1 Holocaust Unit Stage 1 - Desired Results Grade Level: 8th grade

Enduring Understanding:

People are born with certain rights, and these human rights sometimes need defending.

Essential Questions: What factors allowed the Holocaust to happen? Why is it important to learn about the Holocaust? Is it true that nothing like this could ever happen again?

Content Areas Addressed: Language Arts Social Studies

Common Core and/or Illinois Standards: CC.8.RL.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. CC.8.RL.5: Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. CC.8.RI.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CC.8.RI.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship

Unit Objectives (label with the assessment number in Stage 2): Students will be able to accurately name key factors, such as the financial instability in Germany in the 1920s & 30s, that led to Hitlers rise to power when asked on an exit slip, and will be able to relate this information to their previous knowledge (Assessment #1). Students will be able to explain and defend their stance on the question What would you have done? as posed by the author of The Sunflower in essay form (Assessment #2). Students will be able to compare and contrast poems from I Never Saw Another Butterfly through creating similarity & difference charts. Students will be able to thoughtfully interpret a poem of their choice from I

2 to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text. CC.8.RI.6: Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints. CC.8.W.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented CC.8.W.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Gradespecific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.) CC.8.W.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. ILS.16.A.3b: Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps and other historical sources. ILS.16.C3c (W): Describe the impact of Never Saw Another Butterfly through creating a butterfly poster with a doubleentry journal. Students will be able to explain and defend their stance on a human rights issue existing today through a letter written to the President, or to another relevant official (Assessment #3). Students will be able to create a list of 35 relevant and thoughtful questions that they will save to ask the Holocaust guest speaker when they come in May.

3 technology (e.g., weaponry, transportation, printing press, microchips) in different parts of the world, 1500-present. ILS.18.B.3a: Analyze how individuals and groups interact within institutions (e.g., educational, military). ILS.18.B.3b: Explain how social institutions contribute to the development and transmission of culture. Stage 2 Assessment Evidence (name the three kinds of assessment you have chosen and provide a brief description of these assessments) Assessment #1: Assessment #2: This is an example of formative assessment. Following a lesson on the factors and events leading up to the Holocaust, students will be given a short exit slip that asks them to relate several of these key factors. If issues in understanding arise, then parts of this lesson can be retaught to small groups or to the whole class the following day. This is an example of writing assessment. Students will show their understanding of the issues surrounding the question Simon Wiesenthal poses to his readers at the end of his autobiographical account of a Nazi soldier asking for his forgiveness on his deathbed through writing their own response essay, in the same form as those printed in The Sunflower. Assessment #3: This is an example of authentic assessment. Students will show their understanding that human rights violations like the Holocaust still go on today, and that it is the job of ordinary people to stand up for human rights through writing letters to the President or to other relevant officials asking them to pay attention to a particular human rights violation going on in the world today (this will be decided on as a class). This assessment is authentic because we will actually mail the letters. Stage 3 Learning Plan Remember: W: (where/what) H: (hook/hold) E: (equip/experience/explore) R: (rethink/revise) E: (evaluate) T: (tailored) O: (organized)

4 How Many Lessons of What Length? Bullet Your Lesson Plans:

26 lessons, each ~80 minutes long (some of Lesson 1: this time will be devoted to independent W: Introduction to the Holocaust & its reading, writing in writers journals, victims working on book reviews, and working on H: Why is the Holocaust still important spelling work & spelling tests). today? E: Students will explore video clips & photographs from World War II, and films about World War II R: Students will be asked the question from the hook a second time, to see if their answers have changed or broadened at all. E: Students will evaluate their current thoughts on the Holocaust and create a KWL chart to use throughout the rest of the unit. T: Students will be able to work with partners or in small groups on their revising & evaluating stages. Students with difficulty writing or reading will be given the opportunity to dictate their answers to a teacher. Students with difficulty keeping attention will be gently redirected as needed. O: Photos & video clips will be edited together ahead of time & presented in a presentation on the Smart Board, in a logical progression. Lesson 2: W: How the Holocaust happenedin other words: the policies, factors, and events leading up to the Holocaust. H: Lead students through For Whom Would You Vote activity: http://www.seizeliberty.com/essays/Vote. htm E: The teacher will equip students with more information about Hitler & his rise to power through a brief presentation on post-World War I Germany, and will provide students with a definition of the term Holocaust R: Students will rethink & revise their

5 views on Germany right before & after Hitler was elected based around the question, could this have happened in the U.S.A.? E: Students will evaluate the importance of learning about the history of the Holocaust & if/how their opinions of this time in history have begun to change upon learning more about it. T: Students will be allowed to work in pairs or in small groups. Teachers presentation will include reading out loud, pictures, and movement in terms of an agree/disagree vote done with standing up (agree) or sitting down (disagree). Students will also complete Assessment #1, an exit slip, which will inform the teacher of any learning gaps that might exist, so that they can be addressed. O: The information about the Hitlers rise to power & the Holocaust will be arranged into an organized, chronological presentation. The students thought processes will be carefully followed by the teacher, so that pauses can be made when new information needs to be reiterated.

