RUNNING HEAD: HOLOCAUST UNIT 1

Holocaust Unit

Samuel Larsen

Arizona State University

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Holocaust Unit

Rationale & Unit Outline

What has been called one of the darkest moments in human history demands attention.

Many say this is because we need to examine history so that we do not repeat the travesties that

have occurred. So why do mass genocides still happen in contemporary history? Through the

study of The Librarian of Auschwitz, Maus, and first-hand accounts of Holocaust survivors,

students will gain an understanding of what has happened. The examination of multiple forms of

expression including poetry and graphic novels enhances their understanding of historic events,

and the summative assessments included make conscious efforts to connect their historic

understanding to present day application. Through research on the events that led up to The

Holocaust, and making connections to contemporary parallels in this history, they will gain

awareness of the dangers associated with seemingly insignificant actions and ideas on a personal

and global scale.

DAY PLAN Guide (Journal Question)
MON Introduction to Holocaust History What do we already know
D-1 -Background on World War II (Reading) about the Holocaust
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-Expert groups focus on one subtopic in reading surrounding WWII?
then share out through worksheet

TUE Introduction to the literature on the holocaust How does understanding

D-2 -Discussion key terms assist our
-Class timeline explanation of activities knowledge of this genocide?
WED Introduce ABCS of the Holocaust Activity
D-3 -Begin working in class

THUR Work period

D-4 The ABCs of the Holocaust activity
FRI Share with small group on ABCs of the Holocaust What does the chapter
D-5 Form Literature Circles Groups convey about Auschwitz,
Read Ch. 1 of The Librarian of Auschwitz Together Block 31, Fredy Hirsch,
in class Dita’s personality, and
Dita’s past? How do the
Homework different scenes in this
Read Ch. 2; Prepare for Lit Circles chapter foreshadow
important themes and later
developments in the book?
MON Literature Circles meeting for Ch. 1 and 2
D-6
More context on how Jewish people were
corralled first into ghettos, then into “work
camps”
TUE Discussion of “The Final Solution”
D-7 Video Four
Read Ch 3 together in class

Homework
Read Ch. 4 & 5
WED Literature Circles meeting for Ch. 3, 4, 5
D-8
THUR Graphic Novel Lesson/Activity (Maus) How does Maus add to our
D-9 Read a section in class knowledge of the holocaust?
Discussion, create your own graphic activity What do graphic novels
accomplish when compared
Read Ch. 7 to The Librarian of
Auschwitz?
Homework
Read Ch. 8 & 9
FRI Literature Circles meeting for Ch. 7, 8, 9
D-10
Work on graphic novel adaptation to The Librarian
of Auschwitz in class

Homework
Graphic/comic adaptation of The Librarian of
Auschwitz
Read Ch. 10 & 11
MON Read Ch 12, 13 Who is Dr. Mengele? What
D-11 do the prisoners think about
Graphic/comic adaptation of Librarian of Auschwitz him? Why does Dita think
due he’s watching her? How is
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Lesson Plans

Intro to Unit Lesson Plan: The ABCs of the Holocaust - Grades: 10-11

Brief Description. Having students make an ABC book is a great way of teaching about

any topic. In this activity, each student might work on a single letter of the alphabet as the class

creates an ABC book, or small groups of students might create A to Z books. Students can use

online or library resources to complete the activity.

Objectives. Students will research sources to select words, such as terms, place names, or

people names, for each letter of the alphabet to best capture the history of the Holocaust.

Keywords. Holocaust, ABC, research, key terms.

Materials Needed. Internet Access/Library.

Lesson Plan. Students will use library and/or online resources to research and locate

important terms, place names, or people names related to the history of the Holocaust. Students

might work on their own, in small groups, or as a class to create Holocaust ABC books -- one

entry or more for each letter. For each entry, students write a definition that includes historical

background and provide an illustration. They might use online maps or photo sources too. When

the authors finish their projects, they have an opportunity to share the books and what they

learned with the class. The following online resources might be useful with this activity.

Assessment. Students will share their ABC books and provide background information

on unique entries in their books. Teachers will assess the quality of student research.

Lesson #2: How Graphic Novels Add to our Understanding - Grades: 10-11

Brief Description. Graphic novels are a fantastic way to incorporate the spirit of ELA
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into application through means that students are excited about. Its not another textbook or boring

novel, but something the students have much less apprehension cracking open. Together, we will

read several excerpts from Maus, and compare it to our primary reading of The Librarian of

Auschwitz. Students will produce a short essay where they make a claim concerning one of the

literary devices that they can identify in the text. How does Maus add to our knowledge of The

Holocaust? What do graphic novels accomplish when compared to The Librarian of Auschwitz?

Objectives. Students will examine and analyze how graphic novels add to our

understanding of the holocaust. Students will produce a small comic/graphic novel page that

applies the genre to The Librarian of Auschwitz.

