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Social Studies Unit Plan C&I 448 I. UNIT TOPIC and STATEGY BACKGROUND A. 5th Grade—Unit 2: Justice, Freedom, and Equality in Wartime Relationship between WWI and WWII Geography of WWI and WWII The U.S. Role in WWI and WWII Champaign-Urbana and Illinois during WWI and WWII Relationship between War, Justice, Equality, and Freedom The Holocaust and Human Reaction to Genocide Memorial Day and Veterans Day B. Background information on unit topic and perspective from school, students, community, teachers, other non-academic sources. Perspective of a 5th grade teacher “We spend a quarter studying the Holocaust. The students read a variety of different sources, a few of which are primary sources, so that they can gain a deeper understanding of the causes of the Holocaust and the atrocities that occurred. We try to present students with the stories of the victims and the rescuers so that students can begin to understand the horrors of the Holocaust. We have students read books such as, Surviving Hitler, And I Never Saw Another Butterfly, and In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. Reading these books helps children see the Holocaust from a variety of perspectives, which is essential for them to have a more complete understanding of any historical event.” Perspective of a 5th grade student at a rural school. “Well, I know that we will be doing a big unit on WWII starting in January. We mostly use our social studies book to learn about things, so I suppose that is how we will learn about this, too. We might even watch videos because my teacher likes to show movies. I do know a little bit about the war since my Great-Uncle fought in it, but he doesn’t really talk about it too much.” Perspective of a 4th grade teacher. “By fifth grade, the two world wars become the focus of numerous social studies lessons. Especially important is the US role in the two conflicts and the standards specially call for teachers to teach about Wilson and Roosevelt. Fifth graders also look at how World War One led to resentment that brought about the rise of Hitler and caused World War Two. C. Background information on unit topic and perspectives from academic readings. Many teachers when providing their students with instruction about the Holocaust, tend to focus on the Jewish people who were murdered because they represented Hitler’s primary target. However, Jewish people represented approximately six million of the eleven million victims. The remaining five million individuals who represented nearly half of the victims targeted by Hitler and the Nazis are typically overlooked in instruction. When teachers are planning lessons for their students about the Holocaust, they need to make sure that they also provide the students with materials which also present the stories of the millions of non-Jewish victims who were persecuted by the Nazis. Non-Jewish victims of the Holocaust included gypsies, homosexuals, feminists, the disabled, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Czechs, Slovaks, Russians (most people of Eastern European descent), and Catholics. Another racial group, which has been typically overlooked when one is studying the Holocaust, is Africans. Similarly to those individuals who were of Jewish descent, Hitler viewed Africans as polluting the “Master race”. Hitler’s views of Africans stemmed from WWI when the French utilized African soldiers in order to combat German forces. Following World War I, many of the African soldiers who fought against the German forces married German women and produced children who had a mixed racial and ethnic heritage. “Some of these black soldiers married white German women that bore children referred to as ‘Rhineland Bastards’ or the ‘Black Disgrace’. In Mein Kampf, Hitler said he would eliminate all the children born of African-German descent because he considered them an ‘insult’ to the German nation” (http://www.holocaustforgotten.com/fivmil.htm). Hitler despised Africans so much that he promoted a program of sterilization for any children who were of a mixed racial heritage or background. Approximately 400 children who were of a mixed racial background (those who resembled Africans) were sterilized by the Nazis as part of their program to purify the Aryan race. Throughout our unit on the Holocaust, we tried to provide children with the perspective of as many of the victims of the Holocaust as possible because if children are not exposed to a variety of different perspectives, they do not gain a complete understanding of a topic. As a teacher, it is also important to provide students with the perspective of individuals who were part of Hitler’s efforts, particularly those children who were persuaded to join Hitler’s Youth Group. Allowing children to also see the events of the Holocaust from this group’s perspective will help them to understand the power and influence of groupthink. It will also allow them to gain a better understanding of how seemingly ordinary individuals, who were children, could be persuaded to adopt a particular ideology. Much recent research has been devoted to the importance of providing students with multiple perspectives so that they can gain a better understanding of historical events. By providing students with this often overlooked perspective, we are helping to ensure that students gain a more thorough understanding of the Holocaust. 1. Berenbaum, Michael. A Mosaic of Victims: Non-Jews Murdered and Persecuted By the Nazis. New York: New York University Press, 1990. Book which provides the often forgotten perspective of non-Jews who perished in the Holocaust. 2. Lusane, Clarence. Hitler’s Black Victims: The Historical Experiences of Afro-Germans, European Blacks, Africans, and African-Americans in the Nazi Era. New York: Routledge, 2003. Interesting book which offers the perspective of another group of people who were also victims of Nazi hatred in World War II who are often overlooked. This was a perspective we had never even thought of as we were constructing our unit on World War I and World War II. 3. Time-Life Books. The Time-Life History of WWII. New York: Time-Life Books. 1989. This book talks about the causes of World War II and makes connections between the end of the first World War and the beginning of the second. D. Background information on instructional strategies. Top Ten Instructional Strategies 1. Focused Imaging Focused Imaging, the process of internally visualizing an object, event, or situation, has the potential to nurture and enhance a student's creativity (Bagley & Hess, 1987). Imaging enables students to relax and allow their imaginations to take them on journeys, to "experience" situations first hand, and to respond with their senses to the mental images formed. In the classroom, imaging exercises nurture and develop students' creative potentials. Teachers can encourage divergent thinking by asking students to transform a teacher guided image into several others of their own creation, to imagine various solutions for spatial or design problems, or to visualize a particular scene or event and then imagine what might happen next. Imaging provides a focus and an opportunity for openminded exploration of new concepts in all areas of study. It can help broaden students' conceptual understanding of subject area material, especially complex concepts and processes. Imaging allows students to connect their prior experiences to new ideas under investigation. Source: Instructional Strategies Online http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/focusedimaging/ 2. Structured Brainstorm Structured Brainstorm is a means of gathering information about students’ prior knowledge on a topic in an organized manner. The teacher may begin by posing a question or a problem, or by introducing a topic. Students then express and record possible answers, relevant words and ideas, and then circle key words and questions. Lists can then be classified and headings given to each group. The teacher can then display the brainstorm lists around the room. One important element of Structured Brainstorm is that all contributions are accepted without criticism or judgment. Initially, some students may be reluctant to speak out in a group setting but brainstorming is an open sharing activity, which encourages all children to participate. By expressing ideas and listening to what others say, students adjust their previous knowledge or understanding, accommodate new information and increase their levels of awareness. By pooling ideas and sharing these with others in an organized manner, students help to set the direction for an investigation on the topic or questions posed. Source: Integrating Socially, chapter 6 “Useful Strategies for Social Education” 3. Concept Diagram A concept diagram is a plan, sketch, drawing, or outline designed to demonstrate or explain how something works or to clarify the relationship between the parts of a whole. This graphic organizer assists students in clarifying central concepts in a reading selection and in relating similar or associated information to this key idea. Social Skills Instruction teaches specific skills in order to promote positive interpersonal relationships. Source: “Concept Diagram.” Just Read Now! Beacon Learning Center. 20 Oct. 2005. http://www.justreadnow.com/strategies/diagram.htm. 4. Readers’ Theatre Readers’ theatre is a joint dramatic reading from a text, usually with no memorization, no movement and a minimum of props. It involves children in oral reading through reading parts in scripts. Unlike traditional theatre, the emphasis is on oral expression of the part - rather than on acting and costumes. Reader’s Theatre enables students to bring a text to life and together create a powerful interpretation. It also offers less confident readers support from peers and provides a genuine social purpose for attentive reading. Source: Instructional Strategies Online http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/readerstheatre/index.html 5. PNI: Positive–Negative-Interesting to See The purpose of PNI is to assist students to analyze a particular situation, encourage creative thinking, and develop the understanding that there are many ways of looking at one issue. The teacher selects an issue that is related to the topic being studied. Students then brainstorm issues arising from this possibility under the three headings; positive, focusing on perceived positive outcomes, negative: focusing on perceived negative outcomes, and interesting to see: questions that arise from the main idea. Source: Integrating Socially, chapter 6 “Useful Strategies for Social Education” 6. Research Contracts The purpose of a Research Contract is to encourage students to work efficiently and independently, allow a particular path of interest, and gather a range of data to bring back to the class as a whole. With a partner or individually, students will write a question that they wish to further explore, brainstorm ways to gather information, and then consider how this information will be presented to others. The group will develop a timeline that provides completion dates for the various parts of the project, noting who will complete each part. The students and teacher will sign the contract, one agreed. Source: Integrating Socially, chapter 6 “Useful Strategies for Social Education” 7. Think-Pair-Share Think-Pair-Share is a strategy designed to provide students with "food for thought" on a given topics enabling them to formulate individual ideas and share these ideas with another student. First, announce a discussion topic or problem to solve. Give students at least 10 seconds of think time to THINK of their own answer. Ask students to PAIR with their partner to discuss the topic or solution. Finally, randomly call on a few students to SHARE their ideas with the class. Source: Instructional Strategies Online http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/think/index.html 8. Learning Maps Learning Maps help students to develop an understanding of the purposes behind the activities in which they are engaged in and encourage students to develop skills of reflection. The Learning Map also allows students to trace their own journey through the process of inquiry. In pairs or individually, students draw the journey of the unit as they might a story map, in a sequential order. Students will include brief recounts of the activities and annotate their maps with reflective comments about how they felt about the unit and activities. Source: Integrating Socially, chapter 6 “Useful Strategies for Social Education” 9. Peer Teaching Peer Teaching helps students develop an understanding of the topics at hand by having a peer explain and represent and idea to another student. Students may be paired or grouped for this activity, either heterogeneously or homogenously. 