materials for creating a bulletin-board time line and display, such as string, letters and numbers cut from construction paper, images of the Holocaust, index cards
library resources
Internet resources, which can be printed if students do not have Internet access
Each group of students will research one of the following periods related to the Holocaust: Rise of the Nazi Party, Nazification, Ghettos, Camps, Resistance, Rescue and Liberation, and Aftermath.
TASK 1. Each group are to choose four of the most significant events of their assigned period and briefly describe each event on an index card. 2. A time line is to be created in the room, and students will attach their index cards in the correct order. 3. Each group are to describe in detail each of the four events they have chosen and write about its significance into a word document. Minimum of 200 words per event.
The timeline will remain displayed for reference throughout the unit.
1. Topic: Holocaust Journal Description. Assume the identity of an individual living in the time of World War II/ Jewish Holocaust and compose a series of journal entries chronicling your experiences from a first person point of view. Your narrative should encompass the years leading up to, during and immediately following World War II/Jewish Holocaust in approximately ten entries: 1) life before 2) rumblings of danger/subtle changes 3) life in ghetto 4) transition to camps 5-8) life in camps 9) death march 10) fate NOTE: Remember. Sensory details are key to creating an engaging and powerful story. Think about how you can use your words to build a picture in the readers minds eye. Sound, smells, tastes and touch. Focus on developing secondary characters that add to the interest of the story. You may need to do research to make sure that you are producing a realistic and historically accurate piece. This assignment must reflect time and effort! • Each journal entry should be 75-100 words in length.
2. First person accounts are often an effective tool for learning about history. Write a multi-paragraph letter to Ms Simson and Ms Gadsby in which you explain something you learned from a Holocaust survivor’s account and what it means to you. Min of 4 to 5 paragraphs min of 75 words per paragraph.
3. Think of a book, story, poem, or essay that we read in our Holocaust unit that impacted you. Write a letter to the author of this piece and explain to him/her what the work means to you and why. Min of 4 to 5 paragraphs min of 75 words per paragraph.
4. You have been given permission to invite a Holocaust survivor (or liberator, resistor, etc.) to speak to students at your school. Write a multi-paragraph letter to your principal in which you name the person and persuade your principal that this person would be the best choice. Min of 4 to 5 paragraphs min of 75 words per paragraph.
“For me the Holocaust was not only a Jewish tragedy, but also a human tragedy. After the war, when I saw that the Jews were talking only about the tragedy of six million Jews, I sent letters to Jewish organizations asking them to talk also about the millions of others who were persecuted with us together – many of them only because they helped Jews.” Simon Wiesenthal, Holocaust Survivor