Stage: Public

Title:  Why Hide?

Grade Level:  7,8

Subjects:  Social Studies, Language Arts, and Computer/Technology

Lesson Goal:  The student will come to understand the prejudices that have existed throughout history and that prejudice is a negative part of our society that needs to be acknowledged and eliminated.

Learner Outcomes:  The student will:
    1. be able to define discrimination, prejudice, persecution and anti-Semitism..
    2. experience first hand the results of prejudice and discrimination.
    3. identify with the concept of prejudice and discrimination, and express their understandings in a one page essay.
    4. improve writing skills.
    5. discover how and why the Jews in Europe before and during World War II were persecuted.
    6. research and present findings on the Jewish persecution.
    7. improve computer and Internet skills.
    8. improve cooperative learning and organizational skills.
    9. improve public speaking and presentation skills.

Duration of Lesson:  Time for Lesson ( 7 - 45 minute class periods)
                                   1 class period  for activity, “Experiencing Prejudice”.
                                   2 class periods for activity, “Identify with Prejudice”
                                   4 class periods for activity, “Discover Jewish Persecution”.

Materials: Colored yellow tags or yellow dots for students to wear
                   List of web sites regarding Jewish persecution.
                   3.5" diskette for each student or one for the entire class
                   Supplies for presentations could include posterboard, overhead transparencies, or word processing documents

Technology Tools/Courseware: Computer with Internet access
                                                    Word Processing program

Teacher Notes:  Prior assessment will need to be done for students whom the teacher feels would not be able to emotionally handle the  activity, “Experiencing Prejudice”.  Parent approval for students to participate is recommended.

Procedures:
  Activity:  "Experiencing Prejudice" (One day)
        1.  Several students are asked to volunteer to participate in an activity where they are to wear blue colored dots or blue tags.  (Prior approval from parents has been received.)
        2.  These students are singled out and instructed that they will not be allowed to: Activity:  "Identify with Prejudice" ( 2 - 45 minute class periods)
        1.  Bring the class together to discuss what they have done and the affects it had on the blue tagged students.
             These questions are provided on a separate worksheet,  Discussion Questions.
Questions for discussion could be as follows: Activity: "Discover Jewish Persecution" (4 - 45 minute class periods)

        1.  Teacher will read a portion from Anne Frank's diary.
             This quote is located on the web site: Selected Entries from Anne's Diary

              "Our many Jewish friends and acquaintances are being taken away in droves. The Gestapo is treating them very roughly and transporting them in cattle cars to Westerbork, the big camp in Drenthe to which they're sending all the Jews....If it's that bad in Holland, what must it be like in those faraway and uncivilized places where the Germans are sending them? We assume that most of them are being murdered. The English radio says they're being gassed."--October 9, 1942
 

         2.  See if any of the students recognize the portion from Anne Frank's diary.
              Discuss the brief history of Anne Frank and her diary.  This links to a worksheet for the teacher with the  background web sites that are listed.  The following are linked directly to the web sites.

        5.  The students will present their findings in group presentations.  The presentation methods will be determined by the students after consultation with the teacher.  Examples:  poster board, overhead, web page, powerpoint, information pamphlet, etc. The presentation will be graded on the following criteria:  organization, participation of all members of the group, clarity, and content.  The content must include a definition of anti-Semitism, explanation of the origin of anti-Semitism, identification of the Jewish persecutions,  and the reasons for them before and during World War II.

Modifications:
    Students with special needs may work with partners to complete the assignment.
    Additional assistance may be provided by the teacher in completing the research on the Internet.
    Students with special needs may print information from the Internet following copyright laws.
    Pair low achievers with high achievers when dividing into groups for research.

Enrichment Activity:
Procedure:
    1.  Students can be led to discuss what an individual needs in order to exist and be happy. The students should analyze the different types of human needs - physical, emotional, intellectual, etc.. Students discuss the possible impact of having these basic needs unfulfilled.
    2.  Students will create a hierarchy of needs similar to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
    3.  Students will examine more closely the chronology of persecutions which revoked the rights of the Jewish population and discuss the impact these laws would have on an individual based on the needs of an individual that they discussed and created in their hierarchy of needs.  They should have discovered the chronology in their research on Jewish persecution.
    4.  Students will discuss ways an individual would be affected through having their rights and freedoms revoked.
    5.  Students will complete additional research write a one page paper on the dehumanization in the concentration camps. (Web sites given to students for the activity, "Discover Jewish Persecution", can be used for this research.)

Evaluation/Assessment:
    Evaluation 1:  Students will complete step two of activity, ""Identify with Prejudice".  Students will use a Word Processing program to prepare the essay.  The essay will be worth 100 points.   Evaluation will be based on the following:     Grammar (20 points)  Spelling (20 points)  Content (60 points).
    Evaluation 2:  Students will complete step five of activity, "Discovering Jewish Persecution".  Students will determine the method and materials needed for their presentation after consulting with the teacher.  The presentation will be worth 100 points, based on the following criteria:  Organization of presentation (20 points), Participation of all group members (20 points), Clarity of presentation (20 points), and Content (40 points).

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:  West Virginia Department of Education
Language Arts   8.3, 8.226, 8.306, 8.534, 8.554, 8.59, 8.75
                         7.1, 7.2, 7.524, 7.544, 7.65
Social Studies    7.29, 7.45, 7.47, 7.499
Computer/Technology  8.146, 8.151, 8.155, 8.64, 8.82
                                    7.65, 7.173, 7.164, 7.68
National Standards:
Language Arts Standards:
Writing Standards
        1.  Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process.
        4.  Gathers and uses information for research purposes.
Reading Standards (Level 3:  6-8)
        6.  Reflects on what has been learned after reading and formulates ideas, opinions, and personal  responses to texts.
History Standards
       Ers 8 - A half century of crisis and achievement-1900-1945
         4.  Understands the consequences and global consequences of World War II.
Behavioral Studies Standards
        1.  Understands that group and cultural influences contribute to human development, identity, and  behavior.

Job/Career Clusters:  Fine Arts and Humanities

References:  Internet sources were used to create this lesson.
                 Website References for Lesson 1 "Why Hide"
 

Authors:  Karen Longwell, kalongwe@yahoo.com
                 Kathy Longwell, klongwel_2000@yahoo.com
                 Carol Roberts, croberts@ovnet.com
                 Long Drain School in Wetzel County
 
 
 
 
 
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