History...
Teaching the Holocaust to students can be difficult. Maus I deals directly with the Holocaust as the story focuses on Vladek and Anja's experience throughout the Holocaust. Visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archives to show students the horror of the Holocaust. Students need to see pictures from this time period to know more of what this time period was like.
HISTORY OF HOLOCAUST: A quick history timeline of the Holocaust can be found HERE.
HISTORY OF HOLOCAUST: A quick history timeline of the Holocaust can be found HERE.
Engage your students...
Front Loading Reading: One way of teaching students about this time period and keeping them engaged can be achieved by reading children's books. The Harmonica by Tony Johnston is an excellent choice to read to your students. This is a story of a young Jewish boy who is taken by the Nazi’s. He was given a harmonica by his father, and takes it with him when he is forced to leave. He plays Schubert on the harmonica. A Nazi officer makes him play for him at night. The boy does not understand how someone so evil can appreciate something so beautiful and hates to play for him. However, the boy hopes that his music will help raise the spirits of the other prisoners.
At the end of the book, the Author's Note explains a more full story behind this little boy. Through using a children's book, you are engaging the students. After you have read the story to the class, you can move on to discuss more details and facts. A problem many students might face is making this event personal. Stating facts of the death toll and reading the history is important, but if you engage them personally first more interest may come out of learning the facts.
At the end of the book, the Author's Note explains a more full story behind this little boy. Through using a children's book, you are engaging the students. After you have read the story to the class, you can move on to discuss more details and facts. A problem many students might face is making this event personal. Stating facts of the death toll and reading the history is important, but if you engage them personally first more interest may come out of learning the facts.
Step into a Picture...
Front Loading Activity: Another activity you can do with your classroom when introducing the Holocaust, is an activity called "Step into a Picture." This activity has the students review a picture presented by the teacher, see picture below.
The students are to first write everything they notice in the picture after giving them around 30 seconds to look at the picture. Ask the students what they wrote on their pages.
Then, show them the picture again. Do not tell them what the story is about, but tell them to choose a person in the picture and write what they must be thinking about what is happening.
After giving them time to write, I would have a few students read their story aloud to the class and collect the rest.
The students are to first write everything they notice in the picture after giving them around 30 seconds to look at the picture. Ask the students what they wrote on their pages.
Then, show them the picture again. Do not tell them what the story is about, but tell them to choose a person in the picture and write what they must be thinking about what is happening.
After giving them time to write, I would have a few students read their story aloud to the class and collect the rest.
If you choose to use this photo, it is of the mass execution of the Jews in Nazi occupied Ukraine.