Unit Plan Title: We Remember: The Holocaust and Empathy
Topics: empathy, the Holocaust, World War II, prejudice, propaganda
Grade: 8 Time Required: eight-ten weeks
Standards:
Standard One / Standard Two / Standard Three / Standard FourMemorial: / >Activate prior knowledge
>Draw logical conclusions from fiction, nonfiction, and poetry selections and support them with evidence from the text and from personal connections and research
>Use study strategies to learn and recall important information from texts / >Identify the effective use of symbolism as a literary device in fiction and poetry selections
>Analyze the impact of the historical period, culture, and personal experiences of various authors on the fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and/or plays they wrote / >Take notes in class and on resources used in research and use them to study the material covered
Poem: / >Analyze the impact of the historical period, culture, and personal experiences of various authors on the fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and/or plays they wrote
>Identify, interpret, and analyze figurative language in poetry selections, including alliteration, onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole. / >Write a rhymed or unrhymed poem, using figurative language
>Remain focused on the main purpose that is stated or implied in each piece of writing / >Use figurative language appropriately
>Incorporate voice in writing
>Add, delete, and rearrange information in first drafts and subsequent drafts to address the purpose more directly, the topic more fully, and the audience more effectively
>Revise sentences and/or clauses in need of combining or separating
>Revise drafts to ensure originality and variation in sentence structure and complexity
>Edit drafts to make vocabulary more vivid and precise, including the use and most effective placement of modifiers
>Clarify meaning by eliminating unnecessary words and phrases
Oral: / >Deliver a planned oral presentation and respond appropriately to questions from peers / >Speak persuasively in group activities or in oral presentations, supporting ideas with evidence, elaboration, and examples
>Use correct grammar when speaking and writing in formal situations
>Choose vocabulary carefully, adapting it to the audience, purpose, and occasion
>Vary vocal pitch, tone, volume, emphasis, and pace as appropriate in group discussions and oral presentations
Rationale: / >Activate prior knowledge
>Draw logical conclusions from fiction, nonfiction, and poetry selections and support them with evidence from the text and from personal connections and research
>Summarize and paraphrase the text of fiction, nonfiction, plays, and poetry selections
>Use study strategies to learn and recall important information from texts
>Distinguish between fact and fiction in nonfiction selections
>Analyze the author’s purpose and describe how the author’s perspective affects that purpose in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, poetry selections
>Identify and interpret vocabulary words and phrases in context, including technical vocabulary and jargon, that are critical to the meaning of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry selections / >Analyze the themes and identify details that support the themes of fiction and poetry selections
>Analyze the impact of the historical period, culture, and personal experiences of various authors on the fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and/or plays they wrote / >Write expository pieces to inform, using a style appropriate to the purpose, a coherent organization, and write details or examples or description as a means of elaboration
>Remain focused on the main purpose that is stated or implied in each piece of writing
>Determine the purpose of own writing and select a form, point of view, and style that are appropriate for the purpose and audience
>Use a variety of prewriting techniques to generate and record ideas / >Proofreads final drafts for effective use of language; conventional usage and syntax; appropriate transitions; conventional punctuation, capitalization, and spelling; and legible handwriting
>Use resources whenever needed during revisions of writing
>Maintain noun-pronoun and subject-verb agreement in writing
>Maintain consistent verb tense in writing
>Use capitalization appropriately
>Select and use the most appropriate organizational strategy for writing, including a clearly defined beginning and ending and the use of effective transitions
>Use the most effective sequencing of sentences in a paragraph and of paragraphs in an essay
>Evaluate and improve the opening sentences and concluding sentences
>Use details, examples, reasons, references to the text, and description to elaborate and support the central ideas in writing
Incorporate voice in writing
>Add, delete, and rearrange information in first drafts and subsequent drafts to address the purpose more directly, the topic more fully, and the audience more effectively
>Synthesize information from several sources to develop and support a main idea or persuasive stance
>Revise sentences and/or clauses in need of combining or separating
>Revise drafts to ensure originality and variation in sentence structure and complexity
>Edit drafts to make vocabulary more vivid and precise, including the use and most effective placement of modifiers
>Clarify meaning by eliminating unnecessary words and phrases
>Take notes in class and on resources used in research and use them to study the material covered
Enduring Understandings:
Students will master the aforementioned learning objective standards within the scope of acquiring an understanding of empathy towards the Holocaust and the atrocities suffered.
Essential Question:
What is empathy, and why is empathy important?