Lesson 3: W: Start of The Sunflower & I Never Saw Another Butterfly; introduction to Butterfly project H: After learning about the history of the Holocaust, they will now take a look at experiences of people affected by the Holocaust. E: Students will explore the first section of The Sunflower (pp. 3-9) through listening to it read allowed, and then will explore I Never Saw Another Butterfly by reading an abridged version of the forward by Chaim Potok, and then by reading two of the poems from the book: We got used to standing (p. 6), and Id Like to Go Alone (p. 50).

6 R: Students will reevaluate & revise their views on the people of the Holocaust through a journal entry comparing how they think they would have reacted (as 13 & 14-year-olds), to what Petr Fischl (15years-old) was living through. E: The students will evaluate their own understanding of the texts read today by working on starting a Holocaust Vocabulary List that will be added to throughout the unit. T: Students will be accommodated through flexible length requirements for their journal entries & through the whole class working together to compile & define new vocabulary words from both The Sunflower and I Never Saw Another Butterfly O: The lesson will be organized to split reading time up with discussion & definitions of vocabulary, in order to keep the lesson moving smoothly. The teacher will also have compiled a vocabulary list before class, consisting of words used in one or both of the books that students need to understand for this unit (ex: SS, Ghetto, etc.).

Lesson 4: W: Students will continue to read The Sunflower and will look more closely at anti-Semitism in countries outside of Germany. H: Who has ever heard the term antiSemitism or anti-Semite? Do you agree or disagree with the statement: AntiSemitism existed only in Germany? E: Students will explore the next section (pp. 9-20) of The Sunflower through listening to it be read aloud & through following along in their own text. They will then also explore information from an adapted lesson plan on anti-Semitism & how it relates to bullying & human rights. R: Students will rethink their views on

7 anti-Semitism & will discuss it as a group. E: Students will evaluate their learning through creating a graphic organizer comparing anti-Semitism to bullying T: The original anti-Semitism lesson plan will be condensed and simplified in order to serve all students in the classroom. Students will also be allowed to work in pairs or small groups on creating their graphic organizers. O: The teacher will plan the presentation of information ahead of time, and will leave enough class time to focus only on The Sunflower and the topics covered in todays reading of it.

Lesson 5: W: Students will read the next 6 pages of The Sunflower, and will read two poems from I Never Saw Another Butterfly, and then compare & contrast them. H: There were a lot of different points of view during the Holocaust, and we are trying to explore them. Today well look at similarities and differences between poems written by children experiencing the Holocaust. E: Students will first listen to the next6 pages or so of The Sunflower, and will then explore in detail It All Depends on How You Look at It (p. 13), and The Butterfly (p. 39). R: Students will revise their view of everything in the Holocaust as being bleak and joyless, and will begin to recognize that people were still trying to live their lives. E: Students will evaluate their groups compare and contrast charts as we discuss them as a whole class T: Students will work in small groups to compare and contrast the two poems. Additionally, the teacher(s) will provide help to groups as necessary & in the end will pull the group together to work on a

8 whole-class compare contrast chart, which all students will receive a copy of. O: The teacher should have ideas for a compare-contrast chart ready before class, so that he/she can provide suggestions for small groups & for the whole group.

Lesson 6: W: Students will read along up to pg. 43 in The Sunflower H: Today we are going to focus on The Sunflower, and begin to reflect on how we think Simon Wiesenthal is feeling E: Students will explore The Sunflower in more depth by re-reading & annotating from p.34 (As he recalled) through p. 35 (Quietly he continued talking) and through using Reciprocal Teaching techniques to discuss the passage in more detail in small groups. R: Students will revise their view of the book so far by looking deeper at the theme of the contrasts between the Nazi soldier & the narrator. E: Students will evaluate their learning through writing a journal entry on how they would feel if they were in Simons place during the passage they just read. T: Individual students will be accommodated through flexible requirements for journal length. Additionally, some students may dictate or type their journal responses if needed. Finally, small group discussions will be supplemented by a whole group discussion. O: The teacher must be organized enough to already have annotation & Reciprocal Teaching papers ready before class. Additionally, the teacher has to pay close attention to the timing of this lesson, as it fits a lot into one 80-minute period. Lesson 7:

9 W: Students will read the portion of The Sunflower describing Eli & the children of the Ghetto (p. 43-47) & Fear (p. 55 I Never Saw Another Butterfly) & I am a Jew (p. 57, I Never Saw Another Butterfly). H: Students will begin by listening to I am a Jew (p. 57) & then will be asked how old they think the author of this poem is. Then they will be told that the boy who wrote this was only 11-yearsold. E: Students will explore the idea of children growing up too fast by comparing Eli from The Sunflower, to the poets of Fear and I am a Jew & to the characters from The Outsiders, and finally, to the situation of Child Soldiers in Uganda &/or elsewhere in the world. R: Students will re-think their own experiences growing up as compared with other children in history & in the world today. E: Students will begin to evaluate if there is anything they could do to help children who are forced to grow up too fast. T: This discussion will be held as a grand conversation. Students will be expected to take some notes, but will do so in a pre-made outline. Students who struggle with note taking will receive a photocopied version of the notes compiled from the rest of the class. O: The teacher needs to have the topics and discussion questions for the grand conversation prepared & rehearsed ahead of time. The teacher should also start asking for students to bring in any old magazines today.

