The HolocaustA culminating visual persuasive unit

A collaborative unit by Caitlin Swearengin and Kathleen Lemke

The Holocaust Unit; at a glanceDay 1

• Class/Grade: 8th Grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Gallery Walk• Performance Objective: After students view images from the

Holocaust, they will be able to record their feelings and emotions about every picture to have a better understanding about the reality of this historical event.

• Guided Practice:▫ Students will enter two different classrooms; each class will have

the lights off, spotlights will be present around the room, and classical music playing in the background.

▫ Each student will walk through one room and into another, recording their emotions and feelings about every numbered picture on the wall.

▫ After the “gallery walk,” students will return to their rooms, where they will watch a slideshow presentation on more captions and pictures.

▫ A class discussion will follow, answering any questions the students have.

• Resources: Two classrooms, classical music, 6 spotlights, slide show presentation, 10 pictures per room, quotes from the Holocaust victims, gallery walk worksheets, pencil.

Day 2

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Holocaust background• Performance Objective: After reviewing what student’s learned

on Day 1, a Holocaust power point presentation will be provided to reiterate the events and timeline of the Holocaust so student’s can build background, ask questions, and start a group discussion.

• Guided Practice: ▫ A brief introduction to the Holocaust will be presented to the

students. Background information will be provided answering the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, why)

▫ Students will also create a web of facts that they have learned from the lesson on the Holocaust.

▫ A one page paper response on the journal question will be done in class.

• Resources: Power Point presentation, journal question , Holocaust fact web worksheet, paper, pencil

Day 3

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Adolf Hitler history• Performance Objective: After students are given the

background history on Adolf Hitler, they will successfully complete a worksheet describing the traits and qualities of a leader.

• Guided Practice: ▫ Students will view a historical power point presentation on the

background of Adolf Hitler.▫ Student’s will record their ideas of what makes a positive and a

negative leader.▫ They will also record why they think we look towards leaders to

guide us in the world.▫ Students are to discuss these topics with their fellow students.

Then, a group discussion may follow, referring to the leadership worksheet and the Adolf Hitler history.

• Resources: Power Point on Adolf Hitler, leadership worksheet, pencil

Day 4-5

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Background history on World War I and II • Performance Objective: Students will be able to gain

background information regarding World War I and II and demonstrate their knowledge proficiently on a quiz and in a group discussion.

• Guided Practice: ▫ Students will view a historical power point presentation on the

background of World War I, II, and Germany▫ Student’s will discuss the topic in small groups. ▫ The class will discuss the topic in a large group setting and ask

any questions.▫ Student’s will write a journal entry about what they have viewed

on the World Wars.▫ Students will take a 20 question quiz on the facts regarding the

World Wars.• Resources: Power Point presentation, journal topic handout, quiz,

pencil

Day 6

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Children of the Holocaust/Survivors of the

Holocaust• Performance Objective: Students will be presented with a videos

and handouts regarding victims of the Holocaust and will successfully complete a worksheet and a presentation on the information.

• Guided Practice: ▫ Students will view a film titled “Children of the Holocaust” and

record their answers to the film on the provided worksheet.▫ Students will view a video titled “If you cried, you died” that

shows survivors from the Holocaust who are now adults.▫ Students will view a United Streaming Discovery Channel video

called “The Holocaust: As Seen Through the Eyes of a Survivor”▫ After the video, students will break into groups and each group

will read a survivor story from the Holocaust▫ Students will present the information they have learned from

their article to the class.• Resources: Three videos, worksheet, six survivor articles, pencil

Day 7

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Final Solution• Performance Objective: Students will be able to understand

what Hitler’s “Final Solution” was by obtaining information through a video.

• Guided Practice: ▫ Students will view two United Streaming videos by the

Discovery Channel titled “Witness: Voices from the Holocaust” and “In Memoriam: The Holocaust”

▫ Students will discuss the concentration camps, the death march, the liberations and the aftermath.

▫ Students will write a journal entry as if they were a soldier who liberated the concentration camps.

• Resources: computer for the United Streaming videos, LCD projector, journal topic handout, pencil

Day 8

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Background on the Frank and Van Daan Family• Performance Objective: Students will be able to view a power

point presentation to build background on The Diary of Anne Frank and record facts and information on each character in the play.

• Guided Practice: ▫ Students will view a power point presentation of all of the

characters in The Diary of Anne Frank.▫ Student will record information from each character on their life

before, during and after the Holocaust.▫ Information regarding the outcome of each character will be

provided along with pictures of each person.▫ Students can then proceed with reading the play now that they

have a better understanding of the story.• Resources: Power Point on the Frank and Van Daan families,

worksheet with the character names, pencil, Literature book

Day 9

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Test over the Holocaust Unit• Performance Objective: After students have completed their

participation in the Holocaust unit, they will perform proficiently on the unit exam.

• Guided Practice: ▫ An exam will be provided for the student’s regarding all of the

information they have learned during the Holocaust Unit▫ The exam will include: historical history, questions on the play,

character identification, multiple essay questions in BCR format, and putting the play into chronological order

• Resources: Exam on the material, pen or pencil, BCR format paper

Day 10-18

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: The Wave• Performance Objective: Students will be able to read the novel The

Wave, respond to the activities on the unit, and successfully write a comparison paper comparing the novel to the film.

• Guided Practice: ▫ Students will first get a power point presentation on the background

of The Wave and the real life events that occurred.▫ Student’s will fill out a character analysis chart as they read

summarizing each character in the novel and the relationships they form.

