1.

Audio/Visual (People to Technology) Locate and describe an audio/visual clip

from the museum.
Audio/Visual: Dachau Concentration Camp being liberated.
Floor: Floor #4
Room: Entrance of fourth floor
Description: This video that was shown in the very beginning of the Washington
D.C. Holocaust Museum showed what it was like for a camp to be liberated. That means
that World War II was just about over and the people in camps started to rebel. This
caused fires, tension, and uncontrollable actions by the people. It was not only a
madhouse for the Concentration Camps, but it was also the ending result of the war and
showed how the people really felt inside. This video was extremely powerful because it
gave a graphic representation of what the Jewish people had to suffer from and how
they were treated. In the most awful conditions such as inhumanly cold weather, thin
striped pajamas that did not shield them from dangers, and starvation, all was showed in
this video. The purpose of showing these terrible things was to show the ending result of
a concentration camp and how as the museum goes on, you learn the history of how it
began.
Essential Questions: How did German Jewish citizens become outcasts in the age of the
Nazis? What type of experiences did they have that we need to understand today?
The video I studied in the Holocaust Memorial shows that German Jews were alienated from
society by the way they were portrayed to majority of the SS. They were thought of as different
or bugs who did not belong in the real world and were thought of as the reason for many past
backfires that occurred in German history. To identify them in these camps was by tattooing a
number onto their wrist that would take away their true identify. Also, they were given striped
pajamas that could not handle the cold temperatures of each place but conformed each Jew to
one another. When the camp was being liberated in this video, I could tell that many of the
Jewish people who were being held there were sick and tired of not being themselves and felt
rebellious towards that. It was a way of showing that they wanted to be regular people again
despite what they had just gone through and how many people they had lost. Before all of the
tension happened with liberation, the people being held in concentration camps became
outcasts very quickly because the were striped of all personal information, family life, even their
name. It was because of Hitlers effect on the SS and what he had done to make them see
these innocent people this way. The video showed clips of the soldiers beating and starving the
Jewish people just because of what type of stigmas they carried.
1. Information Seeking: Secondary Sources Locate and describe a secondary
source, such as a description tag, brochure, exhibit tag, wall plate, etc.
Object/Visual: Identification Card
Floor: First floor
Room: Main Entrance way on first floor
Description: While about to walk into an elevator to get to the
fourth floor, a man handed me an identification card that had a little girls picture
and name on it. At first I was very confused and thought it was free souvenir that
was just somehow given to me. I then started to realize that it symbolizes how
children in the Holocaust were allowed to keep very basic information about
themselves but were still striped of identification. On the first page of the small
 pamphlet, it gives the name, date of birth, place of birth, and some very basic
information about a little girl. Her name was Elzbieta Lusthaus and she was born
May 15th, 1938 in Cracow, Poland. While this pamphlet shows that she was real
person, it only narrates small portions of her life and does not tell much about
how she suffered. I find it extremely interesting how the museum was laid out in
such a way that they gave us the ID cards right before we entered the first
informational part of the museum. I think this was to put us in their shoes right
before we got into a crowded elevator to show what it was like for those people to
be in such a tense situation. We had no idea what was coming and neither did
they.
Essential Questions: How did German Jewish citizens become outcasts in the age of the
Nazis? What type of experiences did they have that we need to understand today?
German Jewish citizens became outcasts during the age of the Nazis because of
how they were known personally. These identification cards were to show that people
were only given bits and pieces of information to be known by and the rest was
forgotten. Right when they came to a concentration camp, they were given numbers as
names so that people could forget about who they really were and to deceive each
person for thinking they were real. It was the Nazis way of showing the Jews that they
were nobodies anymore and that they did not deserve to be known be outside people.
