Enduring Understanding
Learning about the Holocaust that took place during World War II is essential to
students’ pool of knowledge because, unfortunately, holocausts, or more commonly,
genocides, are not uncommon in this day and age. Students will analyze and discuss the
decisions of the Nazis’ in imprisoning certain groups during the war. They will explore
primary sources such as letters between Nazi officers and between prisoners; they will do
this through Internet resources found on their own and through resources I have provided.
They will also make use of secondary texts such as the textbook. Students will use their
knowledge of cause and effect to evaluate decisions and outcomes of the Holocaust. Then
with that knowledge they will compare the Holocaust to the genocide in Darfur, which
we have learned about in previous classes. Therefore, their knowledge is of the past, but
it is awareness that is enlarging their future.
Essential Questions
• How did the Nazi forces manage to control such a large group of people?
• What were the different forms of communication that were used during the war?
• How does the holocaust during WWII compare to the genocide of Darfur?
• What were the conditions of the concentration camps and how did those “living”
in them affect their well being?
Objectives
Students will be able to identify the different aspects of a concentration camp during
WWII.
Students will be able to compare the holocaust of WWII to the genocide of Darfur.
Students will be able to discuss the different facets of the Holocaust concentrating on the
living conditions, forms of communication, etc.
Rationale
As mentioned in the “enduring understanding” section, the study of the holocaust is a
timeless lesson in curriculum. However, this is for a vital reason; this was and will not be
the last holocaust that the world will unfortunately have to bear witness. Therefore,
students will have the opportunity to put into practice cause/effect and compare/contrast.
The students will be examining primary and secondary sources, which will come in great
help when they continue to higher education. In addition, students will compare a present
holocaust and how they are similar and different and how/why the world continues to let
these horrific situations take place. It is vital to have the Holocaust within a history
curriculum because it not only teaches students about a time in history, but also helps
them to understand empathy towards others. That is an emotion that this world seemed to
lack at this point in history.
Resources
• Internet websites that are current and reliable
• Text book
• YouTube videos: video.pbs.org/video/2260090446/;
http://youtu.be/aS98MAN3Xtg
• Primary sources: Concentration camp captives diary, letter entries
o http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/document/document.htm
o http://www.yadvashem.org
Day 1
Activity Element Procedures and management
& Time (in
Step-by step procedures including guiding
minutes)
questions, directions and main points.
Students
Describe what the students will be doing as a
result of your instructions.
Introduction:
-Today students will be exploring primary
-Students will receive the primary
sources that I have provided for them. The
readings at the beginning of class.
primary sources will allow the students to
They will also make use of the
question/answer why the Nazi powers were
able to control such a large group of people. textbook that is provided for the class
-Students will annotate the readings in order to itself.
contribute better to the large group discussion.
-This activity is in preparation for a larger
group discussion.
Activity 1
-Students will have picked up the primary
sources before taking their seats for the class
period.
-Students will be in groups of two to help one
another annotate the readings.
-I will be walking around the room to be sure
students are staying on task.
Transition
-After about 20 minutes have gone by
the class will come back together to
quickly debrief what they have
discovered through their readings.
-The viewing of the YouTube video
will also be shown during this time.
This is because it leaves students with
an image to think about when coming
into the discussion tomorrow.
-Students will be working with their partner of
their choosing, however, if they are too out of
control during the activity they will be
assigned partners by myself.
-Partners will work silently within in the first
10 minutes of class in order to read and absorb
the readings.
-Students will have 20 minutes to work
-How do you feel after reading these sources? together.
-Do these help you to answer how the Nazis
were able to control so many?
-Students will return to their original
seats, facing forward, ready to
contribute their findings before the end
of class.
-Students will view the video quietly.
Activity 2
Transition
-The students will complete a oneparagraph exit note on their
reactions/findings to their reading
done during the class.
-While keeping these questions in
mind:
How did the Nazi officials/officers
speak to one another through their
letters?
What was their tone/object of the
letters?