10. Cooperative Learning Cooperative Learning aims to have students work in a collaborative team with a heterogeneous group of students. In cooperative learning, individuals work together towards a common goal. Source: Candler, L. (2005).The Cooperative Learning Network. Retrieved October 20, 2005 http://home.att.net/~clnetwork/ Instructional Strategy: Cooperative Learning What is Cooperative Learning? Cooperative Learning aims to have students work in a collaborative team with a heterogeneous group of students. In cooperative learning, individuals work together towards a common goal. The main focus is on the interdependence of learning among all students in the classroom. Cooperative learning therefore makes students accountable for not only their own learning but also for their peers. Other basic elements of cooperative learning include face-toface interaction, individual accountability, group skills, and group processing (Putnam). How does Cooperative Learning Work? Cooperative learning works by having students work in groups on activities that allow them to discuss, problem solve, and work towards goals. Although the students work toward the same goal, the achievement of the group is dependent on all group members’ contributions. Students are also held “individually responsible” (Putnam, 19) for the material and contributing to the group’s success. There are many different types of cooperative learning activities, including Jigsaw, Think-Pair-Share, Expert Groups, and Advanced Graphic Organizers (ex. KWL chart), to just name a few (Rivera). After the activity, students should take an individual assessment of the material and also fill out a self-evaluation form to reflect on how they worked in the group. For whom is Cooperative Learning appropriate for? There are many situations in the real-world that require students to work collaboratively in a group setting to achieve a common goal. It is therefore essential and beneficial to provide all students with the opportunity to develop both interpersonal and group skills. Promoting high levels of peer interaction through cooperative learning leads to the development of “mutual respect, commitment, and friendship” (Putnam, 83) among students. Ultimately, cooperative learning fosters the application and practice of collaborative skills within a natural setting (group work) and promotes achievement of students both with and without learning disabilities. How practical is Cooperative Learning? Cooperative learning strategies help a diverse group of learners reach academic achievement because of group rewards, individual accountability, and equal opportunity. Students must work together towards the group’s final product, yet individual accountability ensures that all students are doing a fair share of the work. Also, equal opportunity allows for all students, “regardless of their ability levels, the opportunity to improve on their past performance” (Putnam, 25). Cooperative learning holds great promise for students with learning disabilities because it enables students to practice concepts, problem solve with peers, make connections, and develop collaborative skills (Rivera). Where to find additional information: Candler, L. (2005).The Cooperative Learning Network. Retrieved October 20, 2005 http://home.att.net/~clnetwork/ Putnam, J. (1998). Cooperative Learning and Strategies for Inclusion. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Rivera, D. (1996). Using Cooperative Learning to Teach Mathematics to Students with Learning Disabilities. LDOnline. Retrieved October 20th, 2005 . http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/math_skills/coopmath.html Literacy Learning Strategy: Concept Diagrams What Are Concept Diagrams? A concept diagram is a plan, sketch, drawing, or outline designed to demonstrate or explain how something works or to clarify the relationship between the parts of a whole. This graphic organizer assists students in clarifying central concepts in a reading selection and in relating similar or associated information to this key idea. There are seven steps on which the concept diagram is built. These include: convey the central idea, offer the overall concept, note any key words, classify characteristics, explore examples and non-examples, practice with new examples, and tie down the definition. This sequence of steps gives students a clear approach for organizing and interpreting the content of a reading selection. How do Concept Diagrams work? The steps to create a concept diagram are: 1.) Select a reading text for class discussion. 2.) Have students identify the main idea of the context and the major sub ideas or concepts. 3.) Ask students to write down all of the key words they have found and group them in logical categories. (This can be done in groups or individually.) 4.) Encourage students to write examples and non-examples of key words and concepts. 5.) Have students produce a set definition for key words and concepts by combining what they learned when grouping the words and providing examples. For whom are Concept Diagrams appropriate? Concept diagrams are very beneficial for visual learners. However, these diagrams are also helpful for students who have difficulty with organization, and students who struggle to put their ideas into writing. Furthermore, concept diagrams aid students who have trouble remembering content material they have read. In addition, there are many technology programs, like Inspiration and Kispiration, that include headings, questions, and pictures to aid students with attention disorders or students who are English language learners. These programs would also benefit students who do not have the fine motor skills that enable them to write or draw. How practical are Concept Diagrams? This strategy is very practical for students of all grade levels and learning abilities. Organization skills need to be established as early as possible, and concept diagrams are great for providing a format that students can use in all subject areas throughout their education. Also, concept diagrams can easily be used as outlines to organize students’ ideas for writing and can serve as a guideline for notes that students take as they read a piece of literature. Where to find additional information: “Concept Diagram.” Just Read Now! Beacon Learning Center. 20 Oct. 2005. http://www.justreadnow.com/strategies/diagram.htm. Jenks, Christopher J. Teaching Reading Strategies to English Language Learners. Virginia; Dec. 2002. University of Illinois On-line Journal. Search: ERIC. Keyword: Concept Diagrams. Salen, Spencer J. Creating Inclusive Classrooms Effective and Reflective. Fifth Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, Merill Prentice Hall, 2005. II. RESOURCE REVIEW A. General Resource Review World War I References Children’s Literature DK Eyewitness Books. World War I. New York: DK Children, 2004. (Non-Fiction) Explains why World War I began, who was involved, and why the U.S. became involved. McGowan, Tom. World War I. New York: Franklin Watts, 1993. (Non-Fiction) Good introductory book to familiarize students with the reasons behind why the War started, the changes that occurred on the home front during the war, etc. Web Sites BBC: Schools Online. World War I. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/. 2 November 2005. Wonderful website that presents students and teachers with primary source documents such as poems, journals, diaries, letters, etc. written by soldiers, citizens on the home front, etc. Plotke, Joan. The World War I Document Archive. 1 July 2005. http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/. 2 November 2005. Very comprehensive website that offers student and teachers with a variety of different perspectives on World War I. PBS. The Great War.1996. http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/. 2 November 2005. Website that provides teachers and students with an interactive timeline, maps, Educational resources, etc. Teacher References Heyman, Neil M. World War I. New York: Greenwood Press, 1997. (Non-Fiction) Good book for teachers to use to gain relevant background information on the War. Provides teachers with many primary source documents and relevant historical information. World War II References Children’s Literature Hart, Allison. A Spy on the Home Front. New York: American Girl, 2005. (Fiction) Story of a young German-American girl who is placed in an internment camp due to her German ancestry. Houston, Jeanne. Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese-American Internment During and After World War II. New York: Laurel Leaf, 1983. (Non-Fiction) Excellent book to use with children to show the perspective of JapaneseAmericans during World War II. Mochizuki, Ken. Baseball Saved Us. New York: Lee and Low, 1993. (Non-Fiction) Picture book which presents a young child’s perspective as he was interned during World War II. Good book to use with students to show them the effects of war on Japanese people during the U.S.’s involvement in WWII. Stanley, Jerry. I am an American: A True Story of Japanese Internment. New York: Crown Books, 1994. (Non-Fiction) Excellent book to use with intermediate level students. Presents the story of a young Japanese boy and his family during WWII in America. The book presents students with the causes and results of Japanese internment during the war. Sullivan, George. The Day Pearl Harbor was Bombed: A Photo History of World War II. New York: Scholastic, 1991. (Non-Fiction) Presents students with an overview of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the U.S.’s resulting involvement. Good way to involve students in the event which precipitated the U.S. involvement in WWII. Websites Barry, Dick. The World War II U.S. Veterans Website. 2002. http://ww2.vet.org/. 