Keywords. Literary device, Foreshadowing, Tone, Genre, Simile & Metaphor

Materials Needed. Maus graphic novel.

Lesson Plan. Teacher will introduce the concept of the graphic novel to the class and

outline its practicality for use of study. Teacher and class will read exerpts from Maus together.

Teacher will create how-to-graphic novel list with class. Teacher will outline assignment for
assessment.

Assessment. Create a 1 page application of graphic novel genre to The Librarian of

Auschwitz.

Lesson #3: Create Poetry from First-Person Testimony - Grades: 10-11

Brief Description. Students turn diary and journal entries and the recorded testimony of

people who witnessed the Holocaust into eloquent poetry. This is a lesson in the power of words.

How does poetry function where prose does not? What makes a good poem?

Objectives. Students will look for powerful descriptions of the Holocaust in the journals
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and recorded testimony of those who experienced the Holocaust. Students will emphasize the

power of those words by transforming them into eloquent poems.

Keywords. Poetry, Holocaust, journal, diary, first-hand account, Holocaust survivor.

Materials Needed. Internet Access: http://hmd.org.uk/resources/life-stories

Lesson Plan. Teacher will outline what makes effective poetry. Teacher will make how-

to-poetry list with the class. Teacher will show students how powerful language can be and read

a holocaust survivor piece with the class and model this type of selection of words. Students

will read their own piece from source cited in materials and look for powerful words in the

testimony and journal entries of those who witnessed the Holocaust. They will transform those

words from prose to poetic form.

Assessment. Students will post their poems (with or without names) on a bulletin board.

Lesson Plan #4: Final Paper on events that contributed to The Holocaust - Grades: 10-11

Brief Description. The Holocaust is marked as one of the darkest times in human

history. This murder of Jews, minorities, and other “undesirables” is one of the largest recorded
genocides. Many argue study of this tragic period so that it does not happen again—but genocide

seems to tragically reoccur throughout world history, as recently as what is happening currently

in Syria. What events led up to The Holocaust that is the focus of our book, and what are some

parallels with the continual mass murder?

Objectives. Students will create a minimum 2 page, MLA formatted paper with 3 sources

that outline 3 specific events that contributed to the Holocaust, with at least 1 parallel to mass

genocides that still continually occur in the present day.

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Keywords. Genocide, contributing factors, reliable sources.

Lesson Plan. Teacher will outline some of the factors that contributed to The Holocaust.

Teacher will show that tragic events like this dark time still are occurring to this day. Teacher

will outline assignment for students.

Assessment. Students will create a minimum 2 page, MLA formatted paper with 3

sources that outline 3 specific events that contributed to the Holocaust, with at least 1 parallel to

mass genocides that still continually occur in the present day.

DEFINING FEATURES OF TRUE LITERATURE CIRCLES

From Literature-Circles: Voice and choice in the student-centered classroom by Harvey Daniels.
Stenhouse Publishers, York, ME.
Literature circles are small, temporary discussion groups who have chosen to read the same
story, poem, article, or book. While reading each group- determined portion of the text (either in
or outside of class), each member prepares to take specific responsibilities in the upcoming
discussion, and everyone comes to the group with the notes needed to help perform that job. The
circles have regular meetings, with discussion roles rotating each session. When they finish a
book, the circle members plan a way to share highlights of their reading with the wider
community,- then they trade members with other finishing groups, select more reading, and
move into a new cycle. Once readers can successfully conduct their own wide-ranging, self-
sustaining discussions, formal discussion roles may be dropped.
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1. Groups meet on a regular, predictable schedule to discuss their reading.

2. Kids use written or drawn notes to guide both their reading and discussion.
3. Discussion topics come from the students.
4. Group meetings aim to be open, natural conversations about book, so personal connections,
digressions, and open-ended questions are welcome.
5. In newly forming groups, students play a rotating assortment of task roles.
6. The teacher serves as a facilitator, not a group member or instructor.
7. Evaluation is by teacher observation and student self-eva1uation.
8. A spirit of playfulness and fun pervades the room.
9. When books are finished, readers share with their classmates

