Book Talk
Have students read the excerpts from Block 11. During students reading, have them keep a response journal to record what they are reading. Instead of summarizing the material, they are to reflect upon it and relate what they have read to their own lives. Responses might begin with a brief summary, or the statement, "The themes of this book are..." but the main portion of the response states, "This reminded me of a time in my life when..." or "These themes are relevant today because...." When they are finished have the students pair themselves with a partner and record these partners on a sign-up sheet. For the Homework assignment students are to correspond with their reading partner via email, sharing portions of their journals, questions they might have, new words, dilemmas, and issues brought up by the reading that left them puzzled. Remind students to add the teacher into the mailing list when they email their partners.
NCSS Theme Addressed- #3 People, Places, and Environments
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
NCSS Theme Addressed- #3 People, Places, and Environments
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
Teaching Research Skills
Explain to students about how Nazis viewed several groups as racially inferior including: Jews, Africans, the disabled, Gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses, and others. After new German laws were adopted between 1933 and 1935, 500 children of African heritage, many of Germany's 30,000 Gypsies, and up to 350,000 disabled individuals were involuntarily sterilized by surgery or radiation. These people were also prohibited from marrying Germans. Nazis used gas chambers, pills, injection, starvation and other means to systematically kill millions of Poles, disabled, Jews, Gypsies, Communists, and Soviets. After giving students background information, pass around the T4 Medical questionnaire primary document for them to see and have them discuss the following questions: Is it ethical to prevent any person from becoming a parent? If so, under what conditions? (Race, sexual orientation, genetic disease/health, age, criminal history) Under those conditions, should sterilization be compulsory? Are human rights and privacy rights violated when the right to parenthood is denied? Should nations or states have the right to enact laws regarding compulsory sterilization? After discussion, have students do an online investigation of the Federal law, the constitution, and United Nations human rights declarations related to the right to reproduce. Explain to students that they only need to use valid websites for information. (eg. URLS ending with .org, .gov, .edu) Have students present their findings.
NCSS Theme Addressed- #5 Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
NCSS Theme Addressed- #5 Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
Inside Outside Circles
Have students watch video of The Wave, which is a documentary about a social experiment that was conducted by a teacher and his students in a high school classroom in 1960’s California. The social experiment was meant to simulate how Hitler rose to power in 1930’s Germany but the experiment had to be halted prematurely by the teacher because it was beginning to become a reality for the students after they got caught up in the Wave movement. After viewing The Wave documentary, split the students into two groups. Decide which half of the students will form the inside circle and which half will form the outside circle. Then put one of the questions from below on the board. Give students at least thirty seconds to think of an answer on their own. Ask students in the inside circle to share their response with the classmate facing them in the outside circle. When they have done this, ask them to say "pass,” at which point their partners in the outside circle will share their responses. On the teachers signal, have the outside circle move one step to the left or right and discuss a new question with the new partner. Repeat this process until all questions are answered.
On Laurie?
On Mr. Ross?
- When and where did this experiment occur?
- What was Mr. Ross' motive for the experiment?
- What was the first reaction of the class to Mr. Ross?
- What were the effects on the class?
On Laurie?
On Mr. Ross?
- What was Mrs. Ross' attitude about the movement?
- State at least two reasons why Laurie was troubled by the experiment.
- What were the three key words or concepts of the movement?
- List two positive and two negative effects of the concepts.
- What rules did Mr. Ross and the movement use to motivate people?
- What other methods can be used to unit a group?
- What made Mr. Ross realize that he must bring the experiment to an end?
- What effect did The Wave have on the relationship between David and Laurie?
- Who did Mr. Ross say is the actual leader of The Wave?
- Why did David believe it is all right to hurt a few people?
- How can movements such as The Wave be defeated?
- Discuss the difference between having an interest in something and fanaticism?
- Mr. Ross said, "It is amazing how much they like you when you make their decisions for them." Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Why is decision-making so difficult?
- Was Mr. Ross right or wrong in manipulating his students as he did? Defend your answer.
- What does this experiment say about the causes of the Holocaust?
- What does this film say about authority and power?
- Is authority necessarily evil? Why? Why not?