2 November 2005. Excellent web page for students to contact veterans and obtain first hand accounts of what the war was like. Holocaust References Children’s Literature: Adler, David. The Number on My Grandfather’s Arm. New York: Urj Press, 1987. (Fiction). A seemingly simplistic book which powerfully introduces children to the horrors of the Holocaust. Ayer, Eleanor. Parallel Journeys. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1995. (Non-Fiction) Parallel Journeys is the true story of two children during World War II. The story recounts the experiences of Alfons, a member of Hitler’s youth and Helen, a young girl who survived the Holocaust. The two unite forty years after the war to inform people of their experiences. Excellent book to show students different perspectives during war time. Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler’s Shadow. New York: Scholastic, 2005. This would be an excellent book to use with intermediate grade students so that they are presented with another perspective which is essential to understanding the Holocaust. This book would allow students to better understand the power and influence of groupthink, particularly during times of conflict. Feder, Paula Kurzband. The Feather Bed Journey. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman and Company, 1995. (Fiction) Picture book which tells the story of a young girl who discovers her grandmother’s struggles during the Holocaust in Poland. An excellent book to help introduce children to the horrors of the Holocaust. Fox, Anne. Ten Thousand Children: True Stories Told by Children Who Escaped the Holocaust on the Kindertransport. New York: Behrman Publishing, 1998. (Non-Fiction) An excellent book which presents the stories of children who were able to escape the Nazi concentration camps through aid provided by the British. Frank, Anne. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. New York: Bantam Books, 1993. (Non-Fiction) A first-hand account of a young girl’s experiences as she and her family tried to avoid capture by the Nazis. Excellent book to engage young students in the experiences of children during the Holocaust. Friedman, Ira. The Other Victims: First Person Stories of Non-Jews Persecuted by the Nazis. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. (Non-Fiction) Good book to use with intermediate grade students because it presents the stories from the perspectives of the often overlooked victims of the Holocaust—nonJews. Levine, Ellen. Darkness Over Denmark: The Danish Resistance and the Rescue of the Jews. New York: Holiday House, 2000. (Non-Fiction) A good book to accompany Number the Stars. Tells the stories of various Danish people who risked their lives to defy the Nazis. Good book to use with students who are in the intermediate grades. Lobel, Anita. No Pretty Picture: A Child of War. New York: Greenwillow Press, 1998. (NonFiction) A memoir of young Anita Lobel’s struggles to survive throughout the Holocaust. A good book to use with intermediate level students because it allows them to see the Holocaust from a young adult’s perspective. Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. New York: Laurel Leaf Books, 1989. (Fiction) Recounts the story of Jews in Denmark as Nazis occupied the country, seen through the eyes of Anne Marie Johansen. An excellent, engaging book to use with young adults to introduce them to an often overlooked group in the Holocaust. Opdyke, Irene Gut. In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. New York: Anchor Books, 2001. (Non-Fiction) A wonderful book which presents students with the heroic efforts of one woman who, by herself, rescued 12 Jews. Rubin, Susan Goldman. Fireflies in the Dark: The Story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and the Children of Terezin. New York: Holiday House, 2000. (Non-Fiction) An incredibly powerful book which tells the story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis who taught art to the children who were imprisoned in the Terezin concentration camp. Includes art works created by the children. It would be a wonderful book to accompany And I Never Saw Another Butterfly. Smith, F.D. My Secret Camera: Life in the Lodz Ghetto. New York: Gulliver Books, 2000. (Non-Fiction) Compilation of images a young boy captured as he was imprisoned in a ghetto. Excellent book that allows students to visualize what life was like for captives during the Holocaust. Volavkova, Hana. I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Children’s Drawings and Poems-Terezin. New York: Shocken Publishers, 1998. (Non-Fiction) Compilation of poems and draws by children imprisoned in the Terezin Concentration camp in the Czech Republic. Excellent book to use with Young adults because it shows the Holocaust from a child’s perspective. Warren, Andrea. Surviving Hitler. New York: Harper Trophy, 2002. (Non-Fiction) Recounts the experiences of Jack Mandelbaum, who struggled to survive in Concentration camps from 1939-1945. An incredibly powerful book that would very engaging for intermediate grade students. Websites Holocaust Education Foundation. Holocaust Education Resources for Teachers. May 1997. 1 November 2005. http://www.holocaust-trc.org/ Excellent webpage which contains lesson plan ideas, book reviews for books related to the Holocaust, and scholarly articles which teachers can reference before teaching students about the Holocaust. University of South Florida. A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust Literature. 2005. 1 November 2005. http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/arts/lit.htm. A comprehensive webpage which teachers can refer to in order to gain a list of books which present a variety of different perspectives from the Holocaust. Silverstrim, Karen. Overlooked Millions: Non-Jewish Victims of the Holocaust. 1 November 2005. http://www.uca.edu/divisions/academic/history/cahr/holocaust.htm. A website which presents the story of the millions of people who were non-Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Details the numbers of non-Jews who perished during the Holocaust. Teacher Resources United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Teaching about the Holocaust: A Resource Book For Educators. Washington D.C.: Diane Publishing Company, 2001. Can also be accessed online at: http://www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/teachabo/teaching_holcaust.pdf. A website which provides educators with a timeline for WWII, lesson plan ideas, and resources teachers can use. Levy, Edith Rechter. The Holocaust in Perspective: Teacher Manual. Morgantown, West Virginia: Holocaust Education Center, 2004. Book which presents teachers with techniques to teach students about the Holocaust and also includes lesson plan ideas. Veterans Day and Memorial Day References Brill, Marlene. Veterans Day. New York: Lerner Publishing, 2005. (Non-Fiction) Excellent book to use because it describes how the observance of Veterans Day began after WWI and also explains to children why the holiday is observed. Bunting, Eve. The Wall. New York: Clarion Books, 1990. (Non-Fiction) Tells the story of a young girl who visits the Vietnam Veterans’ War Memorial in order to search for her deceased grandfather’s name. While this book might not see to fit in a unit on WWI and WWII, the young girl in the story discovers the importance of celebrating and remembering veterans. Cotton, Jacqueline S. Memorial Day. New York: Scholastic Library, 2002. (Non-Fiction) Good introductory book to use with children to familiarize them with the history behind Memorial Day and why it is observed. Cotton, Jacqueline S. Veterans Day. New York: Scholastic Library, 2001. (Non-Fiction) Excellent book to use with children because it explains the history of Veterans Day and why it is observed. B. Unit Resource Review 1. Adler, David. The Number on My Grandfather’s Arm. New York: Urj Press, 1987. (Fiction). We would include this book in the unit because it presents the students with an account which would help them better understand how Jews were treated in concentration camps during the Holocaust. 2. Ayer, Eleanor. Parallel Journeys. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1995. (Non-Fiction) We would include Parallel Journeys in our unit because it provides students with two very distinct perspectives on the same historical event. Children studying this book would see the Holocaust from the perspective of a child who was a member of Hitler’s Youth and from the perspective of a Jewish girl who was imprisoned in a concentration camp. 3. Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler’s Shadow. New York: Scholastic, 2005. (Non-Fiction) We would use this book in our unit so that students are presented with another perspective which is essential to understanding the Holocaust. This book would allow students to better understand the power and influence of groupthink, particularly during times of conflict. 4. Fox, Anne. Ten Thousand Children: True Stories Told by Children Who Escaped the Holocaust on the Kindertransport. New York: Behrman Publishing, 1998. (Non-Fiction) We would include this book in the unit because it presents students with an Optimistic look at the 10,000 children who were able to escape the horrors of the Holocaust. 5. Friedman, Ira. The Other Victims: First Person Stories of Non-Jews Persecuted by the Nazis. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. (Non-Fiction) We would include this book in the unit because it is important to make sure that students do not adopt the erroneous belief that only individuals of Jewish descent were persecuted during the Holocaust. 6. Levine, Ellen. Darkness Over Denmark: The Danish Resistance and the Rescue of the Jews. New York: Holiday House, 2000. (Non-Fiction) This book would be used in our unit because it would illustrate to students how one country in Europe actively fought against the Nazis in order to save their Jewish population. 7. Opdyke, Irene Gut. In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. New York: Anchor Books, 2001. (Non-Fiction) We would include this book in the unit because it presents students with the inspiring story of one woman who risked everything in order to save the lives of Jewish people. 8. Rubin, Susan Goldman. Fireflies in the Dark: The Story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and the Children of Terezin. New York: Holiday House, 2000. (Non-Fiction) We would include Fireflies in the Dark: The Story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeise And the Children of Terezin because it presents students with an inspiring story of an artist who provided children in the concentration camps with hope and optimism through art. 9. Smith, F.D. My Secret Camera: Life in the Lodz Ghetto. New York: Gulliver Books, 2000. (Non-Fiction) We would include My Secret Camera: Life in the Lodz Ghetto because it is a very unique book which would offer students with a different perspective of the Holocaust. Students examining this book would be able to see what the Ghettos in which many Jews were imprisoned in looked like from the perspective of a child who was held captive there by the Nazis. 