Determine Acceptable Evidence of Understanding:
1. Memorial – Students will create a visual memorial commemorating the Holocaust. When designing the memorial, students will consider its purpose, audience and reason/message. Students will show understanding and empathy in the design decisions they select.
2. Poem – Students will compose a commemorative poem that accompanies the memorial. In the rationale, students will explain the poem’s significance and connection to the Holocaust memorial.
3. Rationale – Students will write an expository piece describing the design of the memorial, using support from various Holocaust texts and research.
4. Web Page – Students will create (with their Media Specialist) a web page to display and share their memorial, poem, and rationale.
5. Oral Presentation – Students will deliver a planned oral presentation of their memorial, poem, and rationale.
6. Student Self Assessment – Students will self-assess their memorial project using the scoring guidelines sheet.
Plan Instructional Procedures (technology included):
Process:
1. Introduction to unit. PowerPoint presentation.
2. Background research on World War II and the Holocaust. You will be introduced to a variety of sources including ProQuest for periodicals and primary source documents, World Book Online, Books and online resources. (See background resources list).
3. You will read various writings, such as narratives, short stories and poems, that will become the topic of class discussions. Some texts you may read are: Night (Elie Wiesel), Diary of Anne Frank, Maus II (Art Spiegelman), Parallel Journeys (Eleanor H. Ayer). In addition, you may also watch videos on World War II, the Holocaust and Anne Frank.
4. Explore existing memorials online and answer the following unit questions:
q What is the goal or purpose of existing memorials?
q What interviews or quotes from personal accounts can be included?
q What artifacts can be used to inspire or to incorporate into of your memorial?
q Where could your memorial be located? Why?
5. Using the information from your planning graphic organizer and what you have learned about the Holocaust, design your memorial. As you draft a design, keep in mind the focus of your memorial, distinctive features, and the similarities and differences to other memorials you have explored. Also, when composing your poem, be sure to connect its message to your memorial and convey a sense of empathy.
6. Write the rationale for your memorial and poem following the scoring guidelines.
7. Using the directions on “Creating a Webpage using iWeb,” you will create a web page describing your memorial. You will need a final draft of your rationale and a graphic or digital photograph of your memorial design prior to working on this part of the project. Follow the website guidelines to ensure proper design guidelines. Graphics may be created using a variety of methods:
- Take a digital photograph of your memorial model.
- Scan your photo or sketch.
- Edit or create an image from the web (cite it properly, of course) using a photo editor such as Photoshop elements or iPhoto.
8. Cite any sources or graphics used in your webpage. Be sure to include a copyright notice as well as a “Last updated” notation on your webpage.
Curriculum-framing Questions:
Unit Questions:
•How does prejudice occur?
•What are the consequences of allowing prejudices to perpetuate?
•What lessons can we learn from studying the Holocaust?
•What can individuals do to prevent these atrocities from occurring/continuing to occur?
Content Questions:
•How was Hitler able to kill almost 11,000,000 people?
•What is prejudice?
•What is the chain of prejudice?
•What is anti-Semitism?
•Who are the four participants when dealing with Holocaust victims?
•What other genocides have occurred since the Holocaust?
Plan Assessment:
Brief Summary of Assessment:
This assessment requires students to create a visual memorial and accompanying poem and rationale to illustrate their understanding of and empathy for the events surrounding the Holocaust. This assessment will allow students to demonstrate their knowledge of CT and GPS learning standards, relating to nonfiction and poetry.
Identify Desired Results:
Students will understand that a memorial is a monument intended to celebrate or honor the memory of a person or event, serving as a thought-provoking remembrance. Students will then use their knowledge of a memorial to create one which reflects what they have learned about the Holocaust.
Scoring Guidelines:
Memorial:· Demonstrates an effective use of symbolism
· Design shows understanding of the purpose and audience, historical period, culture, and personal experiences drawn from various Holocaust texts and research
· Reflects creativity, thoughtfulness, and effort; as well as empathy.
Poem:
· Effectively describes significance of memorial
· Utilizes poetic techniques and figurative language are evident
Rationale:
· Describes the design and significance of the memorial
· Includes relevant support from various Holocaust texts and research
· Analyzes memorial design and its connection to empathy
· Analyzes poem to provide a clear interpretation and its connection to the memorial’s message
Oral Presentation:
· Presents memorial effectively
· Uses appropriate and effective eye contact, body language, gestures, and conventions of standard English
· Responds appropriately to questions from peers
Writing Mechanics:
· Uses all conventions of standard English are applied
Technology:
· Created web page
Designers: Valerie Bolling, Carrie King, Kristen Walsh
Subject: Language Arts