Identity plays an important role in students' lives. In this unit, students will explore their identity, gain background knowledge of the Holocaust, and watch a video on why we should remember. Students will focus on the story of one particular survivor, analyze their identity and learn how to use the concept of identity to act on this information.
Lesson Overview
In this exercise students will think about their own identity and how it affects the way they study history.
Identity helps us to:
- Use that perspective to understand what happened in a specific context;
- Analyze the multiple reasons why this happened; and
- Find our path to act as an upstander.
Download the Teacher Guide for this lesson.
Have students complete the in-class exercise and reflection questions: Identity and Empathy Worksheet.
Give students an introduction to the Holocaust
To prepare your Intro to the Holocaust lecture, read "Introduction to the Holocaust" from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Consider watching one of these short videos in class with your students.
- What is the Holocaust Part 1/7: Introduction (7 segment series from Yad Vashem)
- Introduction to the Holocaust - Animated Map (Holocaust Encyclopedia) (runtime: 1m 38s)
Lessons:
Critical Thinking Check:
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What does the Holocaust teach us about prejudice and discrimination?
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Across Europe, the Nazis found countless willing collaborators who took part in their crimes. What motives and pressures drove so many individuals to persecute, to murder, or to abandon their fellow human beings?
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