Lesson plan for World History Unit: The Holocaust.

I.

Describe the Class

This is an 10th grade made up of 32 students, 2 of which are learning disabled,
3 gifted and 5 second language learners.

II.

Subject/Skill:
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide the students
with the proper knowledge of the events that occurred during the Holocaust.
This lesson is part of the World War 2 unit for World history.

III.

Objective(s)
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the situation facing Jewish refugees
during the Holocaust.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the historical circumstances in the
United States during the Holocaust.
Students will demonstrate proficiency at persuasive writing by creating letters
to the editor of their local newspaper arguing for or against admitting Jewish
refugees to the United States during the Holocaust.

IV.

Procedures:
The teacher will ask for volunteers to discuss times they have tried to persuade
their parents to let them do something. The teacher will ask the volunteers to
explain the persuasive techniques they used.

i.

The teacher will list persuasive techniques on the white board.

ii.

The teacher will define and distinguish between emotional appeals and rational
appeals.

iii.

The teacher will say each persuasive tactic listed and ask the class to vote on
whether it was a rational or emotional appeal.

iv.

The teacher will ask students to define values, offering guidance as needed.

v.

The teacher will ask students to state which values motivate their parents
decisions when determining whether to let them do something and to offer
examples of actions that indicate their parents values.

vi.

The teacher will ask students to remember their research and to state what values
motivated officials who did or did not grant asylum to Jewish refugees.

vii.

The teacher will ask students whether they have written letters to editors or
whether they know anyone who has.

viii.

If students have, or know others who have, written such letters, the teacher will
ask them to describe the methods of persuasion used.

ix.

The teacher will project on the document camera the following samples of letters
to the editor.
https://archive.org/details/AlbertEinsteinLetterToTheNewYorkTimes.Decem
ber41948
http://www.jewishjournal.com/letters_to_the_editor/article/letters_to_
the_editor_teaching_the_holocaust_and_donald_sterling

x.

The teacher will ask students whether the letters appeal to readers rationally or
emotionally or both.

xi.

The teacher will ask for student volunteers to use one color of dry erase marker to
underline the parts of each letter that appeal to readers rationally and a different
color of dry erase marker to underline the parts of each letter that appeal to
readers emotionally.

xii.

The teacher will ask students to state the values to which the letters appeal. The
teacher will write answers on the white board.

xiii.

The teacher will project the outline rubric on the document camera.

xiv.
xv.

The teacher will ask students to return to their seats.

The teacher will ask students to imagine they are ordinary citizens living during
the Holocaust and to write outlines of letters they would write to the editor of the
local newspaper proposing a U.S. government response to the crisis Jewish
refugees faced. Student letters should describe specific actions a government
official could take to help the Jews fleeing Europe or describe specific actions a
government official could take to prevent refugees from entering the United
States.

xvi.

The teacher will collect and comment on the outlines according to the rubric.

xvii.

The teacher will return the students outlines.

xviii.

The teacher will display the persuasive letter rubric.

xix.

The teacher will project the editorial page editors contact information on the
document camera.

xx.

The teacher will ask students to work independently to write letters to the editor
suggesting a U.S. government response to Jewish refugees.

V.

Materials
White board and markers. Pencils and notebooks. Document camera. Internet
connection and enough computers for each group of three students to use one.

VI.

Grouping Structures
Teacher will divide the class into three-person groups of mixed abilities.
Each group will use the Internet to research the U.S. governments response to
the plight of Jewish refugees immediately before and during the Holocaust (45
minutes)
Sites to visit include: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
ushmm.org,
Time magazine
http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2096389_209638
8_2096379,00.html
The Jerusalem Post
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Contributors/How-we-Americanssaved-the-passengers-on-the-SS-St-Louis-359560
http://cruiselinehistory.com/1939-fdr-and-his-democratic-administrationrefused-to-take-900-jewish-refuges-from-the-ms-st-louis-sending-many-totheir-deaths-making-so-called-american-compassion-a-blatant-hypocrisy/
In addition to researching the above three sites, each group should write down at
least three sites detailing the U.S. governments response to Jewish refugees just
prior to, and during, the Holocaust.

VII.

Modifications
English Language Learners-

Can be allowed to draw a series of pictures with short captions or even speak their
responses into a recorder instead of providing a written response.
One way that we can make things easier is by preparing and distributing advance
notes.
Extra time will also help to decrease anxiety, which often has a significant impact
on test performance.
Communicate non-verbally. Modeling and using gestures to aid in understanding
can be a very effective accommodation for English Language Learners.
Simplified written and verbal instructions
Frequent breaks
Allow students to use technology like eDictionaries your classroom to look up
unknown words.

Learning disabledTake more time to complete a project

Mark texts with a highlighter
Write shorter papers
Answer fewer or different test questions
Have a designated reader, record a lesson, instead of taking notes
Use visual presentations of verbal material, such as word webs and visual
organizers
Sit where he learns best (for example, near the teacher)
Take more time to complete a task or a test
Have extra time to process oral information and directions
Take frequent breaks, such as after completing a task
Gifted and talented studentsThe content for gifted students should focus on be organized to include more
complex, and in-depth study of major ideas.
Lesson plans for gifted students should promote self-initiated and self-directed
learning and growth.
Evaluations for gifted students should be conducted in accordance with the stated
principles
Lesson plans should encourage higher level thinking skills
Creative lesson plans

VIII. Assessment
Formatively assess student participation in finding Web sites and contributing to
discussion. Evaluate outlines and letters according to rubrics.