▫ As students read the novel, they will take notes, and complete quizzes, BCR’s, journals, and answer questions. At the end of the novel, students will take an exam over the material, comparing the book to Nazi Germany.

▫ A video on The Wave will be shown to students following the novel. Student’s will write a comparison paper on the book vs. the video.

• Resources: Power Point presentation, character analysis worksheet, questions for each chapter, quizzes, BCR questions, Test, and the movie

Day 19-24

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Persuasive Paper: The Holocaust• Performance Objective: Students will be able to write a fully-

developed persuasive paper on the topic provided following the proper writing process.

• Guided Practice: ▫ Lessons will be broken down, step by step with students to

complete the writing process. ▫ The subject of the paper is: Should there be a unit taught on the

events leading up to the Holocaust before the class reads The Diary of Anne Frank?

▫ The teacher will demonstrate the proper outline format▫ Rough drafts will be written by students, followed by peer editing

and revising▫ A final draft will be written in class by students prior to typing the

papers in the computer lab▫ Computer lab time will be given for students to complete the final

draft of their persuasive papers in formal business letter format• Resources: Power Point following the Write Source book format, an

outline, handout with the persuasive writing assignment guidelines, paper, pencil, computers, printer

(See following slide for persuasive paper guidelines)

Not currently required as part of the 8th grade Integrated Language Arts curriculum:

• The gallery walk/power point presentation• Brief background on Germany after World War One• Background on Adolf Hitler/power point presentation• Background on the reasons for World War Two• Background on The Holocaust/The Final Solution

(concentration camps)• Background on the real people from “the play”• Survivor video (If You Cried You Died)• The Wave novel/Video• Fieldtrip to The Holocaust Museum

Persuasive Paper must include the following:

• Your address (or you may use the EMS address)• The Supervisor for English/Language Art’s name and

address• Opening• Hook• Thesis or Topic Sentence• Three fully developed paragraphs on the topics you chose

and why that material should be mandatory• A paragraph explain the objections, but adding a positive

spin (you may blend this paragraph in with the others if you choose)

• Closing paragraph• Your name and signature

Day 25

• Class/Grade: 8th grade Integrated Language Arts• Content Focus: Holocaust Museum field trip• Performance Objective: After students complete the Holocaust

Unit, they will demonstrate their mature nature and explore the opportunities that the Holocaust Museum provides as a closure to the unit.

• Guided Practice: ▫ Students will each pay a small sum of money to participate in

the field trip.▫ Charter busses will be provided for the students, teachers, and

chaperones▫ The Holocaust Museum is located in Washington D. C.▫ While at the museum, students will explore and examine the

artifacts from the Holocaust, gaining more insight on this piece of history.

▫ Students will gather at 7:30 am for departure and arrive back at school at 4:00 pm

• Resources: Charter busses, chaperones, teachers

Works CitedA Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust. The Camps.

http://fcit.usf.edu. Florida Center for Instructional Technology. College of Education, University of South Florida. 2005.

Anne Frank Stitching Amsterdam. The Diary of Anne Frank: A five part drama for the BBC. www.annefrank.org. 2008. Anne Frank Trust UK.

Auschwitz: if you cried, you died. 2001. Videocassette (24 min)Impact America Foundation. Indianapolis, IN.

Brattman, K.K. Holocaust Survivors and Remembrance Project.http://isurvived.org. NatureQuest Publications, Inc. 2002-2009.

Children of the Holocaust. Discovery Communications, LLC. www.unitedstreaming.com. 2009 Discovery Education.

Concentration Camps. Jewish Virtual Library. www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. 2009. The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise.

Duffy, Michael. First World War: The War to End All Wars. www.firstworldwar.com. 2000-2009.

Gilbert, Martin. The Holocaust-The Jewish Tragedy. William Collins Sons and Company Limited, London, 1986.

Hanlon, Mike. An Internet History of The Great War. World War I: Trenches on the Web. www.worldwar1.com. 3, June 2004.

Hornberger, Jacob. The Future of Freedom Foundation. www.fff.org. Freedom Daily Publication. 2001-2007

In Memoriam: The Holocaust. Discovery Communications, LLC. www.unitedstreaming.com. 2009 Discovery Education.

Isseroff, Ami. And Zionism and Israel Information Center. Zionism and Israel – Encyclopedic Dictionary: Holocaust. www.zionism-israel.com. 2005

Menszer, John. Holocaust Survivors. Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. www.holocaustsurvivors.org. 1999-2009.

Neilsen, Harald. The Holocaust Research Project. Holocaust Education and Archive Research Team. www.holocaustresearchproject.org. 2007.

Pictures of World War II. www.archives.gov. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

Strasser, Todd. The Wave. Laurel Leaf. 15, September 1981.

The History Place: The Rise of Adolf Hitler. www.historyplace.com. The History Place. 1996.

The Holocaust: As Seen Through the Eyes of a Survivor. Discovery Communications, LLC. www.unitedstreaming.com. 2009 Discovery Education.

The Holocaust History Project. www.holocaust-history.org. 1998-2003

Twentieth Century History. http://history1900s.about.com. The New York Times Company. 2009.

United Human Rights. www.unitedhumanrights.com. UHR.27, July 2006.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Holocaust Encyclopedia. www.ushmm.org. Washington, D.C. 7, October 2008

Witness: Voices from the Holocaust. Discovery Communications, LLC. www.unitedstreaming.com. 2009 Discovery Education.

World War II. www.world-war-2.info. 2003 Otherground, LLC and World-War-2.info.