Citizens in the modern world can't imagine making the same social choices made by many Germans in the 1920s and 1930s, but they don't realize that they actually do it every day by ostracizing others. A case study of middle schoolers bullying their peer illustrates that they way we treat each other can dramatically influence the lives of others.

Concepts

making decisions, group discussions, Journaling, bullying, peer pressure, the holocaust, world war ii

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Have learners choose one of the most notable words to create an artistic representation of the emotion it elicits, such as a painting or poem
• Encourage learners to journal about a time when they experienced similar social problems or ostracism

Classroom Considerations

• Lesson advises the use of a word wall in the classroom; if you don't have the space, write down the words on a poster board and have learners use a page of their journal as a personal word wall
• The second lesson of a 17-part unit
• Be sure to reinforce the protocol for respectful communication established in the previous lesson

Pros

• Expertly likens peer pressure and bullying to the racism and anti-Semitism in Germany before World War II
• Provides the script and description of the middle school scene
• Comes with extension activities to further a lesson on either bullying or World War II, or both
• Based on a case study by the publisher; refer to the attached materials to find a video workshop on the case study

Cons

• None