Multiculturalism:

Experiences through
poetic texts
Lesson 1
16/01/2024
How would you
define
Multiculturalism?
What can we learn
from songs and
poems?
 Rules:
Let’s Play! Start by standing up from your seats
5 statements will be shown (one in each
STAND UP slide)
or If you agree with the statement, stand
up.
SIT DOWN?
If you disagree, sit down.
STAND UP
or
SIT DOWN?

Statement 1:
I believe that
multiculturalism is
beneficial to our society.
 STAND UP
or
SITDOWN?
SIT DOWN

Statement 2:

I can learn from

different cultures.
 STAND UP
or
SITDOWN?
SIT DOWN

Statement 3:
Learning about other
people’s experiences may
challenge my stereotypes.
 STAND UP
or
SITDOWN?
SIT DOWN

Statement 4:

I believe my class is
multicultural.
 STAND UP
or
SITDOWN?
SIT DOWN

Statement 5:

I believe my school is
multicultural.
 “I have cherished the ideal of a
democratic and free society in which all
persons live together in harmony and
with equal opportunities.”

Nelson Mandela (1963)

 Read the poems assigned to your group
and answer the questions:

1) What does the poet describe in the poem?

2) Select two verses that, in your opinion,

best describe the poem’s overall topic.
 [...]

I come from a musical place

Where they shoot me for my song
And my brother has been tortured
By my brother in my land.

I come from a beautiful place

Where they hate my shade of skin
They don't like the way I pray
And they ban free poetry.

I come from a beautiful place

Where girls cannot go to school
“We Refugee”,
There you are told what to believe
And even young boys must grow beards.
by
I come from a great old forest
I think it is now a field
Benjamin
Zephaniah
And the people I once knew
Are not there now.

We can all be refugees

Nobody is safe,
All it takes is a mad leader
Or no rain to bring forth food,
We can all be refugees
We can all be told to go,
We can be hated by someone
For being someone.
[...]
 no one leaves home unless
home is the mouth of a shark.
you only run for the border
when you see the whole city
running as well.
your neighbours running faster
than you, the boy you went to school with
who kissed you dizzy behind
the old tin factory is
holding a gun bigger than his body,
you only leave home
when home won't let you stay.
“Home”,
no one would leave home unless home
chased you, fire under feet,
hot blood in your belly.
by
it's not something you ever thought about
doing, and so when you did -
Warsan Shire
you carried the anthem under your breath,
waiting until the airport toilet
to tear up the passport and swallow,
each mouthful of paper making it clear that
you would not be going back.
you have to understand,
no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land.
What would you like to ask a
refugee?
Intercultural Communication Activity
CORRECTION: Create a Whatsapp group with the provided phone
numbers.

There will be two moments of online communication.

Your communication activity will end with an intercultural
encounter!
- Monday, February 5 , at 15:35 (there will be no
English class on the 6th, at 8:00).
Throughout the process, fill out your Reflection sheet.
Intercultural Communication Activity
1st online exchange:
Create your Whatsapp groups.
Send your classmates a message in which you introduce
yourselves generally and share something that defines you
(a hobby, a personality trait, a group you belong to, any
cultural heritage/identity that is important to you...).
Ask them to write back with what they can share about
themselves.
Text your classmates
by Sunday! (28th
January)
 Project: Refugee Experiences
through Poems

Design a creative poster about refugees’ life experience’s on

Canva, in which you include an original poem about the topic.

Main Goal:
to raise awareness to a specific issue regarding refugees in
the world.
to include a poem done by you that relates to the issue you
chose.
We will do an
exhibition with your
posters!
 Project: Refugee Experiences
through Poems

Step 1
research for information online about:
- an issue that may lead people to flee their country
or
- an issue that refugees may face after fleeing their country

We will be using AI to assist you in your poems

Bring your computers on

January 24
(Wednesday)!
 Project: Refugee Experiences
through Poems

Suggested links for Step 1:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/refugees-asylum-seekers-and-migrants/
https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/
https://www.unhcr.org/mid-year-trends-report-2023 [first 5 pages of the report]
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/eleven-children-die-every-week-attempting-cross-
central-mediterranean-sea-migration
https://www.unhcr.org/media/unhcr-general-posters-series
Image/Poster Examples:

https://www.unhcr.or
g/media/unhcr-
general-posters-series
Lesson 2
24/01/2024
 Project
Refugee Experiences through Poems

Step 1
Step 1
1. research for information online about:
- an issue that may lead people to flee their country (ex: war;
racial discimination...)
or
- an issue that refugees may face after fleeing their country (ex: how many
refugees have died after leaving their country). Save your source!

2. Log in to Chat GPT and ask the system to:

“Generate a one stanza poem about ...” (complete the
prompt with keywords about your topic).

Errors in the AI text

Keep in mind:
Does the stanza match the topic?
Homework
Until Sunday,
28th January
Use this link and accsess the Padlet page:
https://padlet.com/pedrocarola1/refugee-experiences-through-poems-
step-1-gc5800mjty46e6ad.