10. Volavkova, Hana. I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Children’s Drawings and PoemsTerezin. New York: Shocken Publishers, 1998. (Non-Fiction) We would include this collection of poetry, drawings, etc. in our unit because it would present students with the perspective of actual victims of the holocaust. This would be an excellent collection of primary sources which would help students gain a deeper understanding of the feelings many children experienced as they endured unimaginable suffering in a concentration camp. 11. Warren, Andrea. Surviving Hitler. New York: Harper Trophy, 2002. (Non-Fiction) Surviving Hitler would be a wonderful book to use in our unit because it offers students with a good introduction to the holocaust. Told from the perspective of young adult, who survived for over five years in a concentration camp through a combination of perseverance, courage, and compassions, students would gain a clearer understanding of the horrors concentration camp prisoners had to endure in order to survive. III. UNIT OVERVIEW and OUTLINE A. Overview/Rationale—Introduction to Teachers: Deciding how and when to provide students with instruction about the Holocaust is an onerous and seemingly impossible task for any teacher to undertake. However, it is a subject that must be taught to every child. Choosing to teach children about the Holocaust once they are in the fifth grade is an appropriate time because children have begun to develop the emotional and cognitive maturity, which is necessary to study one of the darkest, most gruesome events in world history. Teaching children about the Holocaust once they are in the intermediate grades (fourth and fifth grade) is appropriate because if children were presented with the majority of the historical information about the Holocaust at a younger age, they would lack the maturity which would be necessary for any degree of understanding. In reference to the age at which children should be introduced to the Holocaust, Claire Rudin, librarian of the Holocaust Resource Center writes: It is strongly recommended that the term Holocaust is not introduced prior to fifth grade. Learning about the Holocaust is a powerful experience for young people…the Holocaust hastens the end of innocence. When children read a survivor’s story that includes experiences in concentration camps, they enter a world in which humanity is of a different nature than they had encountered until then…the full horror of the Holocaust is postponed until greater maturity makes possible acceptance of that reality, and then, perhaps, understanding. (www.holocaust-trc.org/) This unit, which was created in order to help students gain a greater understanding of the Holocaust, contributes to the field of social studies because it emphasizes the importance of carefully studying history so that people can help to ensure that genocide will never happen again. In addition to helping students gain a better understanding of genocide, the lessons contained in this unit should help students understand the power and influence of groupthink, which has contributed to some of the darkest moments in world history. Since social studies emphasizes the study of human behavior and humans’ interactions with their environment, the lessons in this unit were created so that students can understand how fear is used to manipulate people in times of conflict so that any critical thought can be repressed in order for the government to achieve its purpose of unity. Essentially, this unit was created to reflect the words of influential leader, Bishop Desmond Tutu, who passionately advocates for the education of children about instances of genocide such as the Holocaust. Bishop Tutu once said, in reference to the Holocaust, “The compelling reason why we should learn about the Holocaust, and the genocides committed against other peoples as well, is so that we might be filled with a revulsion at what took place and thus be inspired, indeed galvanized, to commit ourselves to ensure that such atrocities should never happen again” (http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu). Teaching students about events such as the Holocaust as part of the Social Studies curriculum is essential because “…the ugly realities of the Holocaust and its far-reaching consequences, helps students develop commitments, based on knowledge and reason, to the worth and dignity of all persons” (Holt 20). This unit is shaped by current debate about best practices in social studies education. A primary emphasis in the current debate on best practices in education is connecting the curriculum to students’ lives. During the first lesson of our unit, we decided that it would be very important to attempt to connect the Holocaust to the lives of the students in the class. Connecting the material the students are going to be learning about to their own lives is especially important during the “tuning in” stage of inquiry- based learning. If instructional materials do not in some way relate to the lives of the children then students will not understand its importance. In order to help connect the Holocaust to the lives of the children, we decided that it would be important to begin the first lesson by having the students write a journal entry in which they discussed their own lives. Once the students complete their journal entries, they will listen to a short scenario that depicts what life was like for a child in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. The students then compare and contrast their lives with the lives of children in the Holocaust. This activity was designed not only to capture the children’s attention, but to also provide them with an opportunity to connect the material about the Holocaust to their own lives. This unit on the Holocaust is also shaped by current debate about inquiry-based teaching. In inquiry-based teaching, teachers do not lecture to the students nor do they tell the students specifically what they are going to learn. In this inquiry-based unit, the students are provided with choices and are allowed to explore topics within the content area (Holocaust), which they would like to investigate further. The teacher, instead of directing the students, serves as a guide or facilitator. Instead of specifically telling the students what questions they should investigate or how they should investigate those questions, the teacher merely provides the students with suggested resources that they could use. Teaching for social justice is also reflected in this unit on the Holocaust. Part of teaching students for social justice means that teachers make it a priority to inform students of current or past events so that children can become more cognizant of periods in history, which have represented violations of humans’ rights. By teaching the students in our class about an event which represented one of the worst instances of genocide in world history and having them create a presentation in which they inform their parents about the stories of survivors, the events which caused the Holocaust, etc., the students are helping to ensure that people never forget what happened. If people never forget about the events that led to the Holocaust and what occurred during the Holocaust, they are far more likely to work to guarantee that genocide will never occur again. UNIT PLAN Unit Topic: Unit 2: Justice, Freedom, and Equality in Wartime- Holocaust Grade Level: 5th Group Members: Sara Dina, Ben Loduha, Meghan Stewart Essential/Driving Question(s): How can interactions between different societies lead to conflict? How can social, political, and economic reforms lead to conflict? How do the decisions of major powers and their leaders impact the welfare of their people? How do societies unify people? How can large-scale conflicts cause social and economic impacts on a smaller level? What causes people to rebel against, participate in, or ignore cases of genocide? How have children been affected by war throughout history? How are freedom and equality restricted during times of war and for what reasons? Enduring Understandings: World Wars I and II were truly global conflicts that affected, directly or indirectly almost every nation on earth. Nationalism, militarism, and imperialism all were influential factors impacting WWI and WWII. Complex issues that combine economic, political, and moral arguments often lead countries to periods of crisis and conflict. Dissatisfaction following the end of WWI led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the beginning of WWII. Illinois and the United States homefronts experienced social and economic impacts during WWI and WWII. When faced with a struggle or conflict, citizens band together to support their nation. Group-think mentality is dangerous and can lead to many immoral and reprehensible acts such as genocide. Children, similarly to adults, were murdered, abused, and subjected to other forms of inhumane treatment due to racial and ethnic prejudice throughout the Holocaust. Fear is frequently used to manipulate people in times of conflict to repress any critical thought, so that the government can achieve its purpose of unity. Children, similarly to adults, were murdered, abused, and subjected to other forms of inhumane treatment due to racial and ethnic prejudice throughout the Holocaust. The geography of World War I and World War II shows how many nations were involved and impacted by the world, these nations List of Unit Lessons: Lesson # 1: Introduction to the Holocaust Lesson #2: What We Know About the Holocaust and What We Would Like to Learn Lesson #3: Learning More about the Holocaust through Media and Theatre Lesson #4: Student Reflection Time: What We’ve Learned So Far About the Holocaust Lesson # 5: How can I learn more about the Holocaust? Lesson #6: Why Do We Care? Lesson #7: A Night of Remembrance Illinois Learning Standards addressed/assessed: 3.B.2a Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies (e.g., mapping, outlining, drafting). 3.C.2a Write for a variety of purposes and for specified audiences in a variety of forms including narrative (e.g., fiction, autobiography), expository (e.g., reports, essays) and persuasive writings (e.g., editorials, advertisements). 4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings. 4.B.2a Present oral reports to an audience using correct language and nonverbal expressions for the intended purpose and message within a suggested organizational format. 4.B.2b Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions. 4.B.2c Identify methods to manage or overcome communication anxiety and apprehension (e.g., topic outlines, repetitive practice). 5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan 5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, web- sites, CD/ROMs). 5.B.2b Cite sources used. 5.C.2a Create a variety of print and nonprint documents to communicate acquired information for specific audiences and purposes. 5.C.2b Prepare and deliver oral presentations based on inquiry or research. 14.D.2: Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy. 16.A.2a: Read historical stories and determine events which influenced their writing. 16.A.2b: Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present. 16.A.2c: Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources. 