When Stars Are Scattered

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What circumstances might cause a person to become a refugee? Where might refugees temporarily stay before being placed in another country? What struggles might a refugee face throughout their journey to find refuge?

Teaching Suggestion: The protagonist, Omar, is forced to leave his homeland when gunmen enter his village. He is separated from his mother and flees to Dadaab Refugee Camp without parental guidance. As Omar grows, he develops the desire to be placed in the United States and escape his difficult surroundings in the camp. With the experiences and backgrounds of the individuals in the classroom and sensitivity in mind, consider having students share what they already know about the struggles refugees face throughout the process of leaving their homes to enter new countries. This can work well as an open class discussion but may be better as an independent journal prompt if you anticipate students may have a difficult time commenting on personal experiences.

• This video explores what it means to be a refugee.
• This website shares general facts about what refugee camps are and how they function, and also shares statistics for specific refugee camps around the world, including the Dadaab Refugee Camp Omar lived in.

2. What is a civil war? What might cause a civil war? What kind of struggles might people face during civil war? Where is Somalia located? What factors might have caused a civil war in Somalia?

Teaching Suggestion: Omar is removed from his homeland during the Somali Civil War. With sensitivity in mind for individual circumstances, students may benefit from introductory discussion or direct instruction on the concept of civil wars, their causes, and the effects it has on the people who live through a civil war.

• This encyclopedia entry describes what a civil war is, its various causes, and provides examples of civil wars in world history.
• This 4-minute video explains why the Somali Republic failed, leading to civil war.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What experiences or factors contribute to a feeling or sense of belonging? Describe a time when you, or someone you know, felt as though you did not have a place to belong. What kind of emotions did this lack of belonging cause? How can an individual support those who feel isolated?  

Teaching Suggestion: After Omar flees Somalia, he takes protection in the Dadaab Refugee Camp and is adopted by a woman in the camp. Omar wants to find a place he can call home but must tackle the daunting task of applying for resettlement through the UN. Before writing, students might benefit from open-ended discussion or an independent journal prompt on the idea and feelings of belonging and the factors that contribute to it.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with particular interest in social issues with connections to history may find it beneficial to conduct research on historical refugee camps, their intended purpose, and the emotional toll these camps can have on individuals who seek asylum. A collection of reputable sources in the form of an online encyclopedia or mini library might be a helpful resource for these students.