There are many tools for environmental education. To our knowledge, however, few of them address issues of migration and forced displacement as a consequence of climate change, and particularly extreme weather events. In order to correct this oversight, we have created the “Climate Migrant Suitcase Activity.” The goal of this interactive pedagogical activity—which adheres to the Québec Education Program (QEP) at the elementary and secondary levels—is to provide teachers with the tools they need to address these climate issues in the classroom and to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among school faculty.

The general objectives of this toolkit were established in accordance with three of the broad areas of learning in the QEP at the elementary level¹: Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsibilities, Health and Well-Being, and Citizenship and Community Life. The activity’s objectives are also in line with many elements of the Elementary Culture and Citizenship in Québec Program (CCQ), especially with regard to themes concerning Relationships Between Humans and the Environment².

As a component of Environmental Awareness, the “Climate Migrant Suitcase Activity” will help elementary students develop the “ability to see, understand and take stock of the elements of their immediate environment” and discover “that human beings and their environment are interdependent³.” The activity will also allow each student to “express their needs and emotions⁴” about the issues explored, a key objective of the Health and Well-Being area of learning. As part of their education on Citizenship and Community Life, students will also gain awareness of “the requirements of life in a group and understand the importance of adopting behaviour based on the democratic process⁵.”

This toolkit is also founded upon the four types of Cross-Curricular Competencies⁶ put forth in the Québec Education Program:

1. Intellectual competencies: to use information, to solve problems, to exercise critical judgment, to use creativity;
2. Methodological competencies: to adopt effective work methods, to use information and communications technologies;
3. Personal and social competencies: to construct their identity, to cooperate with others; and
4. Communication-related competency: to communicate appropriately.

The activity also draws on other practical skills—such as summarizing a story, describing fictional events, developing abstract thinking by comparing analogous situations, and making connections, for instance⁷.

“The Migrant Suitcase Activity” will help students to:

• Develop their independence;
• Use information in new contexts;
• Exercise critical judgement;
• Develop their sense of empathy; and
• Acquire new information/vocabulary to use outside the classroom.

At the secondary level, this toolkit may be used as a pedagogical tool in four of the five subject areas recognized by the Ministère de l’Éducation: Languages, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, Arts Education, and Personal Development⁸. It also calls upon the nine Cross-Curricular Competencies defined in the Québec Education Program at the secondary level: “uses information; solves problems; exercises critical judgement; uses creativity; adopts effective work methods; uses information and communications technologies; achieves their potential; cooperates with others; communicates appropriately⁹.” Several of the program’s Broad Areas of Learning are also addressed: Health and Well-Being, Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsibilities, Media Literacy, and Citizenship and Community Life¹⁰.