copyright 1999, Sirpa Grierson

"Always Remember, Never Forget: Teaching about the Holocaust". Online Educator, February 1999. http://www.ncte.org/notesplus/onlineeducator19157January2001.shtml This article explains the importance of teaching about the holocaust, and gives good guidelines for teachers to base their curriculum around. It also includes several good suggestions for materials, books, and activities to inhance teaching of this subject. "Antisemitism". Copyright 2001. About.com, Inc. http://history1900s.about.com/cs/antisemitism/index.htm This web site is a good one to go to for background information on antisemetism that will help explain to students the historical background surrounding the holocaust. It includes antisemitic literature, posters, newspapers, etc. "BU celebrates Holocaust survivor". Polley, Mary Beth. Daily Free Press- Online spotlight Wednesday, October 28, 1998. http://www.dailyfreepress.com/media/paper87/DFPArchive/spotlight/1028981.html This article gives a brief background of Elie Wiesel's life, and includes some wonderful quotes he stated during his presentation at Boston University. Includes a quote that is relevant for teachers specifically on page three. "Holocaust Survivors". Copyright 1999-2000. Menzer, John. http://www.holocaustsurvivors.org This site includes a collection of different survival stories that would add to students' appreciation of the holocaust mainly because it makes it obvious that each of the millions of people who were involved were real people with individual lives. It also includes a photo gallery and various other links that are interesting. "Nazi Propaganda". Copyright 2001 About.com, Inc. http://history1900s.about.com/cs/nazipropaganda/index.htm This site includes posters, speeches, newspapers and much more reflecting the Nazi's use of propaganda to manipulate their ideas. "Remember Our Faces: Teaching about the Holocaust". Holt, Evelyn R. ERIC Digest, 1992. ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education Bloomington IN. This article encourages teachers to continue educating young people about the holocaust saying that soon the generation of survivors will all be gone. It stresses the point that the holocaust can be used to understand important contemporary events. The main point is to educate using the stories of those who survived, so that their faces can literally be remembered in the memories of those who learn about them. "Report to the President: President's Commission on the Holocaust." Volume 1 number 2. Lewis, Brandon. The Journal for Historical Review, 1980. This article is not as useful as a teaching source, but does contain interesting information and interesting quotations. Elie Wiesel is quoted again here, explaining the importance of remembering, even though it is easier and less painful to forget. "Speak Truth to Power: The Powerless". Cuomo, Kerry Kennedy. Public Broadcasting System. http://www.pbs.org/speaktruthtopower/elie.html This is an interview given between Kerry Kennedy Cuomo and Elie Wiesel for PBS. It provides a close look at Wiesel's life history, and contains some very interesting questions that could be used for students in the classroom to reflect upon. "The History Place: Holocaust Timeline". The History Place, Copyright 1997-2001. http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/timeline.html This is a very clear, easy to understand timeline of the major events leading up to the holocaust. There are additional links under many dates that provide information surrounding that event. It could be very useful in providing a historical context for students so that they have a clearer understanding of how and why the holocaust came about. "The Jewish Virtual Library: The Holocaust" Copyright 2001, AICE. http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/holo.html This is a wonderful site to recommend to students for student research. It includes links to every subject related to the holocaust. Back to Top Milgram Experiment. Wikipedia. http://instruction.blackhawk.tec.wi.us/ghoffarth/milgramexperiment.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment Provides an encyclopedic description of the Milgram “learning behavior” experiment and also a worksheet with questions on the subject. Stanford Prison Experiment. Dr. Philip Zimbardo http://www.prisonexp.org/slide-1.htm Very informative website which explains the experiment through a slide show. The site includes lots of pictures and several video clips. To use this as a lesson plan idea, refer to the website for additional information. U.S. National Holocaust Memorial Museum: Permanent Exhibition http://www.ushmm.gov/museum/exhibit/index.php?content=exhibit/index.php%23hidkid This site links to exhibits at the U.S. Holocaust Museum including Daniel’s Story (a video of the experience through a child’s eyes), pictures of exhibits, and history of children who hid underground during WWII. Aftermath. A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/timeline/after.htm This site includes information on the results of WWII. Web links, photographs, lesson plans, and quizzes are also included. Student Activity Barbara Jania-Smith. San Diego County Office of Education. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/night/nightsg2.html Requires students to create the front page of a 1930’s newspaper and a correlating poster. Contains specific sites to explore in order to gain information for the newspaper, guidelines for the newspaper, and a grading rubric. The Last Days of Auschwitz. Newsweek. January, 16, 1995. Article about the culmination of the Holocaust. Includes maps of several different camps, statistics, and personal stories from several different individuals. Resistance. A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust. http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/timeline/resist.htm This site focuses on the WWII resistant effort going on in Europe. This site has links to photographs, teacher lesson plans, quizzes, and other sites that may be of interest. Eichmann’s Background and History. PBS. http://www.pbs.org/eichmann/study1.htm This article explains the origins of Adolf Eichmann, who was given charge over the extermination of the Jews, and is based off of a documentary made by PBS. Hitler. Grolier Online. http://www.pbs.org/eichmann/study1.htm This site features an article about the life of Adolf Hitler. It includes links to information on other Nazi party leaders and to a WWII website. Student Activity Barbara Jania-Smith. San Diego Office of Education. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/might/nightsg1.html Requires students to develop a dialectic journal as they read in order to create a “Found Poem.” Will help the students understand the emotions of the Holocaust and look for passages in their reading which have a personal impact. Includes a grading rubric. Student Activity 3 Barbara Jania-Smith. San Diego Office of Education. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/night/nightsg3.html Requires students to become an “authority” on one aspect of the Holocaust. Working as a group, they will create an oral presentation and a poster for the class. Includes links of websites to get information for topics and a grading rubric. Yom Kippur: The Day Without Forgiveness. Elie Wiesel. Sandy Strange Springville High School. This short story expounds upon the problems of trying to be religious in a concentration camp. Questions on basic understanding and analysis are included. Unit Plans for Night. Beverely Vanhook. http://www3.wcu.edu/~mwarner/Night.htm Includes day by day activities for teaching Night which incorporate journal entries, ideas for discussion, video clips, and projects. Human Rights: One Person is Not Worth More Than Another Sandy Strange. Springville High School. Article explains “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and how it developed. A picture depicts the problems that can occur when rights are violated and what can happen when they are allowed to be used. Page 79 “Night Reading Guide.” Sandy Strange. Springville High School. As the students read the book, they will be able to keep track of all that is happening as with this reading guide designed to identify characters, sequence of events, and promote understanding. Kid Reach: Lesson Plan for Night. Jennifer Tanner, et. al. Sandy Strange. Springville High School. http://www.westga.edu/~kidreach/antguide2.html Provides day by day lesson plans for teaching Night. Includes film clips, small group discussion, map work, psychological exercise, and final project ideas. A Brief History of the Invention and Development of Barbed Wire. Devil’s Rope Museum. http://www.barbwiremuseum.com/barbedwirehistory.htm Article about the process of developing barbed wire. Includes biographies about several different inventors and pictures as well. Memorial and Museum: Auschwitz- Birkenau. http://www.auschwitz.org.pl/html/eng/start/index.html This website provides details about the history of Auschwitz. Statistics and pictures can be found from this site which will help to convey the idea of a concentration camp. The Ghettos. A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust. http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/timeline/ghettos.htm This site contains a chronological time line of the process of confining Jews to ghettos. Web links, photographs, lesson plans, quizzes, and definitions are also included. Barbed Wire “Barbed Wire” http://87.1911encyclopedia.org/B/BA/BARBED_WIRE.htm “The History of Barbed Wire” http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blbarbed_wire.htm These articles describe the construction, use, and history of barbed wire. This material can be used to make an interesting anticipatory lesson to introduce the Holocaust to the students. Back to Top Religious Background “The Jewish Background and the Religious Dimension” Merti, Betty. Understanding the Holocaust. Portland, Me.: J. Weston Walch, 1982. This chapter provides a good overview of the Jewish faith and identity. The material is especially helpful because it is directly aimed towards teachers. Website for Teachers “A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust” http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/default.htm This is a great guide for teachers who wish to teach about the Holocaust. It is links to pictures, articles, and a timeline. Summary of the Holocaust “The Holocaust: An Historical Summary” Source cited on article http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display This is a good summary of the Holocaust for both teachers and students. An Overview of the Holocaust “The Holocaust: An Overview” Source cited on article http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display This is another good overview of the Holocaust for both teachers and students. It also provides many historical reasons for the anti-Semitic Preparing Holocaust Unit “Preparing a Holocaust Unit for High School Students” Hauptman, Robert and Susan Hubbs Motin, eds. The Holocaust: Memories, Research, Reference. New York: The Haworth Press, Inc., 1998. This is a great resource for any teacher who plans to teach about the Holocaust, although it is aimed more for Social Studies classes than for English classes. Teaching the Holocaust “Teaching about the Holocaust: Perplexities, Issues, and Suggestions” Merti, Betty. Understanding the Holocaust. Portland, Me.: J. Weston Walch, 1982. Understanding the Horror “Understanding the Horror” Source cited on article http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display This article addresses the inevitable questions students will have about why the Holocaust even occurred, why more people did not resist, etc. Survival Accounts “Survivors of the Shoah: Personal Accounts of the Holocaust” Source cited on article http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display This article is a compilation of quotes from survivors of the Holocaust who testify of the atrocities they witnessed. This can be a good source for journal prompts and discussion. Video “Life is Beautiful” Benigni, Roberto. Life is Beautiful. Mirimax Home Entertainment, 2002. (rated PG-13) This is a great film to contrast with Eli Wiesel’s experience and to introduce the Holocaust. Children in the Holocaust “Children in the Holocaust” Source cited on article http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display Describes the experiences of children who were victims of the Holocaust. Story about the Holocaust “Youth in Chains” Geve, Thomas. Guns and Barbed Wire: A child survives the Holocaust. Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1987. A story to compare and contrast with Night Researching Newspaper Articles “Incorporating Contemporaneous Newspaper Articles About the Holocaust into a Study of the Holocaust” Hauptman, Robert and Susan Hubbs Motin, eds. The Holocaust: Memories, Research, Reference. New York: The Haworth Press, Inc., 1998. This is an article that describes a good research project to do with the students including the rationale and activities involved. Stories of War “Stories of War” Bibliography included on article http://discoverer22.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display This is a compilation of quotes from interviews high school and middle school students had with Holocaust survivors. The Effects of Starvation “Starvation” http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section1/chapter2/2b.jsb This is an article describing the physical effects of starvation, as concentration camp inmates would have experienced it. Genocide “Degrees of Genocide – and Evil” Lang, Berel. The Future of the Holocaust: Between History & Memory. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1999. “Comparisons with Other Genocides” Bauer, Yehuda. Rethinking the Holocaust. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001. These articles discuss the meaning of genocide and comparing the Holocaust to other genocides. Music in Response to the Holocaust “Music in Response to the Holocaust” http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/arts/musResp.htm This is a list of music pieces that were composed by survivors of the Holocaust and are reflections on their experiences. Listening to one of these pieces can be a good journal prompt for students. Effects of the Holocaust “Psychological Effects of the Holocaust” http://www.cyberessays.com/History/80.htm This article introduces the lasting psychological effects of the Holocaust. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” “Treating Survivors and Children of Survivors of the Nazi Holocaust” Ochberg, Frank M., ed. Post-Traumatic Therapy and Victims of Violence. New York: Brunner/Mazel Publishers, 1988. These articles address the real medical and psychological problems associated with trauma. Restoring Identity “Germans Try to Restore Their Jewish Heritage” Source cited on article http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display This article describes how survivors try to deal with Post-Traumatic stress The History of Anti-Semitism “The Roots of Antisemitism” Merti, Betty. Understanding the Holocaust. Portland, Me.: J. Weston Walch, 1982. This article describes the history of Anti-Semitism. Examples of Modern-day Acts of Anti-Semitism “Seven Days of Hatred” “Dr. King’s Legacy and Anti-Semitism” “Questioning Evil” “The Demons of Europe” Sources cited on articles. http://web1.epnet.com/DeliveryPrint.asp These articles show students that Anti-Semitic sentiments still continue today. Acknowledgement and Restitution “Anti-Semitism Acknowledged” “Restitution for Holocaust Victims” “First Checks for Survivors of Hitler’s Labor Force” “Whose Art Is It?” Sources cited on articles http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display These articles describe how society has tried to compensate for the atrocities. Denial of the Holocaust “Holocaust Denial in the United States” Stern, Kenneth S. Stern. Holocaust Denial. New York: The American Jewish Committee, 1993. This article describes the prejudice and problems revolving around the issue of the Holocaust. Testimonial of the Holocaust “Eichmann’s Words Give Chilling Lesson” Source cited on article http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display This article is a testimonial against those who deny the reality of the Holocaust. Can be a lead into discussion about the importance of standing up for what you know is true and right. Other Inspirational Examples “Saving Jews Was Her Passion” Source cited on article http://discoverer20.sirs.com/cgi-bin/dis-article-display This article introduces other heroes and heroines of the Holocaust and can inspire students to be heroes for others in their lives. Back to Top Reading Activities (compiled by Jessica Smith Bench) |Pre-Reading | During Reading | Post-Reading | Pre-Reading Ideas: 1. Biography on Elie Wiesel: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/HOLO/ELIEBIO.HTM This biography talks about the life of Elie Wiesel. This includes his life before, during and after World War II. This would be a useful source to introduce Elie Wiesel to the students before we read Night. 