Refugee Novel Study – FREE Day 1 Sample

Bring Alan Gratz’s Refugee into your classroom with this FREE Day 1 novel study sample! Designed to support engaging ELA instruction, this resource gives teachers and homeschool families a preview of ready-to-use activities that build reading comprehension, vocabulary, close reading, and critical-thinking skills.

In Refugee, three young people from different time periods face dangerous journeys in search of safety. Josef is a Jewish boy fleeing Nazi Germany in 1938. Isabel is a Cuban girl escaping political unrest in 1994. Mahmoud is a Syrian boy forced to leave his home during the Syrian civil war in 2015. Although their stories unfold decades apart, each character faces difficult choices, uncertainty, and the hope of finding a safe place to call home. This powerful novel offers opportunities to explore courage, resilience, empathy, displacement, and the universal need for safety and belonging.

You can purchase the complete novel study HERE.

What's Included in This FREE Novel Study Sample?

This free Day 1 sample lets you preview the format and types of activities included in the novel study.

• Day 1 Teacher Lesson Plans – Clear, organized plans to help you guide students through the first day of the novel study.
• Day 1 Student Activities – Engaging activities that encourage students to think critically about the text.
• Reading Comprehension Practice – Questions that help students demonstrate understanding and support their answers with text evidence.
• Vocabulary Practice – Activities to strengthen vocabulary skills and understanding of words in context.
• Day 1 Google File – Includes a digital version of the Day 1 sample for Google-compatible classroom use.
• Ready-to-Use, No-Prep Materials – Practical resources that make lesson preparation easier.

This free sample gives you a preview of the novel study’s format and activities before you explore the complete unit.

Explore the Complete Refugee Novel Study

The complete Refugee novel study provides structured activities to help students follow the three interconnected stories, analyze characters’ decisions, and explore the historical and contemporary issues woven throughout the novel.

Activities may include:

• Reading comprehension questions and text-based responses
• Vocabulary development and word analysis
• Character analysis and making inferences
• Close reading and critical-thinking activities
• Written responses and literary analysis
• Comparison of the three characters’ journeys and experiences
• Exploration of courage, resilience, family, and hope
• Discussion of refugees, displacement, persecution, and the search for safety

See the complete product’s table of contents for a detailed list of included resources and activities.

Who Is This Free Sample For?

This FREE Day 1 sample is designed for teachers and homeschool families working with middle-grade readers.

It’s a useful starting point for:

• Middle school ELA and social studies instruction
• Whole-class novel studies
• Small-group instruction and literature circles
• Homeschool literature and language arts lessons
• Reading comprehension and vocabulary practice
• Historical fiction and contemporary issues studies
• Building empathy, critical-thinking, and text-based writing skills

Download Your FREE Day 1 Sample

Preview the Refugee novel study and discover a practical way to help students engage with three compelling stories while developing reading comprehension, literary analysis, and a deeper understanding of the experiences of people forced to leave their homes.

Please note: This download includes the free Day 1 sample only, not the complete novel study.

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