Lesson 8: W: Students will listen to the next section of The Sunflower, and then will select their poem for the butterfly project. Then they will go through a practice analysis of a poem

10 H: Today we will read some from The Sunflower, but most of the time is going to be for you to explore I Never Saw Another Butterfly more & to decide on your poem for your butterfly project, and then to see how to analyze your poem. E: Students will explore the poems they have already read as well as others from I Never Saw Another Butterfly through sharing photocopies & copies of the book & reading poems to each other. Also students will explore the process of analyzing a poem. R: Students will revise previous choices for their poem, until they finally decide on one they want to use. They will also rethink the poem It All Depends on How You Look at It (p. 13). E: By the end of class students will have evaluated many poems briefly, and will have chosen one to focus on more closely. They will then evaluate this poem enough to decide what color they want to make their collage. Students will also have evaluated & analyzed one poem in detail as a whole group. T: Students who struggle with reading or with focus will receive periodic one-onone attention from the teacher as he/she circulates throughout the room. Students who are unable to choose a poem by the end of class will have one assigned to them. The same goes for students who struggle with assigning a color to their poem. Modeling how to analyze a poem will help students do this activity independently or in a small group during the next lesson. O: The teacher needs to organize getting as many copies of individual poems and of the book as possible into the room for this activity. Additionally, it would be good for the teacher to have specific poem/color combinations picked out for students who are likely to struggle at making a decision. Finally, the teacher

11 must already know what topics to bring up during the poetry analysis. Lesson 9: W: Students will listen to/read next section of The Sunflower (up to p. 68), and will work on analyzing their poem. H: Today you get to share your thoughts on your poem with a small group. E: Students will be split up into groups according to either the specific poem they chose, or a common theme among several poems (if only one person chose those poems). In these groups they will go through a step-by-step process (provided to them as a flow chart) and fill out a graphic organizer to analyze their poem/poems (as was modeled yesterday). Once students finish exploring this analysis through the graphic organizer, they will begin to explore how they want to phrase their findings through beginning their rough draft of their double entry journal R: Students will rethink their previous view of a poem by analyzing it in detail. E: Students will evaluate their own poetry analysis as they begin to work on turning it into a double entry journal. T: Some students might need help making the transition from graphic organizer to journal entry. Additionally, some students may need to type or dictate their journal entry. O: The teacher will need to be organized enough & know the poems in I Never Saw Another Butterfly well enough to help students as they analyze them. Lesson 10: W: Students will listen to/read the next section of The Sunflower (through p. 83) & then will finish their rough draft of their journal entry. H: Your first draft of your journal entry is due at the end of class today, so you

12 will have time to work on it after we read. E: Students will continue to explore the story of The Sunflower through listening & through class discussion. Students will also continue to explore their chosen poem in more detail through finishing the rough draft of their double entry journal. R: Students will continue to rethink their idea of whether Simon Wiesenthal should have forgiven the SS man or not as they read the next section of the book. Additionally, they will continue to add to and to revise their double entry journal. E: Students will evaluate the poem they chose further as they finish the rough draft of their double entry journal T: As students work, those who need to dictate or type their rough drafts will have the opportunity to. Additionally, the teacher will circulate around the room & check in with each student at least a couple of times to make sure they are all making progress & all understand the expectations for their work. O: At this point the teacher needs to make sure to have materials ready for beginning work on the final butterflies, in case any students finish early.

Lesson 11: W: Students will learn about people who formed resistances to the Nazis & who helped save people targeted by the Nazis. Students will also begin assembling their collages for their butterfly project. H: So far we have learned a lot about horrible things happening during the Holocaust; however, there were some people who fought against the Nazis from within Nazi controlled territory. E: Students will explore a PowerPoint presentation w/ information, photographs, & clips about the various groups resisting Nazis & helping Jews & other victims of the Holocaust as it was

13 going on. Students will also explore the color and shades of color they will use for their butterfly projects collage. R: Students will rethink their opinion of German & Polish gentiles during the Holocaust, as they discover that not everyone turned a blind eye. Students will also rethink their opinion of Jews only as victims, and will be more aware of their different forms of resistance. E: Students will evaluate their opinions of German & Polish citizens & of the Jews and compare them post-lesson to what they were before this lesson. This will be done as an exit slip. T: Students who need to may dictate their exit slip. Length of exit slip writing will also be flexible. Primary sources & video will help students understand better if they have trouble understanding simply from words on the screen. O: The teacher must organize the PowerPoint presentation and video clips before the lesson. Additionally, exit slips must be written before the lesson. The teacher must also ensure that all magazines, scissors, and glue are ready for students to begin collage work.

Lesson 12: W: Students will listen to/read the next section of The Sunflower & then will work on their butterfly projects while watching the BBCs Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State H: Today we are going to work on our collages while simultaneously learning more about Nazis and about one of the most notorious death camps--Auschwitz E: Students will explore both creating their butterflies & the history of Auschwitz R: Students will revise their view of concentration camps as they see footage of what went on there & of what they looked like for the first time.

