Friday, March 15th

Today we took some brief notes that discussed Anti-Semitism and Hitler's Final Solution.  These notes were to give you an understanding of the Holocaust before we proceed.  In the notes, we learned that other groups of people besides Jews were persecuted and, in all, almost 13 million people died.  We also learned about how some of these people were killed via crematoriums, mobile killing units, ghettos, and concentration camps.

Homework: None

Monday, March 18th

Today, we did a jigsaw activity in class that focused on the groups that were persecuted during the Holocaust and the methods used to persecute them.  Each group had a different reading about either ghettos, labor camps, mobile killing units, death camps, Gypsies, African-Germans, Homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, or Poles. I gave you 15 minutes to read and answer a few questions about the article before we discussed as a class.  We will finish discussing these tomorrow.

Homework: None 

Tuesday, March 19th

Today we finished reviewing your answers to yesterday's jigsaw activity.  Each group shared what they learned about each persecuted group or method of persecution with the rest of the class.  As they reported, you had time to fill in the rest of your worksheet.  The answer key is attached below.

Homework: None

Tuesday, April 2nd

Today we read an excerpt from a memoir called "Clara's Story," written by Clara Isaacman.  Isaacman and her family--parents, sister, and brother---went into hiding in 1942, hidden by a liberal-Catholic family who disagreed with Nazi policies.  This took place in Belgium.  From the reading, we gathered what it was like for many Jews who went into hiding.  These people needed much help from non-Jewish people, whether the helpers were old family friends or even people they had never met before--the helpers were needed or else the Jews would not have been able to have safe shelter or get food, ect.  Also, while in hiding, the Jews would have to be very quiet--often they would be bored, especially children, because of the limited amount of activity they could do.

Homework: Clara's Story Worksheet

Wednesday, March 20th & Thursday, March 21st

Today we watched a History Channel documentary about the Bielski Brothers.  Together, Tuvia, Asael, and Zus helped hundreds of Jews escape Nazi persecution by leading them into the woods to their base.  We learned that even though the Nazis were tipped off and made an attack on the Bielski Fortress, the Bielskis were able to escape and re-build much stronger with only a few people being killed. 

Class Recording 3/20

Class Recording 3/21

Homework: Worksheet - if not finished in class

Tuesday, March 26th

Today we started an activity in class, which focused on various resistance groups throughout Europe.  Resistance was a general term which referred to groups or organizations "resisting" the Nazi ideals, especially their dealings with Jews, as well as the Nazi occupation of those various countries.  You worked in groups, each group having information about Resistance groups in one of the following countries: France, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia. 

Homework: None

Wednesday, March 27th

Today we finished the group activity we started yesterday. Each group had a representative report their information to the class, so you could fill in the rest of your worksheet. Some common themes were the sharing/gathering of intelligence to share with the Allies, attacks on the German Army or trains/transport systems.  Some resistance groups also printed newspapers or leaflets to share Anti-Nazi information. 

Homework: None

Monday, April 7th - Wednesday, April 10th

Today we looked at the stories of six different Holocaust survivors in class: Shep Zitler, Eva Galler, Soloman Radasky, Isak Borenstein, Joseph Sher, & Jeannine Burk.  You were given a worksheet packet and were to answer questions for each survivor. 

Holocaust Survivor Stories

Homework: Worksheets due Thursday