Facing History and Ourselves
Kristallnacht: Decision-Making in Times of Injustice
Have you ever been singled out in a crowd before? Pupils investigate and analyze the events of the Holocaust. They dive into the life of a middle school student, as well as the diary entries of those in Kristallnacht during World War II.
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Life Prior to Kristallnacht (1933-1938)
Learners research the way of life of the Jews before Kristallnacht. Using new vocabulary and resources, they discover how carefree life was before the days of discrimination and antisemitism. In groups, they create a timeline of the...
Echoes & Reflections
Studying The Holocaust
While many young scholars are familiar with the Holocaust, they may not understand the specific history that led to the unprecedented atrocity. The first lesson in the unit helps teachers gauge their pupils' background knowledge. A...
Weebly
Holocaust Diary Project
Here is a good interdisciplinary project that combines creative and narrative writing with studies of the Holocaust. Your young historians will compose a diary of experiences from the perspective of an individual living during the time...
Carolina K-12
Introduction to the Holocaust
Young historians gain a well-rounded insight into the tragedy of the Holocaust by exploring pre-war Jewish life, reading and discussing survivor testimonies, and illustrating their understanding by using their own words and those of a...
University of Southern California
Persecution of the German-Jews: The Early Years - 1933-1939
Young historians learn about the dehumanization process of stripping German Jews of basic, fundamental rights prior to the genocide of European Jews in the 1940s. Learners watch video clips of survivors who recount such events as the...
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Holocaust Research Project
Students research multiple aspects of WWII. In this Holocaust lesson, students will use several primary source documents to write a 3 page pater on subjects concerning WWII, such as Kristallnacht, Ethnic Cleansing and the Holocaust.
Echoes & Reflections
Nazi Germany
The Holocaust was an evolution of anti-Semitism, scapegoating, and targeted violence against Jews with Nazi policies. A resource unpacks the escalation in violence, along with the erosion of democratic institutions, during the 1930s....
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READING COMPREHENSION: KRISTALLNACHT
Eighth graders explore the persecution of the Jews during Hitler's leadership of Germany in 1938.
Speak Truth to Power
Elie Wiesel: Speaking Truth to Genocide to Power
Invite your learners to discover the efforts of Night author Elie Wiesel to promote awareness of genocide in the world. After watching and reading an interview of Elie Wiesel, high schoolers work to create a living Holocaust museum by...
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A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust: Headlines
Students examine newspapers to research public opinion about the Holocaust. In this critical thinking lesson, students research the information Americans received in U.S. newspapers about events like Kristallnacht, the Berlin Olympics,...
Museum of Tolerance
What Do I Know Already? What Can I Predict?
In preparation to a visit to the Museum of Tolerance, class members engage in a prediction activity by creating a folder to house materials they feel represent ideas, topics, or issues they may encounter during their visit.
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Master Race
High schoolers view a short film on the rise of Nazism and its main principles. They read first hand accounts of Kristallnacht and identify turning points in Hilter's foreign policy. They write a newspaper article describing what...
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Holocaust Word Search 2
In this history learning exercise, students identify and locate vocabulary terms and/or names related to the events of the Holocaust. There are 54 words located in the word search.
Echoes & Reflections
The Ghettos
Young historians examine primary sources, including diaries, poems, and photographs, to consider the conditions in the ghettos and how they fit into the escalation of the Third Reich's plot against the Jewish people.
Echoes & Reflections
The "Final Solution"
Nazi policies shifted from deportation and imprisonment to extermination of the Jewish people in death camps in the "Final Solution." Learners examine photos of artifacts, read poetry written by survivors, analyze testimony from...
Echoes & Reflections
Antisemitism
Propaganda and anti-semitism were linked to evil ends during the Holocaust. Using video testimony of Holocaust survivors, examples of Nazi propaganda, and discussion questions, learners explore the roots of anti-semitism in Europe and...
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Lessons from the Holocaust
Young scholars discover what a dictatorship is by examining the holocaust. In this government lesson, students discuss the laws that were enacted for Nazis to take control of Germany, and the types of laws we have put place to prevent...
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Anne Frank: Nuremberg Laws
Students research and discuss the Nuremberg Laws and their effect on the Jews during the Third Reich. They participate in role-play activity to see what it feels like to be discriminated against.
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Never To Forget
Tenth graders discuss the events leading up to antisemitic behavior in Europe during World War II. Through various activities, 10th graders acquaint themselves with the political ideology of Nazism and assess responsibility for the...
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World War II
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 21 matching questions regarding World War II. Students may check their answers immediately
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World War II
In this social studies worksheet, students find the words related to World War II and the answers are found by clicking the link at the bottom of the page.
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Causes of World War II
In this World War II worksheet, students view a PowerPoint presentation on the war and then respond to 82 short answer questions about the content of the presentation. The PowerPoint presentation is not included with this worksheet.
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Headlines
Students analyze how newspapers report the news and compare the events that they now know about World War II as compared to what was publicized back then.