14 E: Students will evaluate similarities and differences between what they learn in the video & what they have imagined through reading The Sunflower and I Never Saw Another Butterfly T: Some students may have difficulty focusing on the video while still working on their butterfly. These students should be offered the opportunity to work in the hallway, if they want. It is for these students that work on the butterfly will be done partially without the video on, and partially with it on. O: The teacher needs to have all materials for the butterflies ready & needs to have the video already pulled up for students to watch.

Lesson 13: W: Students will receive marked rough drafts of their journals & will have a chance to finish their collage & begin editing & revising their journal. Before this, the video will be finished. H: Today we are going to finish the video from yesterday, and then concentrate on working on our butterflies. E: Students will explore their journal entries once more, with fresh eyes. R: Students will revise what they wrote in their double entry journals & refine their writing for their final product E: Students will evaluate their rough drafts for strengths and weaknesses and continue to refine them. T: Students who need to type or to dictate will be provided with opportunities to do so. Students who need clarification or individual attention from the teacher will receive it in turn. O: The teacher needs to have all butterfly materials prepared, needs to have looked over and marked all rough drafts of journals, and needs to be prepared to talk with individuals who need writing

15 conferences. Lesson 14: W: Students will write short, reflective journal entries on The Sunflowers question based only on Wiesenthals original text. Students will also finish their butterfly projects. H: Today you are going to have the chance to finish your butterflies & to express your opinion of The Sunflower. E: Students will explore the question from The Sunflower through their writers journals & through some discussion with their small groups. R: Students will rethink their opinions of the book now that they are finished with it. E: Students will evaluate both Wiesenthal and themselves to decide which answer they think is correct right nowto forgive, or not to forgive. T: Students who need to dictate, draw, or type their journal entries will be allowed to do so. Students who may struggle to finish their butterflies will be provided with all materials needed and offered time after school, during lunch, or at home to work on them. O: The teacher must be prepared to meet in conferences with individual students who still need help with either their journal writing, or their butterfly project. Lesson 15: W: Students read & discuss the first of 3 essays selected from the back of The Sunflower (Sven Ajkalajs essay, p. 101). Students also finish their butterfly project and share those with the class before handing them in. H: Yesterday you tried to answer the question of whether or not Wiesenthal should have forgiven the SS soldier, today and tomorrow we will look at what some other people, all with unique points

16 of view, said in answer to the same question. Well also be finishing and sharing our butterfly projects E: Students will explore the life & opinion of Sven Ajkalaj through his essay from The Sunflower & will also explore each others work through sharing the butterfly projects during a silent museum walk around the room. R: Students will rethink their own journal entries from the day before based on Ajkalajs point of view. They may also revise their views of poems from I Never Saw Another Butterfly as they view their classmates projects. E: Students will evaluate Ajkalajs point of view and answer to Wiesenthals question & will also evaluate each others work on the butterfly project. T: Students will listen to the essay read aloud while also reading it on a photocopied version, or in a copy of the book, so that they are more likely to understand. Vocabulary words will be reiterated if needed, and a brief explanation of the Bosnian genocide will be given. O: The teacher needs to have copies of the essay ready for all students & needs to be prepared to discuss the Bosnian genocide with students, assuming they have never heard of it before (and having them ponder why they have never heard of it before).

Lesson 16: W: Students will listen to/read the 2nd and 3rd essays (by The Dalai Lama, p. 129 & by Edward H. Flannery, p. 135). H: Today we are going to read two more essays from The Sunflower, and compare these two with the one we read yesterday. E: Students will explore The Dalai Lama and Flannerys essays, discussing their reasoning & discussing these peoples backgrounds.

17 R: Students will rethink their views on Wiesenthals actions in the light of having read 3 very different responses to his story & question E: Students will evaluate the 3 essays they have read in comparison to their original journal entries. T: Students will be provided with compare/contrast charts to help them organize their thoughts. O: The teacher will need to have compare/contrast charts ready, will need to be very familiar with the 3 essays from The Sunflower & will need to be prepared to help lead students through a compare/contrast discussion.

Lesson 17: W: Students will work on drafting their own response to Wiesenthals question & will begin to learn about anti-Semitism that still exists in the world today. H: We have been learning about the HolocaustI am wondering, does anyone believe something like this could happen again? E: Students will 4 news reports on different anti-Semitic events occurring within the past 5-10 years & will then jigsaw to another group to share their article & hear from others. Students will also explore their own feelings about Wiesenthals question in the light of having read & discussed 3 essays. R: Students will rethink their responses to the question could this happen again? They will also revise their original journal entry as they begin to write a longer essay answering Wiesenthals question in more detail & with more thought. E: Students will begin to evaluate if there is anything they can do to help prevent discrimination based on religion or other aspects of a persons identity. They will also continue to evaluate their

18 own opinion on Wiesenthals question, and how they can best defend it. T: Students who have trouble working on the jigsaw individually can be paired either with another student, or with a tutor or a teacher. Students who need to dictate or type their essay will have the opportunity to do so. There will also be scaffolded note taking sheets for the jigsaw activity. O: The teacher needs to have 4 different, articles printed with enough copies for each student in each group to have one. The teacher also needs to be familiar with the issues addressed in each of these articles & have notes sheets prepared for students in order to structure note taking.