2. Elie Wiesel's Nobel Prize Lecture: http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates/1986/wiesel-lecture.html This is Elie Wiesel’s Nobel Prize Lecture on peace. This would be a helpful source to use when introducing and discussing Elie Wiesel. This coupled with the biography of Elie Wiesel would be a great way for the students to get to now who Wiesel is and how he feels about liberty, freedom, and the equality of the human soul. In addition, students can use this along with Wiesel’s biography predict the role that the Holocaust played in his life by examining the views in this speech along with the basic outline of is life. 3. Photographs, Artwork, Government Documents, and Maps of the Holocaust: http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/isa/ninvest/night/francistablecontents.htm#table This website will allow the students to understand the Holocaust on a world level by looking at the artwork, government documents, etc. that were influenced by the Holocaust. 4. A Virtual Tour of Auschwitz http://remember.org/educate/intro.html#table This is an interesting website because it was created in 1993 by a person who visited and did research on Auschwitz. This is a good way to introduce the concentration camps because it is modern. It will help the students understand that the Holocaust is not “ancient history,” but rather a modern part of our lives. This site explains how the camps looked then and now. 5. Timeline of the Holocaust: http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/timeline.html This is a very helpful timeline of the entire Holocaust beginning with Hitler being appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and continues throughout the war and post war situation of the Jewish people. This would be a helpful timeline to introduce the book because it would help students put into perspective the timeline of events that occur in this novel. 6. Pictures of the Holocaust: http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/blpictures.htm This site has various pictures from the Holocaust and World War II. These pictures would be effective if used in a PowerPoint presentation or displayed around the room as an introductory activity to help the students set the mood for the novel that they are about to read. It would be fun to turn the room into a museum where the students can walk around and view the many pictures from the Holocaust. They could choose one picture that affected them the most and do a journal entry on the feelings they get just from viewing the pictures. This would help the students prepare emotionally for what they are about to read. 7. Hitler Pictures, Speeches and the Holocaust: http://www.european-history.com/holocaust.html This is a great web site when introducing Hitler and the Nazi’s. This gives excellent pictures and speeches of Hitler’s that will help the students understand his mission and stance with the war. It will also better help the students understand how Hitler truly feels about the Jewish people. Students could do a character sketch on Hitler by examining the ideas found in this website. 8. Anne Frank Information: http://history1900s.about.com/od/annefrank/ This is a great supplementary source that can be used as an introduction to Night. By giving information that is found on this website to the students, they will be able to get an initial idea on how the war affected the people. This site also provides excerpts from Anne Frank’s diary which would be helpful as well. Students should have background knowledge on Anne Frank, so by taking a day to discuss her situation, students might be able to better understand Night before they begin reading it. 9. Essays and Documents on the Holocaust: http://www.holocaust-history.org/ This web site allows the browser to choose from numerous historical accounts pertaining to World War II. The essay of choice is “When did Hitler decide on the Final Solution?” This essay gives insight into how the entire Holocaust began during the war—because of a decision presented by Hitler. Students can read this essay at home and write responses to Hitler’s decision in their journals. This will help the students to develop an opinion about Hitler and his ideas. 