Life is Beautiful: Teaching the Holocaust through Film with Complementary Texts

Lesson Plans

Calendar Activities

Printouts

Strategy Guides

Professional Library

 

LESSON PLANS

Grades   6 – 8  |  Lesson Plan  |  Unit

Investigating the Holocaust: A Collaborative Inquiry Project

Students explore a variety of resources as they learn about the Holocaust. Working collaboratively, they investigate the materials, prepare oral responses, and produce a topic-based newspaper to complete their research.

 

Grades   6 – 8  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Using Technology to Analyze and Illustrate Symbolism in Night

Images have power—they can trigger memories or symbolize abstract ideas. Students put the power of images to the test as they analyze symbolism in Night and create symbolic photomontages.

 

Grades   6 – 9  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Writing for Audience: The Revision Process in The Diary of Anne Frank

After reading or viewing The Diary of Anne Frank, students will make connections between audience and purpose and revise a journal entry with an outside audience in mind.

 

Grades   7 – 10  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

The Blog of Anne Frank?: Taking on Social Roles through Online Writing

Anne Frank shared her experiences through a private diary that became public as a book. In this lesson, students will consider how writing creates social identities as they blog about a political issue.

 

Grades   9 – 12  |  Lesson Plan  |  Unit

Using Student-Centered Comprehension Strategies with Elie Wiesel’s Night

Working in small groups, students read and discuss Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night and then take turns assuming the “teacher” role, as the class works with four different comprehension strategies.

 

Grades   8 – 12  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

From Text to Film: Exploring Classic Literature Adaptations

Students create storyboards to compare and contrast a book and its film adaptation.

 

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CALENDAR ACTIVITIES

Grades   7 – 12  |  Calendar Activity  |  September 30

Elie Wiesel was born on September 30, 1928.

Students compare and contrast two views of the Holocaust from different authors. Students may also research stories of other survivors who may or may not be published and create a presentation on this survivor.

 

Grades   5 – 12  |  Calendar Activity  |  June 12

Anne Frank received her famous diary in 1942.

Students learn about eyewitness reports through a lesson that is grade-level appropriate. Then, groups use primary source documents and research an event using eyewitness accounts.

 

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PRINTOUTS

Grades   K – 12  |  Printout  |  Assessment Tool

Exit Slips

This printout provides prompts that help students reflect on and process new information and think critically, and offers teachers the opportunity to differentiate upcoming instruction based on these reflections.

 

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STRATEGY GUIDES

Grades   K – 12  |  Strategy Guide

Exit Slips

This strategy guide introduces the concept of using Exit Slips in the classroom to help students reflect on what they have learned and express what or how they are thinking about the new information. Exit Slips easily incorporate writing into the content area classroom and require students to think critically.

 

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PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY

Grades   9 – 12  |  Professional Library  |  Book

Reading in the Dark: Using Film as a Tool in the English Classroom

In this practical guide, John Golden makes direct links between film and literary study by addressing reading strategies (e.g., predicting, responding, questioning) and key aspects of textual analysis.

 

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