes on pull destinations using a shared projector matrix. Debrief on decisions and real outcomes.

Prepare & details

Construct a decision-matrix to illustrate a migrant's choices.

Facilitation Tip: In Migration Role-Play, provide a one-sentence script card for each character to keep the scenes focused and fair for all participants.

Setup: Groups at tables with matrix worksheets

Materials: Decision matrix template, Option description cards, Criteria weighting guide, Presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Decision Matrix

⏱ 20 min·Individual

Individual: Factor Journal

Students reflect on a video clip of migration, noting 3 push/pull factors personally. Pair-share then class chart to connect ideas.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between economic, social, political, and environmental push factors.

Setup: Groups at tables with matrix worksheets

Materials: Decision matrix template, Option description cards, Criteria weighting guide, Presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Teaching This Topic

Teachers find that framing migration as a series of trade-offs—rather than a single cause—helps students avoid deterministic views. Avoid presenting push and pull as a balanced equation; instead, highlight that fear and urgency often outweigh comfort. Research suggests role-play and matrix tasks reduce stereotyping by making abstract reasons concrete and personal.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently sorting factors into categories, explaining overlaps, and weighing trade-offs in their own words. They listen to peers, revise their thinking when evidence shifts, and connect classroom work to real-world stories.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Small Groups: Case Study Sort, watch for students who label every factor as economic because it is the easiest to identify.

What to Teach Instead

Circulate during Case Study Sort and ask groups to justify each label, pointing to specific words in the case that show political or environmental causes as well.

Common Misconception

During Pairs: Build a Decision Matrix, watch for students who treat push and pull factors as equally weighted in every scenario.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt pairs to assign a value from 1 to 5 for each factor to make imbalances visible, then ask them to explain why a high score on a push factor outweighs a pull factor.

Common Misconception

During Migration Role-Play, watch for students who assume migrants always plan to stay permanently.

What to Teach Instead

Give role cards that include temporary moves or return plans, then ask players to explain their character’s timeline during the debrief.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Pairs: Build a Decision Matrix, give each student a scenario card and ask them to list two push factors and two pull factors, labeling each as economic, social, political, or environmental on their exit ticket.

Quick Check

During Small Groups: Case Study Sort, show three images or short clips and ask students to hold up cards labeled 'Push' or 'Pull' to identify the primary force in each scenario.

Discussion Prompt

After Migration Role-Play, pose the question: 'If you had to move to a new country, what would be the most important factor influencing your decision?' Facilitate a class discussion where students share their chosen factor and explain why it is more significant to them than others.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to create an infographic pairing a push factor with a pull factor from a different category, showing how one event can trigger both forces.
• Scaffolding for struggling groups: provide pre-sorted cards with the category labels already attached to reduce cognitive load during Case Study Sort.
• Deeper exploration: invite students to interview a family member or community member about any migration story, then add it to a class migration timeline with push and pull labels.

Key Vocabulary

Push Factor	A reason that causes people to leave their home country or region, often due to negative conditions.
Pull Factor	A reason that attracts people to move to a new country or region, typically due to perceived positive opportunities.
Economic Migration	Movement of people from one place to another for the purpose of improving their financial situation, usually by finding work.
Political Migration	Movement of people due to political reasons, such as persecution, conflict, or lack of freedom in their home country.
Environmental Migration	Movement of people forced to leave their homes because of natural disasters or environmental degradation, like floods or desertification.