Lesson 18: W: Students will continue working on their essays, finishing their rough drafts. Students will also participate in a fishbowl lesson about writers workshops. H: How many students in here have ever participated in a writers workshop, or in peer revising/editing of some kind? What was it like? E: Students will explore the dos and donts of writers workshop peer review through a fishbowl lesson. R: Students will rethink how they might have reacted to peers writing before this lesson compared to how they will now. E: Students will evaluate their own behavior in order to better represent what is expected of them in tomorrows writers workshop. T: Some students may have trouble understanding that they cannot judge another persons writing based on if they agree with what that person has written. Extra debriefing will be used to help this. Students will also be provided with structured notes taking sheets to help organize their notes on the fishbowl.

19 O: The teacher needs to have asked for and prepped volunteers several days before this fishbowl lesson actually takes place. The teacher also needs to have notes-taking sheets ready for the other students.

Lesson 19: W: Students will work through a writers workshop (reading their piece & receiving feedback) on their essay & will begin to learn about genocides & human rights violations from present day & very recent history. H: We discussed before how antiSemitism still shows up sometimesbut usually it is pretty small scale. Do you think any human rights violations on a big scale could happen ever again? E: Students will 4 news reports on different conflicts during the past 5 years that have aspects in common with the Holocaust & will then jigsaw to another group to share their article & hear from others. Students will also explore their own feelings about Wiesenthals question in the light of having read & discussed 3 essays. R: Students will rethink their responses to the question could this happen again? They will rethink their essays in light of hearing other students essays & hearing others feedback on their essay. E: Students will continue to evaluate if there is anything they can do to help people who are currently being marginalized and/or killed throughout the world. They will also evaluate their own essay as well as those of their small group members. T: Students who have trouble working on the jigsaw individually can be paired either with another student, or with a tutor or a teacher. Students who have trouble writing should be placed in groups with particularly understanding

20 students and/or should be grouped with a tutor or teacher. There will also be scaffolded note taking sheets for the jigsaw activity. O: The teacher needs to have 4 different, up to date articles printed with enough copies for each student in each group to have one. The teacher also needs to be familiar with the issues addressed in each of these articles & have notes sheets prepared for students in order to structure note taking. The teacher also needs to have peer response charts ready for all students for the writers workshop.

Lesson 20: W: Students will complete a peer comment worksheet & will then revise, edit & type their essay. H: Yesterday you received feedback from your classmates & today you are going to use that feedback to finalize & type your essay. E: Students will explore integrating others thoughts into their writing in a way that fits their own writing style. R: Students will revise and rethink their writing of their essay. E: Students will evaluate the helpfulness of their peers responses to their writing, and will also evaluate their own writing as they revise and edit. T: Students who need to dictate their writing can do so. Some students may also need help filling out the peer comment worksheet & integrating this feedback into their writing. O: The teacher should be prepared to help students individually with integrating peer comments into their writing. Additionally, the teacher needs to have the computer lab reserved ahead of time & should have peer comment worksheets already printed off for all students.

21 Lesson 21: W: Students will begin to look at what they can do to help people suffering in other parts of the world through a PowerPoint presentation & will also get to celebrate the completion of the essay project with a small party. H: We have learned about horrible things that have happened in the past & that are still happening today. Now we will look at some things we can do to help people who are suffering in the world today. E: Students will explore the idea of being and advocate for people in their own community & around the world. Then they will transition into exploring each others work. R: Students will rethink their position in the world, and hopefully revise their selfview to include advocate as part of their identity. E: Students will evaluate their own behavior towards others different from them, and will hopefully move towards behaving more kindly to those around them. T: This lesson is based mostly around discussion & then a party, so most students should do fine; however, some individuals might need to be reminded to keep on track for the goals of both the discussion & the publishing party. O: The teacher needs to be prepared with food, drink & a format for the publishing partywith essays like this it might be appropriate to have students keep a card on which they mark the numbers of essays they would like to have copies of, so the teacher can make books for all the students to take home. Lesson 22: W: Students will watch the first half of Paperclips and discuss what they have seen so far. H: On Friday we talked some about what

22 we can do as individuals to help suffering people & to help prevent another event like the Holocaust. Today & tomorrow we will watch a film about middle school students making a difference. E: Students will explore the story of Paperclips and how it applies to them both as individuals and as middle school students. R: Students will rethink what they might be able to do to make a difference in their world. E: Students will begin to evaluate what they have gained from this unit. T: Students may need help remembering to focus on the film & the discussion following. O: The teacher needs to have the DVD of the film prepared, have an idea of where the film should be stopped the first day, and have various discussion questions prepared to help spur on discussion.

