Lesson Plan

Name Reading

Students will be introduced to the act of name reading as a form of commemoration. They will be taught the importance of shining light on individual victims to preserve their memory.

30-60 Min Grades 5-8
View All Lessons
Domain
Responsibility
Subject
Accountability
Topic
Commemoration

Enduring Understanding

Name reading is a simple, yet powerful way of commemorating those who lost their lives during the Holocaust. Even reciting a few names can have a profound effect.

Essential Question

  • 1Why is name reading used in a commemoration ceremony?

Readiness

10 Min

One at a time, have students read three names from this list from Yad Vashem. As they go through, have them read out the person’s family name, first name, as well as where they were killed.

Input

15 Min

Watch this video on Remembrance by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM).

  1. What is commemoration? Why is it important?
  2. Why is name reading used in commemoration?
  3. How long would it take a single person to read the first and last names of 6 million victims? Can you guess?

The answer: It would take a single person over 1,538 hours, or 64 days straight.

When else are name readings used? Do they serve the same purpose?

Output

20 Min

Writing activity: Have students write a letter to a Holocaust survivor. Share the resource, Meet Holocaust Survivors by the USHMM and provide them with the instructions below:

  1. Look through the list of survivors and choose one you would like to write to.
  2. Read through their bio to learn more about their story.
  3. Write a letter for this person. Themes you can consider as you write: bravery, strength, and how their memory will not be forgotten.

Ask the class, how does reading a survivor’s story commemorate their memory and the memories of those that lost their lives?

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 GroupsHist3.a: ConnectionsHist3.b: Perspective
Teacher Primer

Know Before You Go

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

ResponsibilityAccountabilityCommemoration