WELCOMING RITUAL (DAY 1 - 60 minutes)

Start out by having students visualize a “camp.” Have students think/share out about the following questions:

• What is a camp? What do we use camps for? 
• What sights, sounds, smells would describe the camp? 

Write Compelling Question and Supporting Questions and Lesson Objectives on the board. Read it out loud with students.

Present the following quotes on the screen (source: UNHCR, the UN Refugee agency):

• “Refugees are per definition outside of their own country. They have crossed at least one international border.”
• “Refugees have moved because they were in danger as a result of war, violence or persecution. Refugees are forcibly displaced. This means they had no choice but to leave, otherwise they would continue to be exposed to danger.”
• “International law says that refugees cannot be sent back to their own country if this puts them at risk of war, violence or persecution. They have a right to remain in the host country. They also have a right to work in the host country, to health care, to education, they have the right to rent or acquire a place to live, and they have other fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and religion.”

Ask: What do you know about the term ‘refugee’ based on these quotes or prior knowledge? Have students think-pair-share with a partner. Allow students to share out what they came up with with their partner. Write down what they came up with on the board. 

Say: Share that words matter and that it’s important for students to understand the terminology to designate displaced people. Why is this important - because some/many of these displaced people are the people closest to us (our friends, our classmates, our neighbors, and maybe even our own family members). More and more people are forced to flee their homes because of war, violence, and persecution.

Say: There are four categories of displaced persons: refugees, migrants, Asylum-seekers, and internally displaced people, but the focus of our lesson will be on the term refugee, particularly Hmong refugees.

Briefly define refugees as 1. outside of their country, 2. they fled because of danger (war, violence, persecution), 3. they would be in danger if they would be sent back, and 4. they are protected by international law (1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol).

INTERACTION WITH FIRST SOURCE

Say: Now that you know the definition of what a refugee is, we are going to watch a personal experience of a Hmong refugee (Dr. Kong Peng Pha). Short video “Animation: A Hmong Refugee’s Journey” (2:45 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX-DHTuZvHE. In students' Sketchbooks, have them write/draw some things they noticed about the Kong Peng’s refugee experience. Have students share what they wrote/doodled in their Sketchbook Journal.

Ask: Do you remember where Kong Peng and his family settled before coming to Appleton, Wisconsin? At the beginning of the video, he says: 

"I often have flashbacks of Ban Vinai Refugee Camp. It was one of the camps established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to hold Hmong and Lao refugees following the end of the US secret war in Laos in 1975. Ban Vinai was located in Thailand, but it was not considered Thai national space and I was not a Thai citizen. Ban Vinai was an indeterminate space, and its closure in 1992 means it no longer exists on maps. I was born into this no man’s land to Hmong refugees who escaped an unjust war in Laos initiated by the United States in the 1960s.”

Say: Due to Hmong’s involvement in CIA’s Secret War in Laos, Hmong were the principal targets of the Pathet Lao and faced reeducation camps or death. Those who made the dangerous trek to Thailand sought refuge in Hmong refugee camps, such as Ban Vinai Refugee Camp like in Kong Pha’s experience.

Additional Context on Leaving Laos (Source: Vang & Vang, 2023): After the United States withdrawal from Saigon in 1975, American CIA personnel in Long Cheng, Laos (the military base of General Vang Pao and the secret army) planned an evacuation from Laos. They would airlift General Vang Pao and his immediate family and the high-ranking Hmong military officers and their families to Thailand in the wake of Communist takeover and inevitable persecution of Hmong who have been affiliated with the United States. Learning about the evacuation, thousands of Hmong living in Long Cheng also sought to leave on one of the planes. Between May 11 and May 14, 1975, 2,500 people were airlifted on C-130 cargo planes. The many thousands who waited at Long Cheng’s airstrip were left behind to seek other ways to leave Laos and find safety. To flee Laos and escape an uncertain future of reeducation camps or persecution under the new Communist regime, many hid in the jungles, escaped on foot through the jungle, and/or crossed the Mekong River by boat or make-shift rafts. Some also stayed in Laos. The primary resources below are refugee stories of the different experiences of escaping Laos.

Say: According to Dr. Ma Vang and Dr. Chia Vang, “Refugee camps are typically used to describe settlements of people who have escaped war. They are temporary camps built up by governments, the UN, international organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross or other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to receive refugees. Generally, the camps are set up in an impromptu fashion and designed to meet basic needs for only a short time. Most can be quite dirty.”

Say: “The vast majority of Hmong escaped by crossing the Mekong River that separates Laos from Thailand. After crossing the border, border patrols or Hmong guides took them to designated camps. They were then registered by camp authorities and given camp identification materials. They were also provided with basic needs support (food, blankets, etc…) while they waited for resettlement opportunities in ‘third countries.’ The latter process consists of applying for resettlement, being interviewed to determine eligibility, and if accepted, then prepared for departure to the host country” (Vang & Vang, 2023).

