
The Holocaust: Range of Responses
At a Glance
Language
English — USSubject
- Civics & Citizenship
- History
- Social Studies
Grade
6–12Duration
Two 50-min class periods- The Holocaust
- Human & Civil Rights
Overview
About This Lesson
In the last lesson, students learned about the atrocities the Nazis committed during the Holocaust, the experiences of many who were targeted for murder, and some of the ways those imprisoned in the ghettos and camps resisted. In this lesson, students will continue this unit’s historical case study by deepening their examination of human behavior during the Holocaust and considering the range of choices available to individuals, communities, and nations in the midst of war and genocide. Students will read firsthand accounts in which perpetrators, bystanders, upstanders, and rescuers describe their choices during this period of time and reflect on both the reasons behind their actions and the consequences. Students will grapple with questions about how circumstances of time and place played a role in the choices available to people, and they will reflect on why some people decided to help—in both dramatic and subtle ways—while others stood by or even participated in the atrocities that occurred.
Preparing to Teach
A Note to Teachers
Before you teach this lesson, please review the following guidance to tailor this lesson to your students’ contexts and needs.
Lesson Plans
Day 1 Activities
Day 2 Activities
Assessment
Extension Activities
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