Lesson Plan - Help From The Heart

Watch a Video: Coming to America: What Is a Refugee?

Discuss: How are refugees similar to and different from other immigrants?

Preview Words to Know 

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.


• extremist 
• oppressed

Set a Purpose for Reading 

Draw attention to the “As You Read” question. Invite students to think about why the crisis in Afghanistan is personal to Maryam.

1. What are the main ideas of the article? The main ideas are that Afghanistan is in crisis after a recent takeover by the Taliban and that an Afghan American girl is working to help people there.

^{(RI.4.2 MAIN IDEA)}

2. How does the author support the claim that the Taliban oppressed Afghans starting in 1996? The author notes that the Taliban enacted many strict laws, banned women from working outside the home or showing their faces in public, and refused to let girls go to school.

^{(RI.4.8 REASONS AND EVIDENCE)}

3. What have been some effects of the recent Taliban takeover? Effects include businesses closing, food and supplies running low, and people trying to flee Afghanistan.

^{(RI.4.5 CAUSE AND EFFECT)}

FEATURED SKILL: Writing a Plan

Use the skill builder “Make a Difference!” to have students develop an action plan to help solve a problem they care about.

^{(W.4.2 EXPLANATORY WRITING)}