Unit Title World Conflicts: 1933-1945 The Holocaust

We played, we laughed

Marble shrouds my skin. Words ebb. Light grows thin. I'm frozen, I'm rooted in place like the naked old man enfeebled by ice.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak up for me ....

The Final Solution was a systematically planned genocide of Europe’s Jewish population by Nazi Germany. You will read and analyze primary sources such as the previous poetry, view photos, art, and read personal accounts by people who experienced man’s inhumanity to man.

1. 
   What happens when cultures collide?
   

1. 
   From whose viewpoint, perspective or angle are we seeing, reading and/or hearing? (6.1, 6.2, 6.4)
   
2. 
   How are events and people connected to each other? (6.1, 6.4, 6.16)
   
3. 
   What is too much or too little national power? (6.1, 6.4, 6.9, 6.12, 6.16)
   
4. 
   Why does the media’s interpretation of events affect the audience’s interpretation? Shape culture? Politics? (6.1,6.4, 6.9, 6.10, 6.12)
   

1. 
   Put yourself in their position and ask “What would be my course of action and why?”
   
2. 
   What was the role of political ambivalence and racism in the Final Solution?
   
3. 
   Who’s Story is it?
   

1. 
   Students are given the Theme, Topic, and Purpose of the Unit, Standards, Overarching/Essential and Topical Questions, the Five Big Ideas and the unit Performance Assessment.
   
2. 
   Cooperative Groups will participate in activities, e.g., ABCD, brainstorming, and Chalktalk, reflecting their prior knowledge of European nations and leaders during 1933-1945 connecting to Overarching/Essential and Topical Questions, the Five Big Ideas and share in class.
   

1. 
   Students will participate in various writing activities, e.g., constructed responses, Comparison/Contrast, Exit Cards, Student Response Logs, Compare and Contrast, and Storyframe graphic organizer, free writes and journals relating to the visual and literal texts, the Five Big Ideas- geography/environment, politics, economics, social/cultural and science/technology and the unit’s Overarching/Essential and Topical Questions to be placed in their portfolio.
   
2. 
   Students will analyze the role of nationalism, survival, political ideologies, apathy, economics and stereotypes in geographical expansion during this time period connecting to the Five Big Ideas- geography/environment, politics, economics, social/cultural and science/technology and the unit’s Overarching/Essential and Topical Questions to be placed in their portfolio.
   
3. 
   Students will maintain a portfolio of their work and self-assessments.
   
4. 
   Students will read Elie Wiesel’s Night and other primary texts demonstrating their awareness of the power of writing and people’s stories in various writing activities integrating the reflective writing process connecting to the Overarching/Essential and Topical Questions, the Five Big Ideas and participate the writing/peer review processes-
   

>Rewrite

>Rewrite

5. 
   Students will view a variety of primary and secondary visual texts, e.g., They Looked Away, The Pianist and Schindler’s List, conduct research in the school library and on the Internet connecting to the Overarching/Essential and Topical Questions, the Five Big Ideas power of writing and people’s stories in various writing activities integrating the reflective writing process connecting to the Overarching/Essential and Topical Questions, the Five Big Ideas and participate the writing/peer review processes-
   

>Rewrite

>Rewrite

You will create an original visual, e.g., poster, 3-dimensional representation, painting, etc., and a clearly written summary (1-2 pages) representing your knowledge, feelings and clear examples of your enduring learning and connection to one of the Overarching/Essential Question you choose and the Five Big Ideas you feel best represent your knowledge and enduring learning about the Holocaust, its legacy and the meaning it has for you. Your piece will be publicly displayed.

You will clearly identify each component, the reason and significance of it, e.g., color, shape, image, in a verbal presentation to your peers.

The Holocaust had and still does have global implications and your piece should clearly demonstrate those connections to world events.

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  Your goal is to design original visual and written pieces reflecting the prompt The Final Solution and Its Legacy.
  
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  The goal is to create original pieces representing your knowledge of the global implications of The Final Solution and Its Legacy.
  
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  The problem or challenge is placing you as a witness in the time of the Holocaust.
  
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  The obstacles to overcome are stepping outside your comfort zone clearly demonstrating your knowledge of the Holocaust and your empathy for the people involved and the preconceived notion that you are not an artist.
  

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  You are to assume a role of someone who lived during the time.
  
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  You have been asked to thoughtfully plan out the components of your visual and written pieces integrating historical facts and your reflections.
  
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  Your job is to be thorough in your research and make clear connections to the unit’s Overarching/Essential Question and the Five Big Ideas you chose.
  

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  Your clients are your peers.
  
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  The target audience is Holocaust survivors.
  
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  You need to convince your peers, guests and teacher of your knowledge and ability to convey it in an original creative visual representation.
  

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  The context you find yourself in is 1933-1945 Nazi controlled Europe.
  
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  The challenge involves dealing with anti-Semitism under a Nazi controlled regime and today.
  

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  You will create original visual and written pieces that clearly represent your individual thoughts and interpretations of the in a reflective and thoughtful manner
  

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  You need to develop a piece that clearly represents your understanding of the time period, the Holocaust and clear connections to the unit’s Overarching/Essential Question and the Five Big Ideas you chose so that you will be able to share your knowledge verbally with your peers.
  

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  Your performance needs to be complete, historically accurate, well-prepared and rehearsed and handed in on time.
  
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  Your work will be judged by your peers and teacher.
  
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  Your product must meet the following standards planning, organization, thematic accuracy and content, originality, color use, time and effort, coherence and organization, creativity, material, connection to the unit’s Overarching Question and the Five Big Ideas you chose, speaking skills and length of verbal presentation.