Guide
Teaching Somewhere There Is Still a Sun
This guide supports classroom discussion of Michael Gruenbaum's memoir about his time in the Terezín concentration camp during the Holocaust.
Subject
- English & Language Arts
Language
English — USUpdated
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Teaching Somewhere There Is Still a Sun
Date of Publication:
June 2025
This guide supports planning and teaching a unit on the memoir of Holocaust survivor Michael Gruenbaum.
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Somewhere There Is Still a Sun is the memoir of Holocaust survivor Michael Gruenbaum. Narrated by 12-year-old Misha (Michael’s childhood nickname), it recounts his story of growing up in Nazi-occupied Prague and his time in the transit-ghetto camp Terezín with his mother and older sister. Our guide supports planning and teaching a unit centered on Gruenbaum’s memoir with clarity and depth. It includes:
- Planning resources for teachers, including guidance on helping students process emotionally challenging content
- Activities designed to balance intellectual rigor, emotional engagement, and ethical reflection
- Discussion questions that provide opportunities for close reading and analysis of character and thematic development
- Assessments to help students synthesize material from the text, draw connections to their own lives, and share their reactions to the memoir with an authentic audience
This guide is part of our Teaching Holocaust Literature Collection. Holocaust literature offers students a powerful lens to deepen historical understanding, strengthen critical thinking, and inspire meaningful reflection.
How to Cite This Guide
Facing History & Ourselves, “Teaching <em>Somewhere There Is Still a Sun</em>”, last updated June 30, 2025.
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Most teachers are willing to tackle the difficult topics, but we need the tools.
—
Gabriela Calderon-Espinal, Bay Shore, NY