Do the letters/sources help you come
to a conclusion on how they went
about controlling so many?
-At the end of class I will remind
students to bring in their notes/sources
for the short discussion tomorrow.
-Also, I will ask the students to turn in
their exit notes before leaving for the
day.
-Students will work quietly on the exit
note in the last five minutes of class.
-They will turn in their exit notes as
they are walking out of class.
-As students are leaving class they will
turn in their exit notes on my desk.
Activity 3
Transition
Activity 4
Conclusion:
Day 2
Activity Element Procedures and management
& Time (in
Step-by step procedures including guiding
minutes)
questions, directions and main points.
Introduction:
In today’s class students will lead a discussion
on the actions of the Nazi Germans during the
Holocaust and if through their reading they are
able to come to a conclusions about their
actions.
Students
Describe what the students will be doing as a
result of your instructions.
Activity 1
-The desks will be set up in a circle before the -Students will file into the classroom and take
students arrive for the period.
their seats. I will have put their names on the
-The circle initiates more open communication desks so as to avoid friends sitting with friends
and allows the students to look at one another so that the conversation is focused on the
while they are speaking.
discussion and not side chatter.
-The point of this discussion is to have
-Students will be asked to have their notes out
students think critically about the primary
from yesterday for the Bell Activity
sources that they had investigated the previous
class.
Transition
-I will explain to the students how the -Students will be listening to me
discussion will work.
giving the instructions for the
-Each student is required to speak at discussion.
least twice during the discussion since -We will go over the discussion rules
it is taking place during the entire
and I will pose to them the questions
hour.
that they are to touch upon in their
-Students will be asked to address
discussion.
these two questions:
How were the Nazis, through your
investigative reading, able to control
such large amounts of people?
Why were the revolts conducted by the
prisoners unsuccessful?
-How would the living conditions have
affected morale?
Activity 2
-I will be walking around the room
taking notes on the students’
conversations.
-I will be taking marks as to who is
speaking and contributing worthwhile
comments and information to the
activity.
-I will be the mediator for the
discussion. As in, if the students get
off topic, I will help to steer it back to
the discussion.
-During the last ten minutes of the
class I will pose the question: How
does this Holocaust compare to the
recent genocide in Darfur?
-Again, I will be circulating the room
and keeping track of who is speaking.
Transition
Activity 3
-Students will conduct a discussion.
-The students will take about a minute
to gather their thoughts before
beginning the discussion again.
-Students will discuss how they think
the two are similar or different.
-Students will take notes on the
remainder of the discussion.
Transition
-I will ask students to finish up their -Students will wrap up their discussion
comments so that we can wrap up the with one or two students giving one
discussion.
last comment.
Activity 4
-Students will complete an exit note
for homework that is to be turned in at
the beginning of the next class. The
exit note is to be one page in length.
They are to keep in mind these
questions: How do you think the
discussion went? Was it smooth and
did it transition well through the
different topics? Did you enjoy this
type of learning environment?
-The exit note will be a way for me to
assess whether the students absorbed
the information put forth during the
discussion.
-Students will complete an exit note
for homework. They will answer the
question that I have posed to them,
which I will speak about orally and
have written on the board.
Conclusion:
-I will remind students to bring in their
homework for tomorrow’s class.
-Students will leave for the day.
Assessment:
Students will have completed exit notes for their assessments for these two days of
activities. The exit notes are a short summative paragraph about what they have learned
in class. Or as put forth in the second day of class, the exit notes can be thought of as a
few paragraphs of thought, especially after a discussion. The exit note allows me to gauge
how students understand the material, especially since a large chunk was performed in a
discussion mode. They allow me to see if certain aspects need to be gone over again or if
we are ready to move on as a class. In addition to the exit notes, I will also be assessing
students on the comments they put forth in the discussion. They will receive a point for
each contribution and extra points if they delve deeper into their comment. The questions
I ask students to answer directly correlate with the objectives that they are trying to reach,
therefore, through their written responses I will have a good idea of if the material is
being absorbed.