Create a post in which you share:

1) The topic you chose and your online source.
2) Your AI generated stanza.
3) Briefly explain: “In your opinion, how does the AI generated stanza relate
to the topic you chose?” (you may refer to your personal interpretation as
well as specifc verses, words or expressions that illustrate the topic).
Lesson 3
30/01/2024
In your notebooks, take note of the numbers
regarding refugees and conflict mentioned in
the poem.
 “Head over Heels”

“The one millionth refugee just left South Sudan”

“One million gone, 400,000 dead in Darfur,

two million displaced”

“They talk about the numbers as if this isn’t still happening,

As if 500,000 didn’t just die in Syria,
as if 5,000 aren’t still making their final stand
at the bottom of the Mediterranean”

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/files/201901/Head%20O
Full Poem ver%20Heels%20by%20Emtithal%20Mahmoud.pdf?
VersionId=_hMC8w7b7opVnJMHEcNh2by53SvpiSTY
 Referring to refugees’ lives being
described through facts or poetry:

“It sounds too harsh for a bundle of wires and an audience to swallow; too relentless,
like the valley that filled with the putrid smoke of our deaths
Is it better in verse? Can a stanza become a burial shroud?
Will it sting less if I say it softly?
Will the pain leave when the microphone does?”
 Writing Practice
Fill in the gaps

1)

Based on “Home”, by Warsan Shire

“No one leaves home unless

home is _____________________”
 Writing Practice
Fill in the gaps
2)
Based on “I never wear shoes I can’t run in”,
“Head over Heels”, by Emi Mahmoud

“I am running from ____________,

feeling ________ and ___________
I am a refugee
I am ______________”
 Project
Refugee Experiences through Poems

Step 2
 Step 2

Poetry Writing:
Starting from your AI generated stanza, continue the poem using
your own words (no CHAT GPT for this step).
Write at least ONE more stanza.
You may search for synonyms and/or rhyming words, if necessary.
You may make changes to your AI generated stanza, if you wish.

Share your work on

Padlet!
Lesson 4
31/01/2024
 Project
Refugee Experiences through Poems

Step 3
Step 3
Poster Design:

Using your poem and the information you gathered, design an original
poster to raise awareness for the topic you chose:
Create a A3 Poster Design on Canva.
Present your poem + information regarding your topic.
Be creative!
What images/elements/symbols may also be useful?

How will you present/arrange the text visually?

Deadline: 15 February
 Intercultural Communication Activity
Second written exchange:
Send your classmates a text message in which you mention :

- What we have been discussing in class (refugees’ life

experiences, poems written by refugees, information research
etc... ); and something new you learned that you didn’t know
before

- Ask them to share something about their own experience. Ex: how
do they feel living here? what made them come to Portugal? what
should portuguese residents be more aware of when it comes to
refugees?
Lesson 5
05/02/2024
Intercultural Encounter

Encontro Intercultural
 The Line
Game

Start by standing on O jogo inicia-se com os

either side of the tape alunos de cada lado da
line. linha.
8 statements will be 8 afirmações serão
read. lidas.
If you personally relate Se te revires na
with the statement, take afirmação lida, dá um
a step forward towards passo em frente em
the line. direção da fita.
 The Line
Game
1

Step forward if... Dá um passo em

You live in Lisbon. frente se...
Vives em Lisboa.
 The Line
Game
2

Step forward if... Dá um passo em

You like rap frente se...
music. Gostas de música
rap.
 The Line
Game
3

Step forward if... Dá um passo em

You like this frente se...
school. Gostas desta
escola.
 The Line
Game
4

Step forward if... Dá um passo em frente

You think this school se...
is accepting of other Achas que esta escola
cultures. aceita diferentes
culturas.
 The Line
Game
5

Step forward if... Dá um passo em frente

You have ever se...
witnessed a moment Já presenciaste um
of discrimination. momento de
discriminação.
 The Line
Game
6

Step forward if... Dá um passo em frente

You have ever felt se...
discriminated or Já te sentiste
excluded. discriminado ou
excluído.
 The Line
Game
7

Step forward if... Dá um passo em frente

You have ever felt se...
difficulty fitting in a Já sentiste dificuldade
new environment. em te integrares num
ambiente novo.
 The Line
Game
8

Step forward if... Dá um passo em frente

You have had to se...
confront stereotypes Já tiveste de enfrentar
about yourself. estereótipos acerca de
ti.
 Post-it board
“Our Intercultural Encounter”
 “Our Intercultural Encounter”
Post-it Board!

Throughout our guided Ao longo da nossa discussão

discussion, write in post-its guiada, escreve em post-its
what you would highlight os aspetos que consideras
from your groups’ mais relevantes da vossa
conversation and glue them discussão de grupo e cola-os
to your cardstock!! na cartolina!!
 “Our Intercultural Encounter”

1) “Me in a word”

Write a word that Escreve uma palavra

defines you on a post-it que te define num post-
note. Glue it and it. Cola-o e explica
explain to your group brevemente porque
why you chose that escolheste essa
word. palavra.
 “Our Intercultural Encounter”
2 ) “From WhatsApp to the classroom”

Discuss your whatsapp Discutam as vossas conversas

chats. no Whatsapp.
How do you think the Como acham que correu a
activity went? How did atividade? Como se sentiram a
you feel texting someone conversar com alguém que não
you didn’t know? What conheciam? O que é que
would you have liked to gostavam de ter perguntado ou
ask or share, but didn’t? partilhado, mas não o fizeram?
 “Our Intercultural Encounter”
3 ) “Poems and Experiences”
11.º CT2- Descrevam
11.º Ct2- Briefly describe brevemente o que temos vindo
what we’ve been discussing a discutir em aula e partilhem
in class and share your os vossos poemas originais.
original poems.
B3- De que forma é que se
B3- Does it relate to your own relacionam com a vossa
experience? experiência?
Tell us a story! Contem-nos uma história!
“Our Intercultural Encounter”

Now share with the class!

“Our Intercultural Encounter”

Thank you!