Before beginning this unit on the Holocaust, middle school students will:
- Hear a true story of a Holocaust family.
- Hear poem written by Terezin child.
- Watch video ““Butterfies Don't Live in Here.”
- Hear poem written by Terezin child.
- Watch online movie "To The Little Polish Boy Standing With His Arms Up". Discuss the poet's concern/solution about the poster.
(information about above books, videos, and poems found in Teaching Guide link)
1. Book - "Hana's Suitcase” is read to entire class
2. Poem written by Pavel Friedmann in 1942 is read to entire class
(print and post one copy on bulletin board)
"The Butterfly"
For seven weeks I've lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
butterflies don't live in here,
In the ghetto.
3. Watch video “Butterfies Don't Live in Here.”
4. Read poem from “We Are Children Just the Same”
(print and place one copy on bulletin board)
When children all over the world have their own rooms, we have bunks 70 x 30 cm.
They have their freedom; we live like chained dogs.
Truly, then in place of their closet full of toys, you must allow us to have at least half a meter of shelf space behind our heads.
You must realize that we are still only children, like children everywhere else.
We may be mature, thanks to Terezin, but we are children just the same.
--pner Jiri Zappner
5. Watch online movie and discuss
http://www.holocaust-trc.org/polishboy.mov
Peter L. Fischl reads his poem "To The Little Polish Boy Standing With His Arms Up"
Mr. Fischl had discussed the cruel Irony of this photo - the photo was taken to show how the Jews were rounded up and terminated and was to be sent to Adolf Hitler for his birthday. Discuss what he meant.
Upon further inspection Mr. Fischl discovered that the "Little Polish Boy" had no Star of David on his coat in the original photograph, yet In his creative vision he saw a Yellow Star on the coat.
He felt the poem without the photograph could have been meaningless. So Mr. Fischl decided to adjust the photograph according to his creative vision, because in TRUE ACTUALITY THE STAR OF DAVID WAS ON THE LITTLE POLISH BOY. THAT IS HIS BRANDING!! - THAT WAS THE VERY CAUSE OF HIS ABUSE AND VICTIMIZATION!! (caps from original article).
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NOTE: Print out tables found in Evaluation link. After the groups had been created, hand out one sheet per group and discuss how each group will be evaluated.
Teacher writes these three roles on board:
1) artist/animator
2) writer
3) researcher
- Teacher asks students to choose (first and second choice) the role they prefer and write their name on a small piece of paper and fold paper in half.
- On three 8 1/2” x 11” pieces of paper, teacher writes the words “artist/animator” on one piece of paper; “writer”, and “researcher” on the other pieces of paper. Three papers are placed on a desktop.
- Students place their folded piece of paper on the paper corresponding with the role they prefer.
Teacher randomly draws a name from each piece of paper and reads name aloud; a student records results on board, Adjustments should be made: to accommodate number of students and/or assure each group of students has students in all three roles
Newly formed groups of students will work together in one of two projects:
Half of the groups will do Project A; the other half will do Project B. Teacher may decide how to best assign students to one project or the other.
Project A: Hana's Suitcase
Students will work within their groups in one of the three roles. Each role player will create their contributions and add to the presentation (group decides if it will be Flash or PowerPoint).
Artist/animator – accomplish the following tasks and adds to presentation:
Students find within the book, “Hana's Suitcase,” information to:
- redraw/animate two pictures drawn by Hana
- draw animate/picture of Mr. Schwartzbart and Hana (pg. 65)
- draw animate/picture of Hana's suitcase –include what she packed
- draw animate/picture of Nana (doll)
- draw animate picture of Sylva (dog)
- draw/animate picture of Nove Mesto
- draw picture/animate song “Stonozka” pg 66
- draw picture/animate poem by Small Wings, December 2000
- draw picture of Kinderheim L410
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Meet with writer
- to let him/her know which two pictures/photos from the book you would like to scan and include in your presentation – they will write to publisher and request permission (remember you cannot keep pictures/photos in presentation unless permission from publisher is received).
- to find out which poems they would like to include in their presentation. You will draw/animate pictures to visually represent content of two poems/prose
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| Writer - accomplish the following tasks and adds to presentation |
| Write poems/prose from the viewpoints of: Hana Brady, George Brady, Uncle Ludvick, Aunt Hedda, Fumiko Ishioka, Marketa Brady, Karel Brady, Ella, Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, Ludmila |
| Write poem about Kinderheim L410. |
Meet with artist/animate group:
- Find out which two pictures they would like to scan and use in their presentation - write to publisher and request permission (remind the group, they cannot include pictures into presentation until permission is received).