Ask: What would be some of those basic needs (think about things you would need for modern-day camping)? Have students list out a few ideas and share the following services/support as needed.

• Emergency food and medical supplies;
• Sleeping accommodations (minimal building constructions or tents);
• Other relief items, such as blankets, clothing and cooking utensils;
• Hygiene facilities (cleaning and toilets);
• Communication equipment (e.g. radio, loudspeaker);
• Education for children; and
• Protection and containment (e.g. barbed wires and security guards).

Share the “Camp Map” (Mac Thompson Collection showcases various statistics, summaries and details the Indo-China refugee program impacting the Hmong, Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees of Thailand from 1975 to 1990's.) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/h1k46tfvyhkakiyzmdy5wunnl4bcvea6 and “Map of Thailand Refugee Camps” (Hmongstory 40 Museum exhibit panel detailing the location of all refugee camps including Hmong / highlanders / Lao refugees, Cambodian refugees and Vietnamese refugee camps in Thailand during the Indo-China refugee crisis in the late 1970s into 1980s https://ucdavis.box.com/s/u30eyjxolxtngdlzpnubuih8dxtobmvm.

Talk about the geographic location of the refugee camps and the statistics of asylum seekers and refugees in Thailand. (Point out that on the maps, there are other refugee groups as well, such as Cambodians and Vietnamese.)

Say: Now that we understand why the refugee camps were formed and the geographic locations of the camps and numbers, let’s look at some images of what refugee camps look like. 

Say: “Since most Hmong lived in the northern part of Laos, they registered at one of the camps set up on the Thai side. From the late 1970s through the early 1990s, Hmong entered one of eight camps: Chiang Khong, Chiang Kham, Ban Nam Yao, Sob Tuang, Ban Vinai, Nong Khai, Ban Napho, or Ubon Thani. Over time, Ban Vinai housed the largest number of refugees. When refugees were approved for resettlement to a third country, they were transported to the transition center at Phanat Nikhom. When Ban Vinai was closed in 1992, those who either did not want to repatriate to Laos or resettle in a third country, were allowed to create a refugee camp on the grounds of the Buddhist Monastery, Wat Tham Krabok.” (Vang & Vang, 2023). 

SHARED LEARNING

See, Think, Wonder: Show students the two images of refugee camps from the Paul Paquette and Erica Hagen Collections, as part of the Hmongstory 40 Gallery, using the “See, Think, Wonder” active learning strategy (you can project the image on a board or print out hard copies for the students).

• Naam Yao, Nan Camp Gate 1980 - Hmong refugee children gather at the main gated entrance to Nam Yao refugee camp 1980. https://ucdavis.box.com/s/fgh1zxnbyq4qb86qvxflh33eu5vin4h4 
• Vinai Camp 1981 - Hmong new year crowd gathered in Camp Center 1 at Vinai Refugee Camp in 1981. The distinctive raised buildings at the top right hand of the photograph help to identify it as Center 1. https://ucdavis.box.com/s/rp3qr9xt7hzru0tr175n8rnv34zzo6im 

Step 1: See - Students start by ​using their senses of touch, sight, hearing and smell to explore the images of the two camps (some senses may be harder but allow students to imagine what it might have been if they were in the refugee camps). ​They will ​record ​their ​observations through ​writing and by drawing using color pencils, drawing pencils or pens. ​What do they notice? How would they describe what they see in the picture or life in the camps? Are there any patterns they can observe? Circulate while students work and encourage them to elaborate upon their observations.

Step 2: Think - Students build off of their observations and prior knowledge to develop inferences about the images. What use could it have? How old is it? Where is it from? What evidence can students observe to support their inferences? Students record their inferences in the space around their drawing and may use arrows to connect an inference to a specific detail on their drawing.

Step 3: Wonder - In this step, students start to formulate questions that will propel them further into the investigation. Based on their observations, what are they curious about? Ask students to write down these questions so that they can be referred to throughout the larger investigation of a topic.

Step 4: Give students a chance to share out with the rest of the group of their wonderings. (You can also have students place their drawings and written observations, inferences and questions on the table around and then ask for students to silently circulate through the tables to look at each student’s work.)

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION (DAY 2 - 60 minutes)

Say: Now that we have taken a look at some images from two camps and explored the support provided, we will dive deeper into five more refugee camps that Hmong refugees settled into after fleeing persecution from Laos through a Jigsaw Reading activity.

Jigsaw Reading Preparation:

Assign each student to a group. Have students first read their assigned materials and then share key findings with their same group of what they learned - this allows them to be the experts of their group. The idea is that in each group each person will have read a different source and can then share what they learned with a different group. Once all group members share, they talk about what they learned by putting all their knowledge together (like a jigsaw!).  

