Shannon Pakaluk’s Holocaust Literature Theme

While teaching students about the Holocaust, Shannon also engages them in Literature Circles.  She has seen students’ content knowledge deepen profoundly.  (And, as Lynn says, when they launch the next unit, they go deeper still!)  What’s more, their reading is enriched by their content knowledge.

She has a lot of materials that to augment and add to student knowledge including picture books, such as Rose Blanche and Erika’s Story.  Students learn a lot of background knowledge about the Holocaust and play Jeopardy as a fun way to cement the facts.

Students have a choice of books that includes the following:

• Anne Frank:  childhood of
• Life of Anne Frank (graphic novel)
• Number the Stars
• Daniel’s Story*
• The boy in the striped pajamas
• Remember me
• In my hands
• Behind the Bedroom Door

To conclude students write a poem.

• Brainstorm words
• Manipulate words to create poem

As a way to wrap up the unit they watch Life of Beautiful

New ideas – Add yours!

Twila told us that there is an exhibit of Daniel’s Story at the National Holocaust Museum.  View it here: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/exhibit/

Tanya said that local author John Wilson’s Flames of the Tiger might be a good idea. (There are multiple copies available at the DRC)

Shannon’s Start on China:

Shannon also has students study China using the Ancient China bin at the DRC.  She uses the four quadrants shared by Randerson teachers to help students hold their thinking:

Economy, Culture, Government and Environment (human and natural).

As Lynn Brown says, what’s important is that students choose their way into these topics.  She’ll have students say to her, “Can we zoom in on the cultural factors first and then we’ll come back to government?”  Of course!  As she notes, it’s a legitimate strategy to focus on what we can connect to most readily, and then, as we build more knowledge, to take on the harder topics. 

Mary-Lynn reminds us that the mind map is an excellent tool for students to put the pieces together.  See Beyond Monet  (available at the DRC) for a good description of how to use mind maps effectively.