10. Holocaust: A Student Learning Site: http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/ This is a helpful site to aid students in better understanding the Holocaust. Information within this would be beneficial to use in class to facilitate learning among the students to understand the basic history of Night. There are many different sections to this website that allows students to browse numerous different aspects of the Holocaust and World War II as a collective whole. This would be a great site for the students to use in preparation for a group presentation on one aspect of the Holocaust. During Reading Ideas: 1. “Peel This Away” by Gaskit. http://www.artistsforliteracy.org/pdf/ch2_16_Peel.pdf This is such an interactive website to gain ideas from for during reading assignments and activities. My favorite part about this is that it incorporates a song into the lesson. “Peel This Away” by Gaskit was written and inspired by the book Night and would be very fun and interesting for the students to listen to and analyze. The song relates to the whole book, so this can be used in a lesson to understand and incorporate the major themes of the novel as the students are reading. This song might be useful to play before, during and after reading to see if the student’s feelings toward it and interpretation of it change. 2. Nazi Propaganda Posters: http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/ An interesting web site that displays much of the Nazi propaganda during World War II. This would be interesting to explore during the reading of Night so that students can begin to visually understand the power and strength that the Nazi’s had over the people in Germany. It would go nicely while reading chapter 5 when a Jewish man says, “I’ve got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He’s the only one who’s kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people” (85). Students can create their own propaganda poster for Night as if it was going to be a movie, and they could present them to the class. This could also provke an interesting discussion on media and how our world is effected by it. Students can examine why the Nazi propaganda posters were effective because of the media aspect as well. 3. Nazi Propaganda Film: http://veritas3.holocaust-history.org/der-ewige-jude/ This is one of the most dangerous Nazi films because of its outright hatred toward the Jewish people. This movie would be useful during the reading for students to watch parts of it to understand more about why the Jews were put into the position that they were. 4. Voices of Victims: http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/arts/litVicti.htm This website displays numerous books written by victims of the Nazi’s. The description of each book is also contained in this website. This would be helpful because all of the students are required to read one outside reading book of their own choice each term. Therefore, this website would provide excellent reading choices for students who want supplementary reading material for Night. Parts of these books would also provide helpful examples during lectures. 5. Night Activities: http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/night/nighttg.html This website contains five activities that are focused around the study of Night. These would be helpful to use as activities for the whole class or for individual work. For example, if students were required to do a project for Night, these activities would be good for them to use or to get ideas from. 6. Plot Summary, Themes, and Characters: http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/night.html This website contains information about Night’s setting, characters, plot, themes, and key ideas. This would be helpful to use during the reading to spark discussion about the text. Worksheets for the students to complete could be created with the material found at this site. 7. Mass Executions and Death Camps: http://www.parascope.com/gallery/galleryitems/holocaust/ This website contains many shocking pictures of the Mass Executions and Death Camps during the Holocaust. This material would be interesting to use while the students first read about the gas chambers in Night. Group discussion on the student’s reaction to what they read and see would be appropriate with this activity. Students could write poems about their feelings toward mass executions and death camps as well and share them in their groups. 8. Vocabulary, Discussion, Lesson Plan: http://www.holocaust-trc.org/night.htm This website is really helpful because it contains many of the difficult vocabulary words that are present in Night. This would be helpful to the students during their reading to better understand the text. They could use these examples and then write any other difficult vocabulary words from the text down in their journal and define them. A test on the vocabulary words found in Night would be a good way to assess word understanding and to see if students are reading the novel. In addition, there are many writing ideas, discussion topics, and extensions that would all be beneficial to draw activities or assignment from. 9. Unit Plan on Night http://members.accessus.net/~bradley/page3.html This website is excellent. It contains many helpful links that further the study about the characters, the plot, and more. I especially like the circle graph idea called “Who is Responsible?” I think it is a great activity idea that will really help the students become involved with a deeper analysis of the text. They could complete this activity in small groups and then report their discoveries to the class. 