16.B.2d: Identify major political events and leaders within the United States historical eras since the adoption of the Constitution, including the westward expansion, Louisiana Purchase, Civil War, and 20th century wars as well as the roles of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources. Description of Culminating Unit Summative Assessment: Students will create a visual presentation that presents the answer to a question that they have answered during the course of this unit. Students will create an oral presentation to accompany their visual presentation to present during an evening of remembrance hosted for the parents. Students will take part in creating a classroom video, summarizing the events of the Holocaust and documenting the preparation that went into creating the presentations. The presentations will summarize the inquiry process that took place. There doesn’t need to be a test about the Holocaust. Students who have paid attention and created thoughtful presentations will come away with the information that we wanted them to acquire. In turn, the students will begin to develop answers to the unit’s essential questions and will leave with the enduring understandings. The final presentations will be graded on completeness, thoughtfulness, neatness and accuracy. Since the presentations will be presented to the teacher, peers, and parents, it is assumed that most students will create quality projects that are well done. Ultimately, the unit has been designed so that all students, of all abilities, have a fair chance to learn and to succeed. C. Lesson Plans Lesson Name/#: Lesson # 1: Introduction to the Holocaust Unit Topic: Holocaust Grade Level: 5th Grade Lesson Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings: Essential Question(s): How have children been affected by war throughout history? Enduring Understanding(s): Children, similarly to adults, were murdered, abused, and subjected to other forms of inhumane treatment due to racial and ethnic prejudice throughout the Holocaust. Suggested Time Frame: 1-1 ½ hours Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Tuning In Instructional Strategy(ies) used: Focused Imaging; Learning Logs (Literacy Instructional Strategy: students write what they learned in today’s class, what they found interesting, what was the point of the lesson, etc.) Targeted Skills (Learning Objectives): The students will be able to compare and contrast their lives to the lives of children who were victims of the Holocaust by participating in a whole class focused imaging activity and by completing a journal entry. Illinois Learning Standards Addressed: 3.C.2a Write for a variety of purposes and for specified audiences in a variety of forms including narrative (e.g., fiction, autobiography), expository (e.g., reports, essays) and persuasive writings (e.g., editorials, advertisements). 4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings. Resources/Materials utilized/needed: Book: Warren, Andrea. Surviving Hitler. New York: Harper Trophy, 2001. Poem: “Holocaust” by Barbara Sonek Writing Journals Pen/Pencil Detailed Lesson Procedures: (Please note adaptations for individual and group differences.) To begin the lesson, the teacher should ask the students to get out their writing journals. Once the students have gotten out their writing journals, the teacher should present the students with the following prompt: I would like you to think about your own life. You should write a short journal entry in which you discuss the following questions: what does your home look like (describe it)? Who comprises your family and how do you feel about each member? What do you do on a daily basis? What are your daily activities? Once the teacher has given the students enough time (approximately 15 minutes), the teacher should present the students with a focuses imaging scenario. The students should put away all of the materials. The teacher should instruct all of the students to close their eyes and to clear their mind of everything. The teacher should read the students the following scenario: Imagine the following scene: Imagine you’re in your house sitting at your kitchen table, when you hear a loud bang at your front door. You open your front door and two soldiers are standing there, armed with weapons. They scream, “Everybody out! Five minutes! Out!” (Warren 41). You and your family leave your home immediately, escorted by soldiers. You walk out on to the street where everyone in your neighborhood is assembled. Soldiers with guns surround you everywhere you look. All of a sudden, the soldiers start pushing you forward. You suddenly realize you’ve been separated from your family. You try desperately to get back to them, but the soldiers won’t let you. They push you in to a train so full of people you can only stand straight up. It’s hot and the horrid stench of human waste fills the air. You’re forced to stand in that train for so long you’ve lost all track of time. Seconds, minutes, hours, days pass. Finally, the train comes to a stop. Soldiers open the doors and began screaming at you to, “get out now!” They line you up, force you to undress, and shave your head. You’re given a uniform and taken to a small room, “…with an aisle through the middle and tiers of wooden bunks…you sleep on bunks filled with loose straw. Each with a thin blanket and no pillow” (Warren 56). This will be your bedroom now. Flies are everywhere in the air and the stench in the room is so overwhelming, you can barely breathe. The only food you’re given is a thin soup which looks like water. If you’re lucky it might contain a single rotten vegetable such as a potato. Some days, if you’re lucky enough, you’re given a piece of bread which is so stale you can barely eat it. This is the only food you will ever have to eat. Your life as you knew it has forever changed. You will be hungry, tired, hot, cold, sick, and starved, and will probably never again see your family. Your life as you thought you knew it has ended. Following the imagining activity, the teacher should ask the students to get out their writing journals again. The teacher should ask the students to write their reactions to the scenario. Some possible questions would include: How did the poem make you feel? How did your life change from the journal entry you wrote before the scenario? What did it make you think about? What historical event do you think the scenario was describing? This scenario should lead in to the beginning of the discussion about the Holocaust After the students have been given some time to write in their journals, the teacher should read the following poem to the students so that they can gain a better understanding of what their unit is going to be about. The following poem was written by a holocaust survivor named Judy Cohen who speaks to 4th through 12th grade students around the country about her experiences as a child in the Holocaust: “Fifty Years Later: Reflections on Teaching the Holocaust to Young People” I stand in front of you And see your innocent stares, Looking at me, anticipating a personal account of my pains and nightmares. How do I begin? How can I make you understand and feel the deep scars that I carry fragile and still easy to bleed? How do I tell you about human created hunger Hopeless, no-end-in-sight, When, perhaps, you just had a good meal and feel full and warm inside? How do I tell you about constant fear in the pit of the stomach, the nauseating kind when, hopefully, you experienced only goodwill and peace in your short life? How do I tell you about losing family and friends in a matter of minutes by moving thumbs in white gloves belong to a Nazi a so-called human being? How do I tell you about the odor of burning flesh, tortures and killings of innocent people that were planned cold bloodedly, years before! Drinking and singing around the table? How do I tell you about Auschwitz-Birkenau the efficient killing machine where mothers, babies, children and the old marched to the “showers” and out as smoke? How do I tell you about being torn from all my loved ones in my teens when you only know and should know the warm embrace of family and peers? How do I tell you about the genocide of six million and more during which my family lost eighty one, when you can happily look at yours and declare missing: NONE. I do however, know to praise Those wonderful few, defiant and brave, at great risk to themselves, reached out and helped many lives to save I stand in front of you and see your innocent stares, but having heard it all your gaze is no longer there! You have lowered your eyes So sorry! I saddened you, having heard a witness now, you become a witness too. To inform and teach my story is told. I urge you to be fair-minded and bold. For it is up to you, THE YOUNG How the future will unfold. Let us create a society free of hatred and hunger where respect for each other glows like a beautiful ember. (www.remember.org/educate/judypoem.html) After the teacher has read the poem to the students, he or she should ask the students questions such as the following: How did the poem make you feel? What do you think the poem was about? What were you thinking about as you were listening to the poem? How does the woman’s life who wrote the poem we read aloud differ from your own life? Once the students have written their reaction in their journals, the students should write in their journals what they learned today. They should also write the following: what did I find interested? What do I have questions about? What would I like to know more about? (Learning Log) Accommodations/Modifications for Individual and Group Differences: Students who may have fine motor difficulties, which would affect their handwriting capabilities, may use the computer to type their journal entries. Assessment Plan: The students beginning understandings of the Holocaust and how their lives can be compared and contrasted with the lives of children who were victims of the Holocaust will be assessed by the quality of the journal entries, which they will submit to the teacher. This would be an example of a formative assessment. Lesson Name/#: Lesson #2: What We Know About the Holocaust and What We Would Like to Learn Unit Topic: Holocaust Grade level: Fifth Grade Lesson Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (learning objectives): Essential Questions: What causes people to rebel against, participate in, or ignore cases of genocide? How are freedom and equality restricted during times of war and for what reasons? Enduring Understandings: Groupthink mentality is dangerous and can lead to many immoral and reprehensible acts such as genocide. Fear is frequently used to manipulate people so that the government can achieve its purpose of unity. Lesson Overview: This lesson looks to establish what students know about the Holocaust, discover what they want to learn, and then to establish the questions that they will further explore. Suggested Time Frame: This lesson will last 1 to 1.5 hours and will take place over two days. Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Preparing to find out Instructional Strategy(ies) used: Structured Brainstorm Targeted Skills: The students will be able to share and record their ideas about the Holocaust based on prior knowledge Students will establish questions about the Holocaust that require further investigation. Illinois Learning Standards addressed: 3.B.2a Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies (e.g., mapping, outlining, drafting). 5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan. 