Student+Activities+and+Assignments

The world has changed since the events of World War II and the Holocaust. People and social perspectives have shifted as have geographical borders and the names of various countries. In order to give students an understanding of how Holocaust events occurred, they need some foundational information about the world at that time. The following activities and assignments are intended to inform students of the state of the world and human culture during this period.
 * Introduction and Background**

The following document is a list of basic terms that occur throughout this unit. Students should define the following terms and discuss their meanings as a class.
 * 1. Basic Vocabulary**




 * 2. Mapping Activity**

Students should view the mapping video at the following web address: []

This video is a narrated geographical explanation of military and prisoner movements, and changing borders as a result of various military initiatives. It provides a look at European national borders during WWII and how they changed making victimization of large numbers of people possible. This link is provided by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

After viewing this video, have students compare the following WWII map to a current world map that can be found in their Social Studies text or online. Ask them to make note of the changes in borders and country names. When they have identified the differences, ask them to make inferences about why those changes have occurred. Once each student has a chance to complete these tasks, discuss as a class how much Europe has changed and why.

The above word document is used in a jigsaw activity. Students are grouped and assigned a section of this document. Each group is responsible for understanding their section and reporting back to the whole class group on its content. Once all sections are presented,

Using history as a tool to teach critical literacy and illustrate social justice can sometimes be difficult. As events become more distant from current times, they often become surreal and appear foreign to today's students. Providing students with opportunities to compare and contrast their lives to the lives of those studied creates a personal connection for students. This connection takes the learning from being distant and removed to a more personal and valued level.
 * 3. Personal Connections**

The following link leads to a teacher created lesson housed on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website. This lesson has students compare and contrast their families and activities with those of European Jews prior to Nazi invasion. This activity allows students to develop an understanding of the fact that Holocaust victims were REAL people very much like themselves.

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(This activity is usually conducted during the first section of __Night__ and __Devil's Arithmatic)__ Ghettoes were a means of control and organization for the Nazi party. This is a section of a city used to segregate part of the population from the rest. The Holocaust is not the first time ghettoes have been used in this manner in human history. The following information and materials provides students with a means of understanding the negative impact of segregation and how execution of such a large plan could be conducted.
 * 4. Ghettoes**



Additional information about this aspect of the Holocaust can be found at the following links: [] []

Students often wonder why the United States did not intervene sooner on behalf of those suffering in Nazi concentration Camps. In order to assist in their growing understanding of this period and event and to provide numerous perspectives of the Holocaust and WWII, students study not only Nazi concentration camps, but also American internment camps. Introduction of this information is done through a read aloud of the picture book __So Far from the Sea__ by Eve Bunting. The following link provides non-fiction and biographical type information for Japanese-American life before, during, and after internment. Also provided are discussion questions and writing prompts to be used with this portion of the study.
 * 5. Internment Camps**

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A recurring student question focuses on perceptions that European Jews did little to flee Nazi driven anti-semitism. The following resources explore this aspect of the Holocaust and WWII. It is important for students to understand that many did try to flee Nazi persecution only to be turned away from other countries. Another alternative offered was the dissolution of many Jewish families that resulted in permanent loss of loved ones but allowed children to survive through the Kindertransports.
 * 6. Fleeing Anti-Semitism**

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The above document is used in a jigsaw strategy. The text is divided into equal parts with each part assigned to a group of students. Each group reads their section identifying essential information. All groups come back together and report sequentially. This allows the class to gain a full perspective of the text without reading all of it which can be cumbersome in a limited class period. This approach also promotes discussion amongst students and the consideration of varying perspectives. The following is an example of student created artifacts from this strategy in conjunction with the above reading. These charts will remain on display in the classroom as a reference for students.



It is important for students to understand that in the face of evil and corruption, there is always hope. Exploring the various forms of resistance enacted during the Holocaust illustrates this idea for students. It also works to fight the misconception that European Jews did not act when faced with anti-semitism. The following link is attached to lessons and resources from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum regarding this aspect of the Holocaust. This lesson is identified for grades 10-12 in its current construct but adaptation is possible for other grade levels.
 * 7. Resistance**

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