Lesson 23: W: Students will watch the second half of Paperclips and discuss the film. H: Today we will finish the film & discussion we started yesterday, and we will discuss the final project of this unit. E: Students will explore the story of Paperclips and how it applies to them both as individuals and as middle school students. R: Students will rethink what they might be able to do to make a difference in their world. E: Students will continue to evaluate their experience during this unit, and will begin to evaluate current conflicts in the world for which they would like to write a letter on. T: Students may need help remembering to focus on the film & the discussion following. Students may need help narrowing down a letter topic. O: The teacher needs to have the DVD of

23 the film prepared, have an idea of where the film should be stopped the first day, and have various discussion questions prepared to help spur on discussion. The teacher should also have suggestions of letter topics and recipients for those who have trouble making a decision. Lesson 24: W: Students will decide on a subject and recipient for their letter & will begin writing. H: We have been discussing how we can make a difference towards ensuring that events like the Holocaust are minimized or eliminated from our world. Today you will choose a topic and recipient, and you will start writing a persuasive letter to an official to try to convince them to start working on helping people in a bad situation. We will work on these letters for the rest of the week, and will have them ready to mail off on Fridaythey will be mailed Friday after school. E: Students will explore & decide on a topic & official to write to through a presentation by the teacher. Students will then begin to explore their own feelings on this subject through writing the first draft of their letters. R: Students will rethink their views on an issue previously discussed in class in order to write a letter about it. E: Students will evaluate how they can be most effective and what topic of discussion has most interested them. T: Some students may need to have a topic and official selected for them. Some students may need to type or dictate their letter. O: The teacher must be prepared to present topics and officials to students, to help students decide on what to write, and to help students with their writing as needed. Lesson 25:

24 W: Students will form writers workshop groups again to read & revise their letters. This time peer review & revision will be combined into one class period. H: Today we will be doing a writers workshop to help refine your letters so that they really impress the official they are being sent to. E: Students will explore each others writing through the peer review process. R: Students will rethink and revise their own writing after having received feedback from peers. E: Students will evaluate their peers writing, their peers comments, and their own writing. T: Some students will need support in going through the peer review process, in filing out their peer response worksheets, and in implementing peer comments in to their work. O: The Teacher must be organized enough to have all materials necessary for a writers workshop and revision to happen in the classroom.

Lesson 26: W: Students will get letters (edited by the teacher) handed back & will finish editing and typing them & prepare them to be sent. H: Today we will get our letters ready to be sent after school. E: Students will be exploring the changes the teacher suggested and finishing implementing any of them & any other peer suggestions. R: Students will be yet again revising their letters and rethinking some of their choices as they type the final versions of them. E: Students will evaluate their own writing & will continue to evaluate the comments of their peers as they finish writing & typing. T: Some students may need to dictate

25 their final letter. Others may need guidance in implementing the edits and revisions recommended by peers and by the teacher. O: The teacher should have arranged time in a writing lab ahead of class & should also have enough envelopes and stamps ready for students to get their letters ready to send. Additionally, the teacher should have addresses for all the officials on hand, incase students have difficulty finding them on their own.

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Assessment #1: Exit Slip This is an example of formative assessment. Following a lesson on the factors and events leading up to the Holocaust, students will be given a short exit slip that asks them to relate several of these key factors. If issues in understanding arise, then parts of this lesson can be retaught to small groups or to the whole class the following day. This exit slip has an answer key to ensure that the teacher is aware of what students should know; however, students will receive a completion grade on this assignment, regardless of if they got all the answers correct or not, as it is a formative assessment, and intended to help the teacher teach better; rather than a summative assessment that assesses student knowledge only.

Name: ____________________________ Language Arts Exit Slip #1 1. List at least 3 key factors that helped lead to the events of the Holocaust

2. What is something you learned today that surprised you? Why was it surprising?

Language Arts Exit Slip #1 Answer Key 1. List at least 3 key factors that helped lead to the events of the Holocaust (2 points)

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Students may list any 3 of the following factors: The economic depression in Germany The middle-class loss of faith in democracy Hitlers charisma The negative view in Germany of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I The anti-Semitism that pervaded Europe and the world at the time Germanys anger toward the rest of Europe after World War I 2. What is something you learned today that surprised you? Why was it surprising? (2 points) This answer will vary greatly from student to student; however, both parts of the question should be answered if full credit is to be given. It is likely that this will have something to do with being surprised at how good Hitler sounds on paper as a candidate for political office.

Assessment #2: Writing Assessment This is an example of writing assessment. Students will show their understanding of the issues surrounding the question Simon Wiesenthal poses to his readers at the end of his autobiographical account of a Nazi soldier asking for his forgiveness on his deathbed through writing their own response essay, in the same form as those printed in The Sunflower. This assessment will be graded using a rubric, which will be handed out to and discussed with students when they receive the assignment sheet for the essay. Additionally, this assignment actually contains 2 assignment sheets & 2 rubrics, as the requirements for my 1st period (honors) class are more demanding than those of my other classes.

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What Would You Do?

Essay Assignment Requirements for 4th & 6th Period Classes: First Draft Due: 5/7 Final Draft Due: 5/9 Directions: For this assignment you will be using information and insight gained through reading The Sunflower, by Simon Wiesenthal, and through reading, reflecting on, and discussing 3 of the essays in The Symposium section of this book in order to form your own answer to the Wiesenthals question, What would you do? Your essay should be at least 1 handwritten page, and should be written in paragraph format. Additionally, you should include at least 3 references to some material we have read in class about the Holocaust (these could be from The Sunflower, from I Never Saw Another Butterfly, from a class discussion, or from any of the videos we have watched or articles we have read). The rubric for this assignment is attached; please read over it carefully, and consider it while writing, revising, and editing your essay. These essays should reflect the thoughtfulness shown by the authors of essays in The Sunflower book.