- Are there situations where obedience is necessary? Explain.
NCSS Theme Addressed- #6 Power, Authority, and Governance
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.2 Analyze the ways that the responses of the governments of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy to the economic and political challenges of the 1920s and 1930s contributed to the renewal of international hostilities in the years leading to World War II.
Diaries and Memoirs
Discuss with students the differences between a diary and a memoir. Provide examples of each listed below. Explain that the important difference is that history unfolds in the diary without the diarist knowing the outcome. The author of a memoir has a different agenda. Ask what famous diaries and memoirs the students heard of. Have students create a KWL Chart: What do the students KNOW, What do they WANT to know, then What have they LEARNED.
Discuss with students the following questions:
1. Why do people keep diaries? Sometimes diaries are kept to record upsetting, dangerous, or difficult times in people's lives. How likely would you be to record events truthfully and accurately? Does it matter?
2. Why did Anne Frank's diary become so famous? Is this diary more of a coming-of-age book than a Holocaust book? Have students debate this issue.
3. Who do diarists write for, themselves or a possible unseen audience? Do they ever hope or intend for their work to be published, as a way to document their experiences? Holocaust victims who kept diaries have often stated their intent to "let the world know" what life was like during the Holocaust.
After discussion, have students participate in a literary circle using a passage of their choosing from a diary or memoir. How does each student feel the character or writer is like himself or herself? What are the similar hopes and dreams shared by the students and the diarist? What about fears, worries, complaints?
NCSS Theme Addressed-#4 Individual Development and Identity
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
Discuss with students the following questions:
1. Why do people keep diaries? Sometimes diaries are kept to record upsetting, dangerous, or difficult times in people's lives. How likely would you be to record events truthfully and accurately? Does it matter?
2. Why did Anne Frank's diary become so famous? Is this diary more of a coming-of-age book than a Holocaust book? Have students debate this issue.
3. Who do diarists write for, themselves or a possible unseen audience? Do they ever hope or intend for their work to be published, as a way to document their experiences? Holocaust victims who kept diaries have often stated their intent to "let the world know" what life was like during the Holocaust.
After discussion, have students participate in a literary circle using a passage of their choosing from a diary or memoir. How does each student feel the character or writer is like himself or herself? What are the similar hopes and dreams shared by the students and the diarist? What about fears, worries, complaints?
NCSS Theme Addressed-#4 Individual Development and Identity
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
selection_list_of_holocaust_diaries_and_memoirs.docx | |
File Size: | 19 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Simulation
First have students go to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website and choose one concentration camp ID card. The link is provided below. These inmate cards are original IDs of real victims who either perished during or survived the holocaust. For this simulation the students are to read about the life of the person that they have chosen. Break the students up into two groups of about 10 students each, depending on how many students are in the class. First, have the students discuss with their group the details of their person’s lives and if they survived the holocaust. Next, set the scene for the students: Have them imagine that they are concentration camp inmates during the holocaust. Tell them that because some other prisoners escaped, they will be punished for the escapees’ actions. Explain to them that because Germany has begun to lose the war, the Nazi’s have mandated that all prisoners that are able to work should be kept alive and not killed for unnecessary reasons. Therefore, only one of the members of the group is to be killed for the punishment. Have the groups of students to decide which one of them should be chosen. This is a great simulation activity that could be used to introduce Block 11 to the students or to introduce the topic of the holocaust in general. Students can stand in the shoes of a holocaust victim for a class period and better understand the many atrocities that were committed by Nazis during the holocaust.
www.ushmm.org/
NCSS Theme Addressed- #8 Science, Technology, and Society
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
MWH-7.2 Analyze the ways that the responses of the governments of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy to the economic and political challenges of the 1920s and 1930s contributed to the renewal of international hostilities in the years leading to World War II.
www.ushmm.org/
NCSS Theme Addressed- #8 Science, Technology, and Society
State Standard Addressed- Standard MWH-7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warfare in the first half of the twentieth century.
State Indicator Addressed- MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
MWH-7.2 Analyze the ways that the responses of the governments of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy to the economic and political challenges of the 1920s and 1930s contributed to the renewal of international hostilities in the years leading to World War II.