Book

Parallel Journeys

Alternating chapters contrast the wartime experiences of two young Germans—Helen Waterford, who was interned in a Nazi concentration camp, and Alfons Heck, a member of the Hitler Youth.

Last Updated: November 29, 2022

Book

Language

English — US

Subject

English & Language Arts
Social Studies

The Holocaust

Alfons Heck recalls how he became a high-ranking member of the Hitler Youth. He talks about the importance of peer pressure and propaganda to Hitler's ability to recruit eight million German children to participate in the "war effort."

Alternating chapters contrast the wartime experiences of two young Germans—Helen Waterford, who was interned in a Nazi concentration camp, and Alfons Heck, a member of the Hitler Youth. The volume is composed mainly of excerpts from their published autobiographies, connected by Ayer’s overall account of the era.

Parallel Journeys

Date of Publication: March 1995

We partner with Sora, the student reading app, to provide digital access to this book. Your district may already have access to this digital book, or you may need to purchase digital copies for your students.

Buy Digital Book in Sora

Mini-Lesson

Learn about Judy Heumann’s life and legacy and explore ways to continue to advance disability rights.

Judy Heumann, center, is applauded during her swearing-in as U.S. Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Service by Judge Gail Bereola, left, in Berkeley, California, on Tuesday, June 29, 1993

Collection

Explore the online resources to help teach the young adult version of the book Enrique's Journey.

Mini-Lesson

This is the second mini-lesson in a two-part series on the impact of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E on education.

Students in classroom work on their laptops.

Teaching Strategy

Educators will Introduce students to the concept of inferencing and then help them develop their inferencing skills.

A student reads a handout in the classroom.

Mini-Lesson

Use this mini-lesson to help students process the tragic news of recent shootings of young people going about their daily lives.

KANSAS CITY, MO- APRIL 18: Protesters chant at a rally for Black teen Ralph Yarl in front of U.S. District Court on April 18, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Mini-Lesson

This mini-lesson helps students understand recent events in the Tennessee and Montana state legislatures and consider the implications of using rules of decorum to sanction state representatives.

Expelled State Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, delivers remarks outside the state Capitol, in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, April 10, 2023. Pearson was sworn in, a week after he and state Rep. Justin Jones were banished for a gun control protest on the floor of the House, in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting.

Mini-Lesson

This is the first mini-lesson in a two-part series on the impact generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E have on education.

Collection

Find all of the readings, videos, and online tools referenced in our three Common Core Writing Prompts and Strategies supplements.

Collection

Find the teaching strategies, media, and online resources referenced throughout the Teaching Farewell To Manzanar guide.

Families of Japanese ancestry awaiting the arrival of a train that will take them to Merced detention center, during the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II

Activity

Students develop their vocabulary for describing their feelings and work their empathy muscles by reflecting on the color of their mood.

Collection

These back-to-school activities are designed to create welcoming learning environments that prioritize care, relationships, and community.

Students sit around a table working on a big paper activity while receiving feedback from an educator.

Toolkit

This toolkit of teacher resources and classroom activities will help you lay a foundation for a reflective and caring community in the opening days of the school year.

Students move around the classroom in conversation with each other. One student looks directly into the camera with a smile on their face.

More Like This Teaching Resources Learning & Events

Using the strategies from Facing History is almost like an awakening.

— Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif

Search

Search

Parallel Journeys

At a Glance

Language

Subject

Heil Hitler: Confessions of a Hitler Youth

Parallel Journeys

Borrow

You might also be interested in…

Disability Rights and the Legacy of Judy Heumann’s Activism

Media and Strategies for Teaching Enrique’s Journey

Learning to Navigate Generative AI Content: Media Literacy Strategies

Learning to Infer

Responding to Recent Shootings and the Perils of Daily Life

Decorum and Sanctioning Representatives Jones, Pearson, and Zephyr

The Ethics of Generative AI in the Classroom

Common Core Writing Prompts and Strategies Links

Media and Strategies for Teaching Farewell to Manzanar

Mood Meter

Activities for the First Days of School

Back to School: Building Community for Connection and Learning

Parallel Journeys

At a Glance

Language

Subject

Heil Hitler: Confessions of a Hitler Youth

Heil Hitler: Confessions of a Hitler Youth

Parallel Journeys

Borrow

You might also be interested in…

Disability Rights and the Legacy of Judy Heumann’s Activism

Media and Strategies for Teaching Enrique’s Journey

Learning to Navigate Generative AI Content: Media Literacy Strategies

Learning to Infer

Responding to Recent Shootings and the Perils of Daily Life

Decorum and Sanctioning Representatives Jones, Pearson, and Zephyr

The Ethics of Generative AI in the Classroom

Common Core Writing Prompts and Strategies Links

Media and Strategies for Teaching Farewell to Manzanar

Mood Meter

Activities for the First Days of School

Back to School: Building Community for Connection and Learning

Inspiration, insights, & ways to get involved