Student Name: _____________________________________ What Would You Do? Essay Rubric for 4th & 6th 10 -Above Standards The introduction is strong, clear, and grabs the readers attention. It is easy to tell what the 8-Meets Standards The introduction states the authors position clearly, and is fairly interesting. 6Approaching Standards The introduction is either uninteresting or does not state the authors position 4-Below Standards The introduction is missing, incomplete, and/or confusing. The authors position is

Category: Introductory Paragraph

Score:

29 authors position is. The essay includes 3 or more references to evidence from class readings or activities. All evidence clearly supports the authors position. clearly. The essay includes 3 references to evidence from class readings or activities. The evidence supports the authors position fairly clearly. The essay includes 1-2 references to evidence from class readings or activities. The evidence is unclear in places, or does not seem to support the authors position. unclear.

Support for Position

Sequencing/Flow The reasons and support are provided in an order that makes it easy and interesting to follow the authors train of thought. Conclusion Paragraph The conclusion is strong and leaves the reader solidly understanding the authors position and reason for that position. The paper is very neat & is over 1 page long. The author makes no distracting grammar or spelling errors.

Length & Neatness

Grammar & Spelling

The essay includes 1 or fewer references to evidence from class readings or activities. The evidence is unclear in places, and does not seem to support the authors position. The reasons A few of the Many of the and support are supporting support details provided in an details or or reasons are order that reasons are not not in an makes it fairly in a logical expected or easy to follow order, logical order, the authors distracting & distracting & train of confusing the confusing the thought. reader slightly. reader significantly. The conclusion The conclusion There is no is clearly is incomplete conclusion. recognizable and/or the and leaves the authors reader with a position is general somewhat understanding unclear. of the authors position The paper is The paper is The paper is reasonably readable and is messy or neat and is 1 nearly 1 page unreadable, page long. long and/or is less than 1/2 a page long. The author The author The author makes 1-2 makes 3-4 makes more distracting distracting than 4 errors in errors in distracting grammar or grammar or errors in

30 spelling. Capitalization & Punctuation The author makes no noticeable errors in capitalization or punctuation, so the essay is exceptionally easy to read. The author makes 1-2 capitalization or punctuation errors, but the essay is still easy to read. spelling. The author makes 3-4 capitalization or punctuation errors that catch the readers attention and interrupt the flow of the essay. grammar or spelling. The author makes more than 4 capitalization or punctuation errors that catch the readers attention and interrupt the flow of the essay.

What Would You Do?

Essay Assignment Requirements for 1st Period: First Draft Due: 5/7 Final Draft Due: 5/9 Directions: For this assignment you will be using information and insight gained through reading The Sunflower, by Simon Wiesenthal, and through reading, reflecting on, and discussing 3 of the essays in The Symposium section of this book in order to form your own answer to the Wiesenthals question, What would you do? Your essay should be at least 1.5 handwritten pages, and should be written in paragraph format. Additionally, you should include at least 3 references to some material we have read in class about the Holocaust (these could be from The Sunflower, from I Never Saw Another Butterfly, from a class discussion, or from any of the videos we have watched or articles we have read), and 1 reference to an outside experience in your life.

31 The rubric for this assignment is attached; please read over it carefully, and consider it while writing, revising, and editing your essay. These essays should reflect the thoughtfulness shown by the authors of essays in The Sunflower book.

Student Name: _____________________________________ What Would You Do? Essay Rubric for 1st Period 10 -Above Standards The introduction is strong, clear, and grabs the readers attention. It is easy to tell what the authors position is. The essay includes 3 or more references to evidence from class readings or activities, and 1 or more 8-Meets Standards The introduction states the authors position clearly, and is fairly interesting. The essay includes 3 references to evidence from class readings or activities, and 1 reference to the authors 6Approaching Standards The introduction is either uninteresting or does not state the authors position clearly. The essay includes 1-2 references to evidence from class readings or activities, and up to 1 reference to 4-Below Standards The introduction is missing, incomplete, and/or confusing. The authors position is unclear. The essay includes 1 or fewer references to evidence from class readings or activities, and no

Category: Introductory Paragraph

Score:

Support for Position

32 references to the authors life. All evidence clearly supports the authors position. Sequencing/Flow The reasons and support are provided in an order that makes it easy and interesting to follow the authors train of thought. Conclusion Paragraph The conclusion is strong and leaves the reader solidly understanding the authors position and reason for that position. The paper is very neat & is over 1.5 pages long. The author makes no distracting grammar or spelling errors. The author makes no noticeable errors in life. The evidence supports the authors position fairly clearly. references to the authors life. The evidence is unclear in places, and does not seem to support the authors position. The reasons A few of the Many of the and support are supporting support details provided in an details or or reasons are order that reasons are not not in an makes it fairly in a logical expected or easy to follow order, logical order, the authors distracting & distracting & train of confusing the confusing the thought. reader slightly. reader significantly. The conclusion The conclusion There is no is clearly is incomplete conclusion. recognizable and/or the and leaves the authors reader with a position is general somewhat understanding unclear. of the authors position The paper is The paper is The paper is reasonably readable and is messy or neat and is 1.5 1 page long unreadable, pages long. and/or is less than 1 page long. The author The author The author makes 1-2 makes 3-4 makes more distracting distracting than 4 errors in errors in distracting grammar or grammar or errors in spelling. spelling. grammar or spelling. The author The author The author makes 1-2 makes 3-4 makes more capitalization capitalization than 4 or punctuation or punctuation capitalization the authors life. The evidence is unclear in places, or does not seem to support the authors position.

