Lesson Plan

A Child in the Ghetto

Watch a video by Yad Vashem on the ghettos that features diary entries from a child living in the Lodz ghetto.

30-60 Min Grades 5-8
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Domain
The Holocaust
Subject
Oppression
Topic
Ghettos

Enduring Understanding

Diary entries and testimonies help people today to understand the horrific conditions people suffered living in the Nazi ghettos.

Essential Question

  • 1What were some of the challenges people faced in the ghettos?

Readiness

5 Min

Ask the students if any of them have ever read Diary of Anne Frank or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. What sort of things do people write in diaries?

Input

20 Min

Watch the 16 minute video, The Ghettos by Yad Vashem. Take about 5 minutes having students go around and give examples of what sort of challenges people faced. Then ask, how did people try to maintain a sense of dignity or humanity?

Output

15 Min

Ask students to reflect on what they just watched and discussed. How did hearing the testimonies and diary entries help paint a picture of what life was like in the ghettos? Provide 10 minutes for students to write and reflect.

If time permits, have students share their reflections.

Wisconsin Academic Standards

This lessons meets the following Academic Standards required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

BH1.a: Individual Cognition, Perception, and BehaviorBH1.b: Personal Identity and EmpathyBH2.a: Relationship of People and GroupsBH3.a: Social InteractionsGeog2.a: Population and PlaceGeog2.b: Reasons People MoveGeog2.c: Impact of MovementGeog2.d: UrbanizationHist1.a: CauseHist1.b: EffectHist4.d: Point of View
Teacher Primer

Know Before You Go

Before you teach, use our teacher primer to freshen up on your content knowledge.

The HolocaustOppressionGhettos