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources. Resources/Materials utilized/needed: One large sheet of paper for each group Markers Sheet of paper to compile ideas Highlighter Detailed Lesson Procedures: (Please note adaptations for individual and group differences.) This activity will take place over two class periods. During the first class period, the teacher will set out large sheets of paper and the students will be divided into groups of four. Each group will place the names of their group’s members on the paper. The students will then construct a K-W chart about the Holocaust. This chart will show what they know about the Holocaust and will allow them to come up with questions about the Holocaust that they would like answered. This is type of structured brainstorming that allows all students to write down what they know and what they would like to learn in an organized manner. At the end of the class period, the teacher will collect all of the charts and the markers. The following day, the teacher and students will sit in a circle and discuss what they know about the Holocaust and what they want to learn. The teacher will facilitate the discussion and will record the questions that students are most interested in. The class will then decide what questions should be highlighted and researched in depth. The teacher will make sure that every student shares at least one question or fact from the group poster. Following the discussion, the teacher will post the sheet with the questions in the room in order to help focus the students research. Modifications: This lesson was carefully designed in order to allow for the participation of all students. Students are placed in groups so that they can share their ideas in the safe confines of the small group. Students with difficulty writing can dictate their ideas to one of their other group members. Assessment: For this lesson, student learning will be evaluated on the basis of participation. While students are creating their K-W charts, the teacher will walk around and watch the groups to make sure that everyone has input. During the class discussion, the teacher will ask each group member to share one item from their chart, either a question or a fact that they recorded. A more summative assessment will come later but at this early stage in the unit, a formative, informal assessment is most appropriate. Lesson Name: Lesson #3: Learning More about the Holocaust through Media and Theatre Unit Topic: Holocaust Grade Level: 5th ____ Lesson Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (learning objectives): Essential Questions: How can social, political, and economic reforms lead to conflict? How do the decisions of major powers and their leaders impact the welfare of their people? What causes people to rebel against, participate in, or ignore cases of genocide? How are freedom and equality restricted during times of war and for what reasons? Enduring Understandings: Groupthink mentality is dangerous and can lead to many immoral and reprehensible acts such as genocide. Fear is frequently used to manipulate people so that the government can achieve its purpose of unity. Children, similarly to adults, were murdered, abused, and subjected to other forms of inhumane treatment due to racial and ethnic prejudice throughout the Holocaust. Lesson Overview: DAY ONE: o The students will watch a documentary on the Holocaust. To supplement the video, students will complete a concept diagram activity sheet with the major questions from the previous lesson included as guide. Students will then discuss the movie. DAY TWO: o Students will each receive a copy of the book, And I Never Saw Another Butterfly. As a class, the students will discuss the pictures in the book. Then, with a partner or individually, students will select a poem and perform it to the class in the format of Readers’ Theatre. Suggested Time Frame: This lesson will last 1.5 to 2 hours and will take place over two days. Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Finding Out Instructional Strategy(ies) used: Concept Diagram,, Readers’ Theatre Targeted Skills: The students will explore the desperate conditions of Germany leading to the rise of power of Adolf Hitler and discover what actions Hitler took once he was in the position of power. The students will learn about the Holocaust through the eyes of a child by reading and acting out poetry from children’s literature on the Holocaust. The students will observe the cause and effects of prejudice behavior and be exposed to the different perspectives surrounding this discriminatory behavior. Illinois Learning Standards addressed: 14.D.2: Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy. 16.A.2a: Read historical stories and determine events which influenced their writing. 16.A.2b: Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present. 16.A.2c: Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources. 16.B.2d: Identify major political events and leaders within the United States historical eras since the adoption of the Constitution, including the westward expansion, Louisiana Purchase, Civil War, and 20th century wars as well as the roles of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt Resources/Materials utilized/needed: VHS/ DVD of “Maine Survivors Remember the Holocaust”, This video offers a clear compelling introduction to the Holocaust for general audiences. Interviews with eight Maine survivors and an American liberator, interwoven with dramatic archival films, photographs, maps and music, propel the viewer through this tragic history. The personal stories of eyewitnesses demonstrate convincingly how the Holocaust affected individual Jews. This video is designed to fit into a single classroom period, and is appropriate for middle school and high school students. Video concept diagram activity sheet Pen/pencil Classroom set of the book, And I Never Saw Another Butterfly Detailed Lesson Procedures: (Please note adaptations for individual and group differences.) DAY ONE: The students will watch the documentary titled “Maine Survivors Remember the Holocaust,” (43 minutes). While viewing the video, students will be adding ideas, questions, and movie quotes to the concept diagram on the activity sheet. The concept diagram will contain the major questions generated from previous questions. Students will use the video as a resource to answer these questions. The concept diagram, in turn, provides students with a means of focusing the information from the movie into meaningful answers to the questions they previously posed. When the video is complete, the teacher will guide a discussion on what the students just viewed. DAY TWO The teacher will review what the class discussed about the video from the day before. The teacher will then distribute copies of the book, And I Never Saw Another Butterfly, to each of the students. The teacher will select three pictures from the book to discuss. Students will discuss what they see in the picture, predict what the artist was thinking or feeling, and then reflect on how they feel about the pictures. Next, the teacher will explain that the students will be participating in a Readers’ Theatre exercise for this particular story. The teacher will explain that Readers’ Theatre Readers’ is a joint dramatic reading from a text, usually with no memorization, no movement and a minimum of props. It involves the students in oral reading through reading parts in scripts. Unlike traditional theatre, the emphasis is on oral expression of the part - rather than on acting and costumes. Reader’s Theatre enables students to bring a text to life and together create a powerful interpretation. It also offers less confident readers support from peers and provides a genuine social purpose for attentive reading. After the teacher has explain the concept of Readers’ Theatre, the teacher will further explain that the students will be selecting a poem from the book, And I Never Saw Another Butterfly, and share the poem with the class in Readers’ Theatre style. The students may work individually or with a partner to select and orally read the poem. The teacher will give students twenty minutes to find and practice a poem, and then the students will all present their reading selection to the class. Modifications/Adaptations for Individual and Group Differences Students who may be slow readers or experience some degree of difficulty have the option of working with a partner to help them work through this activity. Assessment The students will be informally assessed throughout each of the two days. On the first day, the students will be assessed on the organization and content of their ideas, questions, and movie quotes on their concept diagram. On the second day, students will be informally assessed on their clarity, volume, and expression during their Readers’ Theatre performance. Both days include formative assessments because students are assessed based on their participation and thought-process as the they progressively learn more information and perspectives about the Holocaust. Lesson Name/#: Lesson #4, Student Reflection Time: What We’ve Learned So Far About the Holocaust Unit Topic: Holocaust Grade level: 5th Lesson Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (learning objectives): Essential Questions How can social, political, and economic reforms lead to conflict? How do the decisions of major powers and their leaders impact the welfare of their people? What causes people to rebel against, participate in, or ignore cases of genocide? How are freedom and equality restricted during times of war and for what reasons? Enduring Understandings Groupthink mentality is dangerous and can lead to many immoral and reprehensible acts such as genocide. Fear is frequently used to manipulate people so that the government can achieve its purpose of unity. Lesson Overview: Using the PNI: Positive–Negative-Interesting to See, students will write a reflection about what they have learned so far about the Holocaust. The purpose of PNI is to assist students to analyze a the Holocaust, encourage creative thinking, and develop the understanding that there are many ways of looking at one issue. Students will brainstorm issues arising from this possibility under the three headings; positive, focusing on perceived positive outcomes from learning about the Holocaust, negative: focusing on perceived negative outcomes about the unit, and interesting to see: questions that arise from Holocaust. Suggested Time Frame: 45 minutes to 1 hour Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Sorting Out Instructional Strategy(ies) used: PNI (Positive–Negative-Interesting to See) Targeted Skills: Students will engage in critical thinking by reflecting on what they have learned thus far about the Holocaust. Students will express their opinions and perspective through writing a journal reflection. Illinois Learning Standards addressed: 5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan. 16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present. 