Length & Neatness

Grammar & Spelling

Capitalization & Punctuation

33 capitalization or punctuation, so the essay is exceptionally easy to read. errors, but the essay is still easy to read. errors that catch the readers attention and interrupt the flow of the essay. or punctuation errors that catch the readers attention and interrupt the flow of the essay.

Assessment #3: Authentic Assessment This is an example of authentic assessment. Students will show their understanding that human rights violations like the Holocaust still go on today, and that it is the job of ordinary people to stand up for human rights through writing letters to the President or to other relevant officials asking them to pay attention to a particular human rights violation going on in the world today (this will be decided on as a class). This assessment is authentic because we will actually mail the letters. This assessment will be graded according to a checklist of items that students should be sure to include in their letter. This checklist will be distributed & explained at the same time as the assignment sheet.

Writing A Letter
One Way to Make a Difference Requirements: First Draft Due: 5/15 Final Draft Due: 5/17 Directions: For this assignment you will be choosing one of the human rights issues we discussed during our lesson on human rights current events and writing a letter about it. This letter will be addressed to President Obama, Senator Durbin, Senator Kirk, or to another official of your choosing (make sure that if you are writing to another official you get it cleared with the teacher first!).

34 You will use information and insight you have gained through learning about the Holocaust & its causes to argue for the importance of addressing your human rights issue of choice through government action. This letter should be a piece of persuasive writing. As you write it, keep in mind that this is a real letter that is actually going to be mailed to the official you are writing tomake the most of the time you have to share your views on your chosen issue! There is no length requirement for your letter; however, there is a checklist of items that must be contained in your letter in order for you to receive credit. This checklist is attached to this paper; please read over it carefully, and make sure you have all the items in your letter. These letters should show that you have put thought into the issue you are writing about.

35 Student Name: _________________________________________ Language Arts Letter Writing Checklist Your letter must contain all of the items in order to receive full credit (Each item gives you 2 points)

______1. The date you are writing the letter.

______2. A polite salutation (ex: Dear Sir).

______3. A clear statement of why you are writing (the issue you chose & why it is important).

______4. Evidence to support your argument 1.

______5. Evidence to support your argument 2.

______6. Connection between what you learned about the Holocaust & what you learned about the issue you chose.

______7. A final statement of the action you want the official to take.

______8. A statement thanking the official for their time.

______9. A polite closing (ex: Sincerely, [Your Name]).

______10. No distracting spelling or grammar mistakes.

______11. No distracting punctuation or capitalization mistakes.

______12. No incomplete sentences.

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Rubric Please attach the rubric to your assignment when you submit it.
UBD Planning Template 3 All components of UBD planning template are complete. Standards and objectives are appropriate for grade level; are clearly related to each other; address all aspects of learning in actual lesson. Objectives include all required components including the enduring understandings and essential questions. Objectives are articulated using ABCD format and are aligned with the assessment created. 2 Minor omissions or mismatches 1 One major omission of an applicable standard and/or objective. Poor alignment of standards and objectives.

Objectives

Objectives are missing one component of the ABCD format.

Assessment #1

Assessment aligns with the stated objectives. Appropriate for grade level. Clear instructions that are easy for grade level students to follow. Answer key provides answers to all quiz/test questions as well as states how many points each answer is worth. Rubric provides clear expectations of performance by the students and aligns with the assessment assignment sheet. Students at grade level can understand rubric. Point values are clearly delineated.

Minor omissions or mismatches

Objectives are not written in ABCD format OR Objectives do not align with the assessment created. Assessment does not align with the objectives created

Rubric/Answer Key #1

Minor omissions or mismatches

No answer key provided or no rubric provided.

Assessment #2

Assessment aligns with the stated objectives. Appropriate for grade level. Clear instructions that are easy for grade level students to follow.

Minor omissions or mismatches

Assessment does not align with the objectives created

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Rubric/Answer Key #2 Answer key provides answers to all quiz/test questions as well as states how many points each answer is worth. Rubric provides clear expectations of performance by the students and aligns with the assessment assignment sheet. Students at grade level can understand rubric. Point values are clearly delineated. Assessment #3 Assessment aligns with the stated objectives. Appropriate for grade level. Clear instructions that are easy for grade level students to follow. Answer key provides answers to all quiz/test questions as well as states how many points each answer is worth. Rubric provides clear expectations of performance by the students and aligns with the assessment assignment sheet. Students at grade level can understand rubric. Point values are clearly delineated. Grammar/Spelling/ Neatness No grammar/spelling errors. UBD template, assessment and rubric are neat and professional. 5 or fewer grammar/spelling errors. OR UBD template, assessment or rubric have minor neatness/professionalism issues. More than 5 grammar/spelling errors OR UBD template, assessment or rubric have major neatness/professionalism issues. Minor omissions or mismatches Assessment does not align with the objectives created Minor omissions or mismatches No answer key provided or no rubric provided.

Rubric/Answer Key #3

Minor omissions or mismatches

No answer key provided or no rubric provided.