10. Lesson Plan Info on Night: http://www.educeth.ch/english/readinglist/wiesele/night.html This site is really helpful for teachers because it has many resources that will give ideas to help teach Night. I think that these ideas will help a teacher think of great activities to help direct the learning during this novel. I especially liked the link to the location of a video entitled “America and the Holocaust.” This is a really great film that will help to validate the situations in the novel by helping to give the students a visual for what they are reading. Specific clips of this movie can be shown to connect to the current situations that we are reading in the novel. Back to Top Post-Reading Ideas: 1. Remembering the Holocaust Scholarship Writing Opportunity: http://holocaust.hklaw.com/ This is a site that allows students to submit papers about remembering the Holocaust for possible scholarship money for college. I think that this would constitute a great post-reading activity for students. They can write a research paper on the Holocaust and incorporate Night into their studies and then submit them to get class credit and possible scholarship money. 2. Survivor Stories: http://www.holocaustsurvivors.org/ After we finish reading the novel, this would be a fun site to visit to explore other survivors like Elie Wiesel. It would be a good experience for the students to read accounts about many brave souls who fought against the Holocaust and won. Small groups could each be assigned one person or family, research them, and then present their survivor story to the class. This presentation could include a typed paper, pictures, timelines, or storytelling to help the class get to know many survivors and their stories. 3. Student Responses to Night: http://www.iearn.org/hgp/aeti/1995-wiesels-night.html This website has many student responses to the novel Night. This would be something that could be used to spark conversation and discussion. Or, it can be good examples of student responses that a teacher can use to begin a “Book Review” assignment. Students could write personal responses like the examples read, and then rate the novel on how they feel about it. 4. Reading and Responding to Night: http://www.michigan.gov/scope/0,1607,7-155-13515_13526_13527-50565--,00.html This website has many great reading response questions to Night that would be beneficial for a post-reading activity or assignment. All of the reading response suggestions require that the students have read and understood the book. Therefore, this would also be a good source to assess the students on the novel. 5. Elie Wiesel's Relationship with God: http://www-int.stsci.edu/~rdouglas/publications/suff/suff.html This is an excellent source that examines Elie Wiesel’s relationship with God. It uses direct quotes from many of his books, including Night which sparks Wiesel’s first doubt with God. This would be helpful for students after reading Night so that they can take a look at the novel as a collective whole to see how Wiesel’s relationship with God was, and how it changed as the story progressed. After students examine this, they could go into a textual analysis as to why they think that his relationship with God changed. 6. Holocaust Heroes: http://www.holocaust-heroes.com/ Students could discuss if they think that Wiesel is a hero of the Holocaust. This website provides a supplementary look at other heroes of the Holocaust that students could also examine to get a well rounded view of the many heroes during this time. Students could examine this concept of heroes and then as a class we could all write letters to Wiesel to thank him for his novel and tell him that we think he is a “Holocaust Hero” because of his brave courage. 7. Holocaust Non-Jewish Victims: http://www.holocaustforgotten.com/ This would go great coupled with the discussion on Holocaust heroes because this website examines the non-Jewish victims of the Holocaust. We could use this to examine and discuss prejudices that existed with the Jewish people and with others during the Holocaust. 8. 29 Months in Exile: http://www.29months.com/english/ A documentary film about a family who survived the Holocaust by hiding in exile for 29 months. Students could view this and then write their own short story about a person or family who survived a difficult situation by doing something peculiar. 9. Survivors of the Holocaust. Steven Spielberg, 1996. This would be an excellent movie to show after reading Night because it tells the story of many Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. Spielberg shows each story because they are all different. It shows life before, during and after the Holocaust. This would be great to watch after reading because students would already have an emotional connection with the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Therefore, I think it would be more effective at this time during the unit. Students could watch this and then describe in a paper, presentation, or discussion how Wiesel’s experience is similar and different from the other stories they saw and heard. 10. Schindler’s List. Steven Spielberg, 1993. This would be a great movie to show at the very end of this unit because it gives a final glimpse and view on the Holocaust that would be informational and rewarding for the students to view. As a follow up activity to finish this unit, students could discuss how we see prejudices, intolerance, and persecution in our day today. Although it will not be as intense as the Holocaust, we can discuss why it exists and what we can do to stop it or help it. Students can write a persuasive article to explicate their stance and ideas.

Back to Elie Wiesel's Author Page

 

Reading Resources and Unit Guide for this Novel