This was a very unfortunate time that tried to show people that one race was the
ultimate best, and the rest did not matter. The ID cards purpose was to identify who was
Jewish and how they were being transported to different camps and places, not for a
real understanding of personality. On the last page of my card, it states that this was
card #8191 meaning that it was just one out thousands and is symbolizing how there
were millions of numbered people who did not stand out. This was a large portion of
what alienated them most, not being known anymore. We as people in the 21st century
need to understand that each person matters in the world and every action cannot be
forgotten. The heroes who stood up for what they believed in, and people who made a
difference in the world will never have their name forgotten.
3. Information Seeking: Primary Sources Locate and Describe a primary source, such
as a photograph, quote, an object etc.
Object/Visual: Striped Pajamas
Floor: Floor four
Room: To the left of the audio video
Description: These pajamas were a very immense part of how the Nazis planned
to alienate the Jews from society. They are the striped pajamas that were once worn in
hatred, the pajamas that were once worn for love, and the pajamas that started it all.
This was the official uniform that the Jewish people were forced to wear in the
concentration camps because it conformed each person together. The SS felt that if
everyone wore the same uncomfortable and unpleasant clothing, then they would really
feel the same as everyone. As if the Jews did not have feelings, they had no choice but
to wear these and witness all of their luggage and belongings being burned. This
prevented self expression and the idea to be unique. This outfit has had a very large
impact on history because it is the symbol that represents how the Jews were treated
while stuck in the camps. The also represented the loss of identity, the loss of people
 they cared about, and the loss of their faith. Even just seeing the pajamas in front of me
that day had made me truly upset because it carried along a field of emotion because of
all the lost things that were seen with these pajamas.
Essential Questions: How did German Jewish citizens become outcasts in the age of the
Nazis? What type of experiences did they have that we need to understand today?
Something that we as privileged children need to understand is that we should
not take all of our clothes for granted. To be completely honest, I am always expecting
clothes and expecting to be updated with the latest styles when I have not considered
what it would be like if I were in their shoes. It is very difficult to understand, but back
when the Nazis were in power, the Jewish people went from living normal lives with
clothing and riches they had earned, to being stripped down to nothingness. They could
not keep their clothes because they were being burned, instead they were given the
ultimate conformity machine. Each person wore the exact same striped pajamas and hat
if necessary but were not allowed to have any other form of other clothing, even shoes.
This goes to show that we should not always think that we can get whatever we want
and whenever we want, because in the past people did not. Also, this was another main
way of how the SS alienated the Jewish people from society and attempted to show that
they did not even deserve clothes.
4. Reflection: Create three discussion questions based on an Object/Visual.
Object/Visual: Books from book burnings
Floor: Floor four
Room: On the right side of the hallway not far from striped pajamas
Description: These books were a way of showing how they were so limited in a
time like this and meant so much to people. When books were being burned during the
Holocaust, it affected many Jews because books were an escape route to peace and
content. When they started being burned, it was only a short time until they became so
incredible to save and enjoy because of what was occurring in the environment. When
cell phones were not around and were not the prized possession, books were a common
form of entertainment and suited many people's interests because of the information
being displayed. However, there were very few left after the burnings happened that it
became such an amazing thing to see them in the museum modern day. The were in a
couple different shades of red and placed in a medium sized pile in the display for
everyone to see. I thought this was extremely interesting because each book meant so
much to someone and were just burned as if it was nothing, yet seeing them today
meant a lot to me.
Information Discussion Questions:
If you were in a Jewish persons shoes during this time and could
do one thing to save your books, what would it be and how would you do it?
How would you feel if something so valuable was taken away from
you?
Would you be the person to stand up for what you believed in? Or
would you be the bystander who would let it happen?
Essential Questions: How did German Jewish citizens become outcasts in
the age of the Nazis? What type of experiences did they have that we need to
understand today?
 This connects to the second essential question. The lesson that can be learned
is that knowledge is freedom. In todays day, you can go to google and look up anything
you want. All the answers are given to you the second you want it and sometimes people
take it for granted. Back then you had to take in the knowledge given and look it up in
books or talk to people about what they know. Burning books takes away the ability to
learn what you want and that was one of the main points for burning books. We need to
understand how much of a privilege it is to have books and to see that no one can take
your knowledge away.