DISCUSSION DIRECTOR

Name: __________________________________________________________________\
Group:__________________________________________________________________
Book: __________________________________________________________________
Assignment: page __________ to page __________
Discussion Director: Your job is to develop a list of questions that your group might want to
discuss about this part of the book. Don’t worry about the small details: your task is to help
people talk over the big ideas in the reading and share their reactions. Usually the best discussion
questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns as you read, which you can list
below, during or after your reading. Or you may use some of the general questions below to
develop topics for your group.
Possible discussion questions or topics for today:
1. ______________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________
4.______________________________________________________________________
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Sample questions:
What was going through your mind while you read this?
How did you feel while reading this part of the book?
What was discussed in this section of the book?
Can someone summarize briefly?
Did today’s reading remind you of any real-life experiences?
What questions did you have when you finished this section?
Did anything in this section of the book surprise you?
What are the one or two most important ideas?
Predict some things you think will be talked about next.
Topic to be carried over to the next meeting: ________________________
Assignment for next meeting: page ______ to page______ Next meeting date ____________
LITERARY LUMINARY
Name: __________________________________________________________________
Group:__________________________________________________________________
Book: __________________________________________________________________
Assignment: page __________ to page __________
Literary Luminary: Your job is to locate a few special sections of the text that your group
would like to hear read aloud. The idea is to help people remember some interesting, powerful,
funny, puzzling, or important sections of the text. You decided which passages or paragraphs are
worth hearing, and then jot plans for how they should be shared. You can read passages aloud
yourself, ask someone else to read them, or have people read them silently and then discuss.
Location Reason for Picking Plan for Reading
1. Page ____ ________________________________ __________________
Paragraph ___ ________________________________ __________________
2. Page ____ ________________________________ __________________
Paragraph___ ________________________________ __________________
3.Page ____ ________________________________ __________________
Paragraph ___ ________________________________ __________________
Possible reasons for picking a passage to be shared:
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Important Informative Funny Well written

Surprising Controversial Confusing Thought-provoking
Other:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Topic to be carried over to the next meeting:
___________________________________________
Assignment for tomorrow: page ______ to page ______ Next Meeting Date __________
CONNECTOR
Name: __________________________________________________________________
Group:__________________________________________________________________
Book: __________________________________________________________________
Assignment: page __________ to page _________
Connector: Your job is to rind connections between the book your group is reading and the
world outside. This means connecting the reading to your own life, to happenings at school or in
the community, to similar events at other times and places, to other people or problems that you
are reminded of. You might also see connections between this book and other writings on the
same topic, or by the same writer. There are no right answers here—whatever the reading
connects you with is worth sharing!
Some connections found between this reading and other people, places, events, writers…
1.___________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
4.____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Topic to be carried over to the next meeting:
___________________________________________
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Assignment for tomorrow: page ______ to page ______ Next Meeting Date _______
ILLUSTRATOR
Name: __________________________________________________________________
Group:__________________________________________________________________
Book: __________________________________________________________________
Assignment: page __________ to page __________
Illustrator: Your job is to draw some kind of picture related to the reading. It can be a sketch,
cartoon, diagram, flow chart, or stick-figure scene. You can draw a picture of something that’s
discussed specifically in your book, or something that the reading reminded you of, or a picture
that conveys any idea or feeling you got from the reading. Any kind of drawing or graphic is
okay—you can even label things with words if that helps. Make your drawing on the other
side of this sheet or on a separate sheet.
Presentation plan: When the Discussion Director invites your participation, you may show your
picture without comment to the others in the group. One at a time, they get to speculate what
your picture means, to connect the drawing to their own ideas about the reading. After everyone
has had a say, you get the last word: tell them what your picture means, where it came from, or
what it represents to you.
Topic to be carried over to the next meeting:
___________________________________________

Assignment for tomorrow: page ______ to page ______

From Literature-Circles: Voice and choice in the student-centered classroom by Harvey Daniels.
Stenhouse Publishers, York, ME.
VOCABULARY ENRICHER
Name: __________________________________________________________________
Group:__________________________________________________________________
Book: __________________________________________________________________
Assignment: page __________ to page __________
Vocabulary Enricher: Your job is to be on the lookout for a few especially important words in
today’s reading. If you find words that are puzzling or unfamiliar, mark them while you are
reading, and then later jot down their definitions, either from a dictionary or some other source.
You may also run across familiar words that stand out somehow in the reading—words that are
repeated a lot, used in an unusual way, or key to the meaning of the text. Mark these special
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words too, and be ready to point them out to the group. When your circle meets, help members
find and discuss these words
Page No. & Paragraph Word Definition

Topic to be carried over to the next meeting:

___________________________________________
Assignment for tomorrow: page ______ to page ______ Next Meeting Date __________
From Literature-Circles: Voice and choice in the student-centered classroom by Harvey Daniels.
Stenhouse Publishers, York, ME.
SUMMARIZER
Name: __________________________________________________________________
Group:__________________________________________________________________
Book: __________________________________________________________________
Assignment: page __________ to page __________
Summarizer: Your job is to prepare a brief summary of today’s reading. The other members of
you group will be counting on you to give a quick (one- or two-minute) statement that conveys
the gist, the key points, the main highlights, the essence of today’s reading assignment. If there
are several main ideas or events to remember, you can use the numbered slots below.
Summary:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Key points:
1.___________________________________________________________________________
2.___________________________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________________________
4.___________________________________________________________________________
5.____________________________________________________________________________

Topic to be carried over to the next meeting:

___________________________________________
Assignment for tomorrow: page ______ to page ______ Next Meeting Date _________