Assign students one of the Hmong refugee camp groups below and provide primary text/media/images for each group. See the recommended groups and primary sources below:

Groups / Sources

Group 1: Chiang Kham (Payao, Thailand)

• Refugee Handbook 1983 (Chiang Kham - 51) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/3owrwckyvg09048fishcelx0ub9wjdf1 (Refugee Handbook - detailing the immigration process and provides a helpful handbook with information about their journey to America and some of the challenges the refugees will face.)

• "Chiang Kham Refugee Camp and Detention Center" (paragraphs three through five) from Repatriation and reintegration: Can Hmong refugees begin to look homeward  https://ucdavis.box.com/s/g6tpl1hqpyv650xvmtw4ml0h9luimcim 

Group 2: Nam Yao 

• Refugee Handbook 1983 (Ban Nam Yao 44-45) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/3owrwckyvg09048fishcelx0ub9wjdf1    

• Photo Gallery by Paul_Paquette_North Thailand_Nam Yao1977-1980 https://ucdavis.box.com/s/5mmvsrc9hcb4zh7toyyaho4yiahw5nz8 (Paul Paquette Collection captures refugee life and immigration processing in northern Thailand Nam Yao refugee camp. Pictures of the devastating Nam Yao fire of 1981 and its aftermath.)

• Photo Gallery by CharleneDay_Photos https://ucdavis.box.com/s/lijq6n3k5s9qbibwou52dn3c8lydfkvv (Charlene Day Collection consists of photos of the early days of refugee resettlement processing work in northern Thailand in Nam Yao and Cheng Kham.)

Group 3: Vinai (Loei)

• Thailand Refugee Camps (see section on Ban Vinai Refugee Camp) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/d6xq8o6rfhofc1cr2xcws51eo6dqwo46  

• Refugee Handbook 1983 (Ban Vinai 46) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/3owrwckyvg09048fishcelx0ub9wjdf1 

• Photo Gallery of Hmong New Year 1981-1982 VinaiCampEricaHagen https://ucdavis.box.com/s/w0o3ad83uc9sce7fjl6tq1j7nk9v7hxd (Erica Hagen Collection gallery of Hmong Year celebration during the 1981-1982 in the Vinai Camp.) 

• Photo Gallery by Erica_Hagen@VinaiCamp 1981-1982 https://ucdavis.box.com/s/4o8gt7maqhnbujvrvfr056qiqv1wawwn (Erica Hagen Collection is a gallery of photos showcasing life in Vinai Refugee Camp 1982. Photos include job training, getting water, landmarks of Vinai, daily living conditions, separations of families on buses leaving for other countries of resettlement.)

• Bee Yang - Camp 9 (Vinai) YouTube video (5:44 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgAQuvLqjQk 

Group 4: Wat Tham Krabok

• Thailand Refugee Camps (see section on Wat Tham Krabok)  https://ucdavis.box.com/s/45ns9ztfg4hm6bg1txvixt5ox6wiahfa 

• "A Photo Essay of the Hmong Experience at Wat Thamkrabok in Thailand" by Pao Lor  https://ucdavis.box.com/s/z8a7ifdgiag32cnu050uxj7sooe6vy6k 

Group 5: Phanat Nikhom Transition Camp

• Thailand Refugee Camps (see section on Phanat Nikhom Transition Camp)  https://ucdavis.box.com/s/45ns9ztfg4hm6bg1txvixt5ox6wiahfa 

• Refugee Handbook 1983 (Phanat Nikhom 57-58) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/3owrwckyvg09048fishcelx0ub9wjdf1 

Say: You have been assigned to one of the camps. Find a space in the classroom to sit with your group. Your role in your group is to independently read your assigned sources (image/text/media) first. As you read, jot/doodle main details/key points (see prompts below) in your Sketchbook Journal:

• Where was the camp located?
• Who lived in this camp?
• How many Hmong refugees were in this camp? 
• What did they do in the camp?
• What were the living conditions like?
• When did the camp open and when did it close?
• Why was the camp formed? Why did it close?

Say: Once you are done exploring the resources by yourself, you will then share your findings with your group. Make sure everyone agrees on the same learnings/findings. Next, you will break up into a different camp group, and your job is to share with the members of that new group what your learnings/findings are.

Once all group members have been able to share their key findings with each other, have a class discussion about what they learned overall. Remind students to jot down/doodle notes in their Sketchbook Journal - they will need these notes for the “Portrait of a Refugee Camp” final activity.