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources Resources/Materials utilized/needed: Paper Pencil Detailed Lesson Procedures: (Please note adaptations for individual and group differences.) The teacher will begin the lesson by introduce the idea of a PNI chart. The teacher will explain that the purpose of the chart is to assist students in their analysis of the Holocaust. The teacher will explain that the chart will help students think creatively and develop the understanding that there are many ways of looking at one issue. Students will brainstorm issues arising from this possibility under the three headings; positive, focusing on perceived positive outcomes from learning about the Holocaust, negative: focusing on perceived negative outcomes about the unit, and interesting to see: questions that arise from Holocaust. The The teacher will explain that students will do further research on the questions that they pose in the Interesting-to-See section. After students brainstorm ideas on a PNI chart, they will write a reflection paper, using the P-N-I as the three main paragraphs of the reflection. Modifications/Adaptations for Individual and Group Differences Students who have difficulty with fine motor skills may use a computer to word process their reflection papers. Assessment The students will be informally assessed throughout the class period by teacher observations during the time that the students spend brainstorming. The formative assessment will be the reflection paper that the students write to share what they have learned thus far in the Holocaust unit. Lesson Name/#: Lesson # 5: How can I learn more about the Holocaust? Unit Topic: Holocaust Grade Level: 5th Lesson Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings: Essential Questions: What causes people to rebel against, participate in, or ignore cases of genocide? How are freedom and equality restricted during times of war and for what reasons? Enduring Understandings: Groupthink mentality is dangerous and can lead to many immoral and reprehensible acts such as genocide. Fear is frequently used to manipulate people so that the government can achieve its purpose of unity. Suggested Time Frame: 1-1 ½ hours over the course of three days Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Going Further Instructional Strategy(ies) Used: Research Contracts Targeted Skills (Learning Objectives): The students will be able to explain who was affected by the Holocaust, how they were affected, etc. by completing a final project that will be displayed during the class’ Holocaust Memorial Museum exhibition on the last day of the unit. Illinois Learning Standards Addressed: 5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan. 5.B.2b Cite sources used. 16.A.2a Read historical stories and determine events which influenced their writing. 16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present. 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources. Resources/Materials utilized/needed: Paper Pencil/Pen Several computers with Internet access List of book and web site resources to suggest to help students guide their research (see attachment) Detailed Lesson Procedures (please note adaptations for individual and group differences): For this lesson which will take several class periods to complete, the students will be going to several centers which will be set up around the classroom. Each of these centers will help the students answer the question or questions they posed during the previous day’s activity. In order to answer the question or questions the students developed about what they would like to know more about the Holocaust, the students will be allowed to work individually or with a partner (no more than two people per group) in order to complete the necessary research. There will be three centers set up in the classroom. These centers will include the following: 1)Computer Center, 2) Children’s Literature Center, 3) Holocaust Survivors and Rescuers Center. The students will be given 1 to 1 ½ hours over three days to travel to each of the centers. The teacher should divide the students up and designate which center the students should be using each day in order to avoid any conflicts among the students. The students will be allowed to check out one book from the Children’s Literature Center or the Holocaust Survivors and Rescuers Center on the day in which they are examining those centers. All students will be required to read at least one book about the Holocaust during this unit (the students will get to choose that book) so that they can gain a more in-depth understanding of their topic. For the list of resources to distribute to students in order to provide them with some suggestions for their research, please see attachment. It’s important that teachers provide students with some help with the research process because at this level, students have still not developed their research skills. This is particularly important when students are using the Internet to discover information because they may encounter websites which contain material which is developmentally inappropriate for them. Before the students begin their research, they will be together construct and individually sign a research contract. In the contract, the students will tell the teacher which question they will be investigating and how they will be research it. The students should inform the teacher how they plan on presenting the information which they will be presenting to the entire class and the parents during the Holocaust Memorial Museum Exhibition. The teacher and students should also agree on a time frame for the completion of the project. The teacher will record this information so that both the students and the teacher may sign the contract. While the students are at each of the centers, they will be gathering information which will help them create a culminating final project for their exhibition at the class’ Holocaust Memorial Museum exhibition. As the students are gathering their resources and finding information which will help them answer their question(s) about the Holocaust, the teacher should be sure to remind the students to cite their sources. While the students will either individually or in pairs complete a project for the exhibition, here are a few ideas that the students may develop in order to display the information they acquired: o PowerPoint presentation of pictures of survivors with annotations o Poetry book/diary from the Jewish perspective during this time o Pamphlet o Map depicting the locations of the various concentration camps with a description of how the victims were freed/discovered o Poster which displays the information they learned about their question Once the students have been given ample time to complete the research portion of the project (1-1 ½ hours over the course of three days), they will begin to organize the information they found to complete the rest of the research project, which will occur over the course of the next two lessons. Modifications/Adaptations for Individual and Group Differences Students who may be slow readers or experience some degree of difficulty with reading large quantities of information may use the E-reader program in order to help them read. Assessment The students will be informally assessed throughout the three-day period by teacher observations during the time which is devoted to conducting research. The summative assessment will be the exhibit the students create for their final presentation. Sample Resources to Guide Students’ Research Websites Survivor Testimony: Holocaust Cybrary: http://www.remember.org/witness/ Shoah Foundation: http://www.vhf.org/testimonyviewer/TV-Main.htm Survivor Stories/Accounts: Holocaust Survivors: http://www.holocaustsurvivors.org/survivors.shtml Erika Van Hester: http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~rescuers/book/Strobos/ErikaVanHesteren/ErikaStory1.html “A Good Man by the Name of Jeff” film clip: http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/movies/JEFF/INDEX.htm Simon Wiesenthal: http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=fwLYKnN8LzH&b=242614 Virtual Tours of the Concentration Camps: Auschwitz: http://www.remember.org/auschwitz/info5.php?topic=info&start=yes&size=l&fmt=qtvr&ex=au s Dachau: http://www.scrapbookpages.com/DachauScrapbook/MemorialSite/Tour/Tour02.html Concentration Camps (Contains photos from various concentration camps throughout Europe): http://vrm.vrway.com/issue10/A_VIRTUAL_TEACHERS_GUIDE_TO_THE_HOLOCAUST.h tml General Information about the Holocaust: National Holocaust Memorial Museum: http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/nrule.htm Non-Jewish Victims of the Holocaust: http://www.holocaustforgotten.com/non-jewishvictims.htm Holocaust Cybrary: Remembering the Victims of the Holocaust: http://remember.org/index.html Children’s Literature Center Resources 1. Adler, David. The Number on My Grandfather’s Arm. New York: Urj Press, 1987. (Fiction). 2. Ayer, Eleanor. Parallel Journeys. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1995. (Non-Fiction) 3. Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler’s Shadow. New York: Scholastic, 2005. (Non-Fiction) 4. Feder, Paula Kurzband. The Feather Bed Journey. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman and Company, 1995. (Fiction). 5. Levine, Ellen. Darkness Over Denmark: The Danish Resistance and the Rescue of the Jews. New York: Holiday House, 2000. (Non-Fiction) 6. Rubin, Susan Goldman. Fireflies in the Dark: The Story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and the Children of Terezin. New York: Holiday House, 2000. (Non-Fiction) Holocaust Survivor and Rescuers Stories 1. Fox, Anne. Ten Thousand Children: True Stories Told by Children Who Escaped the Holocaust on the Kindertransport. New York: Behrman Publishing, 1998. (NonFiction) 2. Friedman, Ira. The Other Victims: First Person Stories of Non-Jews Persecuted by the Nazis. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. (Non-Fiction) 3. Lobel, Anita. No Pretty Picture: A Child of War. New York: Greenwillow Press, 1998. (Non-Fiction) 4. Opdyke, Irene Gut. In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. New York: Anchor Books, 2001. (Non-Fiction) 5. Warren, Andrea. Surviving Hitler. New York: Harper Trophy, 2002. (Non-Fiction) *This list is, by no means, comprehensive. The resources listed above are just examples of books which would be included in each of the centers. Lesson Name/#: Lesson #6: Why Do We Care? Unit Topic: Holocaust Grade level: Fifth Grade Lesson Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (learning objectives): Essential Questions: How do the decisions of major powers and their leaders impact the welfare of their people? What causes people to rebel against, participate in, or ignore cases of genocide? How are freedom and equality restricted during times of war and for what reasons? Enduring Understandings: Complex issues that combine economic, political, and moral arguments often lead countries to periods of crisis and conflict. Groupthink mentality is dangerous and can lead to many immoral and reprehensible acts such as genocide. Fear is frequently used to manipulate people so that the government can achieve its purpose of unity. Lesson Overview: This lesson is designed to engage students in critical, reflective thinking and discussion. Students will talk about why the Holocaust matters and what similar events are taking place today. Students will also create a chart that documents how their thinking has changed over the course of the unit. Suggested Time Frame: This lesson will last approximately one hour. Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Making Connections Instructional Strategy(ies) used: Think-Pair-Share and Learning Maps Targeted Skills: Students will engage in critical thinking about how their thinking has changed over the course of the Holocaust unit and why the topic is important. Students will discuss with a partner why the Holocaust is important to learn about. Students will connect history to current events by comparing the Holocaust to the genocide in Sudan. Illinois Learning Standards addressed: 4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings. 4.B.2b Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions. 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources. Resources/Materials utilized/needed: Paper and pencils Chalkboard and chalk Overhead projector that displays computer screen or multiple computers Internet sites that discuss the genocide in Sudan 1. http://www.sudangenocide.org/ 2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8364-2004Sep9.html 3. http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/01/27/sudan.us/ 4. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/08/60minutes/main648277.shtml Student Journals Detailed Lesson Procedures: (Please note adaptations for individual and group differences.) The teacher will first write three questions on the chalkboard for students to think about: 1. Why do we care about the Holocaust? 2. What importance does it have? 3. Can anything like this happen again? Students will then think about these questions on their own for about 10 minutes. They can write down ideas in their journals if they wish so that they remember their ideas. Students will pair up with a student sitting near them. They will discuss, for 10 minutes, their answers to the questions, not afraid to disagree or to present differing viewpoints. Once again, it would be beneficial for students to record their thoughts. The class will come together and take 10 minutes to talk about the first two questions. It is hoped that there will be debate and that students will present a variety of viewpoints. The teacher needs to make sure that the classroom climate is such that all students feel comfortable participating and sharing their ideas. Then the class will begin to discuss the third question. At an appropriate point in the discussion, the teacher will introduce the news articles that talk about what is taking place in Sudan. For the next 10 or 15 minutes, students will have a chance to read the articles on the overhead or on the Internet, depending on how many computers are in the class. It is hoped that at this point, the students will clearly see that what took place during the Holocaust can still happen, and is still happening, today. Students should have pretty strong feelings about this and can discuss what should be done about the situation in Sudan and how this is similar to and different from what took place during the Holocaust. Finally, the students will be asked to return to their desks and create a learning map. A learning map uses boxes to summarize the reflections of the students each day of the unit. This will be something that students have experience creating and so it will not need to be taught explicitly. A learning map is an excellent way to visually and textually summarize learning that has taken place during a unit. The purpose of this is to see how student’s feelings about and beliefs about the Holocaust have changed. We hope that at this point in the unit, students will have progressed from looking at the Holocaust impersonally to having a real, deep and heartfelt connection to what took place during World War Two. Modifications: A Think-Pair-Share is a great activity that students of all abilities can participate in. This activity merely shows student growth and looks to discover student opinions about critical questions. The learning map however may need to be modified for some students. Students who have difficulty writing may need to work with a classmate to record their ideas. Assessment Plan: The assessment for this activity is two-fold. Both however are relatively formative and informal. First, the teacher will evaluate student participation during the ThinkPair-Share. Then the teacher will collect all of the student’s learning maps. The learning maps should be well done and should show that the student reflected on what he or she learned during the course of the unit. The learning maps, if poorly done, will be returned to students to be fixed because they will be on display during the culminating, summative presentation. Lesson Name/#: Lesson #7: A Night of Remembrance Unit Topic: Holocaust Grade level: Fifth Grade Lesson Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (learning objectives): Essential Questions: How do the decisions of major powers and their leaders impact the welfare of their people? What causes people to rebel against, participate in, or ignore cases of genocide? How are freedom and equality restricted during times of war and for what reasons? Enduring Understandings: Complex issues that combine economic, political, and moral arguments often lead countries to periods of crisis and conflict. Groupthink mentality is dangerous and can lead to many immoral and reprehensible acts such as genocide. Fear is frequently used to manipulate people so that the government can achieve its purpose of unity. Lesson Overview: This is the culminating activity of the unit. Students will invite their parents to the classroom for a night of remembrance. Students will share projects while acting as tour guides and will show the class video. Suggested Time Frame: This entire activity will last throughout the course of a week, approximately one hour per day, with the Night of Remembrance taking place on Thursday night. Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Taking Action Instructional Strategy(ies) used: Peer Teaching Targeted Skills: Students will create a visual presentation that presents the answer to a question that they have answered during the course of this unit. Students will create an oral presentation to accompany their visual presentation to present during an evening of remembrance hosted for the parents. Students will take part in creating a classroom video, summarizing the events of the Holocaust and documenting the preparation that went into creating the presentations. Illinois Learning Standards addressed: 4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings 4.B.2a Present oral reports to an audience using correct language and nonverbal expressions for the intended purpose and message within a suggested organizational format. 4.B.2c Identify methods to manage or overcome communication anxiety and apprehension (e.g., topic outlines, repetitive practice). 5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, web- sites, CD/ROMs). 5.B.2b Cite sources used. 5.C.2a Create a variety of print and nonprint documents to communicate acquired information for specific audiences and purposes. 5.C.2b Prepare and deliver oral presentations based on inquiry or research. 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources. Resources/Materials utilized/needed: Students will need to obtain materials for their presentations; this may be poster board, presentation board, etc. Video camera and tape to record video TV and VCR for video Tape to hang posters, student work, etc. Student learning maps Student journals Detailed Lesson Procedures: (Please note adaptations for individual and group differences.) This is a long lesson that will wrap up the unit. Within this final week, students are expected to put their research together to form a presentation that answers their research question that was established during the second day. They will create these presentations individually or with a partner. The previous lesson established the purpose for the Night of Remembrance. Students will have realized just how important the Holocaust is and will understand why it is still important today. They also will have an understanding of the ongoing genocide in Sudan and will strive to create awareness about this as well. The first step in stopping genocide is to acknowledge when it is taking place. Monday through Wednesday will be used for students to work on their presentations. These presentations will reflect the results of a full inquiry project where students create the questions, research the answers, and then present their findings in a way that is visually appealing and demonstrates accurate research. On Thursday, students will set up for the Night of Remembrance. Each group or individual will set up for their presentation in a different spot in the room. The learning maps will also be posted (with or without names visible) so that parents will have a chance to see how the students’ thinking changed over the course of the unit. The teacher will video tape student discussions throughout the unit and will document the construction of the presentations during the final week. The teacher will then edit this tape so that it can be presented during the Night of Remembrance. The tape will be shown on a TV in a neighboring classroom to half of the parents at a time. This way, if students work in pairs, one student from every group can act as a tour guide, taking his or her parents around the classroom while their other group member stands at their presentation ready to answer questions. The tape will also contain information about the situation in Sudan that the students have been discussing. The theme for the night should focus on why parents should remember the Holocaust, what it means today, and what can be done to prevent similar events from continuing to happen. The final day of the unit will involve students reflecting in their journals about the Night of Remembrance, talking about what they learned, what went well, and what could be improved. Students will also discuss what they learned from this unit and how it affected the way that they feel about the Holocaust. Modifications: It is important to make sure that students don’t feel upset if their parents cannot come. A teacher needs to be sensitive to the feelings of his or her students and so even if a student’s parents or guardians can’t make it, that student can still help be a tour guide and shouldn’t be made to feel left out. Once again, the inquiry of this lesson creates natural modifications. Students are able to present their findings in a way that is most comfortable for them. Unlike a test where there are only right and wrong answers, any project here that is thoughtfully done and shows research and learning will meet the objectives. Assessment Plan: This is the summative assessment for the unit. The presentations will summarize the inquiry process that took place. There doesn’t need to be a test about the Holocaust. Students who have paid attention and created thoughtful presentations will come away with the information that we wanted them to acquire. They will begin to develop answers to the unit’s essential questions and will leave with the enduring understandings. The final presentations will be graded on completeness, thoughtfulness, neatness and accuracy. All of them will have been presented to parents however so it is assumed that most will be well done. This unit has been designed so that all students, of all abilities, have a fair chance to learn and to succeed.