- Let them know which two poems/prose you would like them to draw/animate pictures to visually represent content of poem/prose.
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| “Uncle Tom's Cabin” tells the horrors of slavery: beatings, starvation, splitting up of families during the 19 th century. Compare and contrast this with horrors encountered by the children in Terezin during the 20th century. |
| Upon completion of project, write a letter to George Brady and Fumiko Ishioka telling each of them about our class project. Offer each of them a copy of presentation(s) and invite them to visit our school. |
| Researcher - accomplish the following tasks and add to presentation: |
| Locate and show map of Eastern Europe; indicate location of Terezin and Auschwitz concentration camps researcher/artist. |
| Research historical period and create timeline incorporating specifics of Brady family. |
| Create glossary of terms pertaining to this historical period. |
| Postwar trials - Research the roles of Siegfried Seidl, Karl Rahm and Anton Burger at Terezin and report their fates. |
| Artist/animator and writer and researcher – discuss as a group. |
| Draw pictures and write an “Afterword” to conclude your presentation and let the children of Terezin know they will not be forgotten. |
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Project B - Terezin Concentration Camp
Students will work within their groups in one of the three roles. Each role player will create their contributions and add to the presentation (group decides if it will be Flash or PowerPoint).
Artist/animator – accomplish the following tasks and adds to presentation:
Reread poem “We Are Children Just the Same” written by a boy confined to the Terezin Concentration camp. Draw/animate a picture representing his feelings.
Note: Only include text in presentation if publisher gives permission (writer will write to publisher). |
Reread poem “The Butterfly”
animate/draw picture showing feelings of poet; add information about children who wrote poem |
Read a poem from book “…I never saw another butterfly…
”animate symbolic picture representing how poem content affected you
(include info about child who wrote poem) |
Ask researcher to give you a copy of historial timeline - create a digital timeline, complete with pictures. |
| Draw map of Eastern Europe indicating location of Terezin and Auschwitz concentration camps |
| Writer – accomplish the following tasks and add to presentation |
Create an example of the “pink slip to the East” which stated:
“You and your family are to report at [time and date] at [place] to go on labor assignment to the East.”
Explain how the people felt when they did or did not receive the pink slip. |
| Make glossary of Holocaust terms. |
| Obtain the name and email address of a survivor of Terezin and write this individual to express how the stories of the children of Terezin has impacted you. |
| Look at artwork in …”I never saw another butterfly…” compose five poems and/or prose representing Terezin children's artwork. Include the name of artist and indicate if they survived. |
| Select one of the pictures in the book …”I never saw another butterfly…” and describe the picture in writing so others can see it without looking at the picture itself. |
After hearing/reading “The Butterfly” poem answer these questions:
- What does the butterflies symbolize?
- Why can't butterflies live in the ghetto?
- Based on this poem, describe the poet's fears, hopes, dreams.
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| Identify some survivors and rescuers – include audio if available. |
Rabbi Leo Baeck, an inmate of Terezin, learned of the full horror of Auschwitz in 1943 and elected to keep the truth to himself. He reasoned: What would be gained by telling the truth of Auschwitz to others? Panic, despair, mass suicide.
Do you agree or disagree with Rabbi Baeck? Explain your answer.
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| “Uncle Tom's Cabin” tells the horrors of slavery: beatings, starvation, splitting up of families during the 19th Century. Compare and contrast this with the horrors encountered by the children in Terezin during the 20th Century. |
| Researcher - accomplish the following tasks and add to presentation. |
| Create timeline of historical period-artist/animator needs a copy to create a digital timeline. |
| Write brief history of Terezin - include an explanation of why it is sometimes referred as a ghetto and sometimes as a concentration camp. |
| What was the role of women during the Holocaust? Include names. |
How many drawings and collages did the children draw while confined at Terezin?
How did the drawings survive?
Who helped the children create their drawings and collages? |
Why is Terezin referred as a “model camp”? Compare and contrast it to Auschwitz? |
| What was Red Cross' role at Terezin? Explain with specific examples such as "shave room." |
| Post Trial: Research the roles of Siegfried Seidl, Karl Rahm, and Anton Burger at Terezin and report their fates. |
| Convert the metric measurements from poem “We Are Children Just the Same” to standard measurements we use in America. |
| Artist/animator and writer and researcher – discuss as a group. |
| Draw and write an “Afterword” to conclude your presentation to let the children of Terezin know they will not be forgotten. |
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