5. Discussion (People to People) Create three discussion questions based on an
Object/Visual information
Object/Visual: The Science of Race, hair extensions, etc.
Floor: Floor four
Room: The Science of Race, past the burning books
Descriptions: These objects were displayed as hair extensions, contact lenses,
etc. The hair extensions came in mini samples in many different colors. There were also
many displays of contact lenses and glasses that were shown in glass cases to protect
them. These artifacts were very interesting to look at because it showed very basic
objects that people used these days and made me realize that they were truly normal
people with interesting minds.
Information Discussion Questions:
What are some examples of when a certain race or ethnicity has
been alienated from society besides the Holocaust?
Compare and contrast this to another historical event by making a
Venn diagram with a friend.
How have the events from the Holocaust changed the course of
history?
Essential Questions: How did German Jewish citizens become outcasts in
the age of the Nazis? What type of experiences did they have that we need to
understand today?
The way the Nazis separated people into groups depending on race falls into the
first essential question. They pushed them into being outcast by physically showing them
that they are. That mentally took a toll on the citizens and made them treat different
races the way they were told to. Once the scientist decided that different races werent
good, people started to believe it. This also connects to the second essential question
because we need to understand that this is wrong. As of right now lots of people know
that different races are not a bad thing. Many know that we should embrace everyone for
who they are, and not judge them by the color of their skin, religion, gender or sexuality.
Though this generation is working on acceptance, there are still people who need to
comprehend that people are people no matter what. This exhibit helps show why its so
important to not judge people, and how we cant separate them from us just because
they are different.
6. Literary Connections (Text to text) Connect a text from inside the museum to a text
you have read, studied, or found.
Text: From Citizens to Outcasts
Floor: Floor four
Room: Fourth floor, down the hallway past burning of books
 Description: Within this area of the fourth floor, there was a section full of signs
that showed how Jews had lost everything. All things they have earned, all they have
been working for, family, identity, etc. These signs were called propaganda and they
showed how Jewish people had many restrictions as to their lifestyle. It was a bias
society full of signs that express the hatred and discrimination for Jews. In many books
such as Night by Elie Wiesel,
Essential Questions: How did German Jewish citizens become outcasts in
the age of the Nazis? What type of experiences did they have that we need to
understand today?
This exhibit links to the first question through the physical signs that removed the
Jewish people from society. The sign said things that put opinions into people's heads
that wouldnt be there if they didnt hear things like that. It turned people against their
friends and family, and because of that, the Jews were forced to become an outcast. The
second essential question also connects because we can learn that opinions are formed
based on the person's surroundings. We need to be able to accept others opinions and
understand why they think that way. Another thing we need to learn is to not just follow
what's happening, we need to learn to stand up for ourselves even if it means going
against everyone elses beliefs. The signs can teach us empathy because we can see
how awful people were treating Jews before the concentration camps.
7. Experiential (Activity or Art) Design an activity or project based on an object or visual
from the Museum.
Text: River Photograph
Floor: Fourth floor
Room: Fourth floor, after the main hallway passed the Propaganda signs.
Descriptions: There is a photograph of a river and its black and white.
Essential Questions: How did German Jewish citizens become outcasts in
the age of the Nazis? What type of experiences did they have that we need to
understand today?
This connects to the second essential question because by putting yourself in
the shoes of the people you are understanding the feelings they had. By putting the
colors on paper in any way the information stays with the person, and because of that,
the lesson can stay longer. The lesson that can be learned is up to the person
depending on how they interpreted the picture. You could say that you learned that
judging something by the first glance is detrimental to the world because you need to
understand why, and how its happening. Or you could say that this picture is important
for today because it helps you understand the pain and suffering they went through
which will prevent you from ever thinking about doing something like this to someone.