Additional Context: What did Hmong do in Refugee Camps (source: Vang & Vang, 2023)

• Children attended school—Thai ministry provided elementary education
• Some refugees, mainly men, were able to serve as interpreters, medical assistants, food distributors, etc.
• Many women sewed pa ndau (paaj ntaub or paj ntaub) to be sold to Westerners and others made Hmong clothes to be sold to co-ethnics in western countries
• Blacksmiths made knives, hoes, and other utensils for co-ethnics in western countries to purchase
• Some men and women would work as day laborers on nearby Thai farms
• Most, however, lived day to day with minimal activities
• Many relied on money sent from their relatives who had resettled in third countries for survival
• In general, normal life activities continued: children are born, people get married and divorced, the sick and elderly die, funeral ceremonies take place, and families are torn apart due to refugee resettlement in third countries

CULTURAL PRODUCTION (DAY 3 - 60 minutes)

Review the terms ‘Hmong refugee’ and ‘Hmong refugee camps.’ Address any wonderings that students still have of the Hmong refugee experience or refugee camps in Thailand.

Say: Based on what we have learned about each camp, from the formation of the first camp to the closing of the last camp, you will create your own written or visual “Portrait of a Refugee Camp” using an art medium of your choice (for example watercolor pencils, collage, etc.) to portray/tell the story of the Hmong Refugee experience living in the refugee camps (for example depicting Hmong collective resilience, survival, and/or hope in the face of great odds). You will also write an Artist Statement to share your artistic process and learning(s) with the class. 

Brainstorming

In preparation for the Cultural Production final activity, students will review their notes/doodles from their Sketchbook Journals. Have them circle the one finding that stuck out to them the most about the camps and think about how they might show that in a picture.

Inspiration

Share an image from the book The Hmong Journey: Hmoob Txoj Kev Taug by Ger Thao (https://ucdavis.box.com/s/og7sqqdpqwuk50mets7iklkbnnm7eipp) to give them an idea of the author’s portrayal of life in the refugee camps (a family gathering their ration of food in the camps in the form of a story cloth). Give students time to think about what part of the refugee camps they will choose to tell with a picture.

Demonstration & Experimentation

Select a technique or tool that you would like to demonstrate to support students in developing their technical knowledge. You could demonstrate how to use a new medium, such as watercolor pencils. You could model a particular technique, such as mixing your colors on a palette, or you could model your own artistic thought process (i.e. how you select images for a collage.). Let students know that they can make their own choices while making art, but that your demonstration might help them to learn some new approaches and techniques that they might want to try. Some suggestions for demonstrations that would work well for this activity are Watercolor pencils and Collage.

Students need time to experiment with tools and media before using these to execute an idea. This experimentation phase can also help students to decide which media they will use for their project. Let students know that they don’t need to create anything specific during this time. They might experiment with color mixing, achieving different line weights or with combining media. Set out a variety of artistic media for students to try and some small scraps of paper for them to work on.

Studio Time

Studio time is the portion of the lesson when students will create their final project. Depending on the level of depth with which you would like for students to engage with this project, the amount of time you dedicate to it will vary. For this project, students will need their notes/doodles as a reference, and a variety of art materials. Here is a suggested list: Watercolor Paper Pens (Microns or Ballpoint), Scissors Glue/Glue Sticks, Watercolor Pencils, Magazine Pages for Collage, White Sulphite (Drawing Paper), Drawing Pencils, and Paper of different colors. 

It works well to set out the materials at different stations spread out around the room so that students can access them as they need. This organization of materials in stations will also help to facilitate cleanup at the end. 

Let students know that they will need to start by deciding which media they would like to work with. Students may begin work as they are ready. It is often helpful to lightly sketch out an idea before using darker or more permanent lines. 

By circulating and checking in with individual students as they start the process, you will be able to get a sense of what questions they have and who might need extra support. You may also need to remind students to be kind and patient with themselves and others as they start to work through the creative process. 

Part way through the studio time, it might be helpful to stop for a pair-share reflection. Ask students to talk with a partner about their process so far. Here are some questions they could talk about: 

• What are they working on? 
• What is something they’ve discovered about the media they are using as they’ve worked? 
• What is a challenge they’ve encountered and how are they trying to overcome it? 
• What are they going to work on next?

As students return to work, make periodic announcements to let them know how much time they have left so they can better pace their work. You can also use a visual timer like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15zFOnLGr1s to help students keep track of the time. 

As the studio time comes to an end, let students know the steps they need to follow to clean up. 

CONCLUSIVE DIALOGUE

Assessment / Evaluation

It is satisfying and instructive for artists to look back on work they have completed, to share parts of their process with others, and to celebrate their accomplishments. This is also an excellent chance for the teacher to gather information on their students’ interests and learning. An Artist Statement gives students a chance to reflect on and to articulate important aspects of their artistic process. Give students some time to write their own artist statement about their “Portrait of a Refugee Camp.” They may write their Artist Statement under the portrait or write it on a notecard.

You may want to conclude this activity with a pair-share, allowing for each student to share their thinking with one other student, to hear and to be heard.