Understanding
the Holocaust
This is a difficult topic to cover. The enormity of the event makes comprehension of it difficult. This unit will attempt to take this down to the individual people involved to try and help with understanding.
First, use this powerpoint slide and rearrange the words to match what you think are the definitions. Refer to the slide during this unit of study. Read the pdf and write your definition.
You will receive a copy of this grid for your books. Your teacher will indicate your achievements in the skill areas whenever you complete some assessed work or tests.
Individual stories will help to make the unit real and aid understanding as to the effect of this event on ordinary people. You will use the VR sets to visit this site.............
Try to get a sense of the timeline of Inge's story. Afterwards, write some of what you learned into your exercise books. Dont worry about getting everything - what parts of the story stand out to you? What impacted you the most? What questions do you still have?
During this work, read the story of 'Chicken Soup under the tree' by Ivor Perl. Write a summary of Ivor Perl's story.
SKILLS: Chronology and Language
Before the Holocaust
This unit is about very ordinary people. Look at the cards exhibition on the desks. FIRST, only looking at the pictures, write a paragraph about what you discover about the people in the photographs - examples of their lives. Are they very different to yours? THEN look at the information on the back of the cards. What do you discover about the people in the photos?
The people in the photos were Jewish people living in Europe. Unfortunately there is a history of Jewish people being treated badly. Create a timeline using the powerpoint then add more detail to one time period from the cards. Use the information to write a definition of antisemitism.
Read the extracts from the book written by Adolf Hitler in 1925, 'Mein Kampf' (My Struggle) What reasons does he give for being antisemitic?
Normally, an extremist such as Hitler would not gain power through an election system. But Hitler was clever in his use of propaganda to become Chancellor by 1933. Use this link to discover more about how Nazi propaganda worked....Choose TWO examples of types of propaganda, explain them and say WHY they were effective in PERSUADING the public in Germany to follow Hitler.
SKILLS: Knowledge and Understanding
Such power and extreme views combined to allow the Nazis to start to tighten their controls over minorities (remember Hitlers ideas in Mein Kampf) Complete this diagram of increasing laws against Jews...
...and now complete the study of Kristallnacht....
SKILLS: Historical Interpretation
During the Holocaust
Once the Second World War began the Nazis found themselves with millions more Jews and other 'minorities' under their regime. They began to organise what to do with these people....Complete the Ghetto research using the cards. Include a map showing where some of the Ghettos were and write up and overall summary of life in the ghettos using the three cards you have looked at.
Following the invasion of Russia, Hitler's racial war became reality. At a conference in Wannsee, senior Nazis met to decide on their 'Final Solution to the Jewish question'. Here you can work through tasks and the powerpoint to find out about this..
Here you can find out further links to Auschwitz...discover the expressions of art as an outlet, read the memoir of the camp comandant Rudolph Hoss. What tone do you feel he uses as he describes the camp? Then watch the video link sections of the grandson of Rudolph Hoss visiting Auschwitz.
Looking back, how could this happen? Complete the 'dilemmas' activity before completing a long answer piece: What was the holocaust and how was it able to take place in twentieth century Europe?
SKILLS: Evaluation and Analysis
After the Holocaust
After the war, the Nuremburg Trials began to put on trial those responsible for crimes against humanity. Watch the video and note down the decisions made. How effective were the trials?
Look at the Justive cards. What should have happened to the perpetrators? Choose three from the cards - what justice do you think might match? Then look at what happened to them. Does the justice match up?
Look at the examples of ways of remembering the Holocaust. Which do you think is most effective? What is the purpose of memorials? design a memorial to the Holocaust that might be created for your town or for the school community.
SKILLS: Evaluation and Analysis
The Second World War
The worst phase of the Holocaust took place in the wider context of The Second World War. Use the text books 'Peace and War' to complete a study of this wider war.
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Begin with work from page 150 and 151 with a timeline overview. Create a class photo timeline for the board
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Work on The Fall of France internet research task
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Complete the tasks on Hitler invades the USSR pages 172 - 173
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Create a European map showing events from D-day to Berlin
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Work on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor from pages 180 - 181
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Complete the study of the use of the atomic bombs on pages 198 - 201
Now...perhaps some of this information will
be useful for the next unit......