Human Migration Teacher Resources

What drives someone to leave their home and settle elsewhere? What compelled the earliest humans to leave Africa over 64,000 years ago, and what drove European explorers to set sail over a seemingly endless ocean? How does modern emigration and immigration relieve the hardships of life in an unstable land, or offer the possibility of religious enlightenment?

Human migration tells a complex narrative of a species on the move. Introduce learners to the concept with a selection of teacher-curated resources, including a video that focuses on the influence of potatoes, printing, and plague as factors that drive human migration. You can also set the topic against the background of societal development throughout the course of history.

Connect science and social studies with an interactive resource that combines DNA concepts with a study on the origins of human life. For a thorough analysis of the patterns of human migration, including ways to predict potential future patterns of immigration, check out this helpful lesson plan. Students can also trace migration routes throughout history and explore the Genographic Project with a lesson on modern immigration.

Finally, research the mindset of refugees coming into the United States with an analysis lesson, and answer a question relevant to foreign policy of any era: How should a country balance the rights of those seeking to make their home within its borders?