Holocaust Resources for School Teachers

Teachers are often apprehensive when faced with the task of creating Holocaust lesson plans as many educators feel overwhelmed with the enormity of the subject. Fortunately, with proper preparation teachers should be able to appropriately approach the Holocaust with confidence. It is important to not make sweeping generalizations or to just gloss over the historical and personal impacts the Holocaust had on those affected, which still resonates today.

Middle school students could be introduced to the Holocaust by exploring the harmful effects of prejudices. At this age, they should begin questioning the Holocaust and react to the information. Students will also begin to notice the difference between humane and inhumane behaviors within society. Important themes that should be addressed at this age include confronting loss and change. Middle school students should also be taught about resourcefulness, courage and the difference between what is fair or unfair. At the middle school age, students should be able to use technology to analyze human to environment relationships. Ethics should also be discussed, including the differences between responsible versus unethical use of power.

• Holocaust History: Teaching Children To Respect People Who Are Different (PDF)- Provides for teachers a summary of the events in Europe while the Holocaust was happening to avoid a similar tragedy in the future.

• Middle School Holocaust Material (PDF)- Lists many different reading materials and their details that are age appropriate for primarily middle school, but also has some elementary resources geared towards 5th-6th graders. 

• Literature Based on “The Diary of Anne Frank”- Provides many different sites and descriptions of Anne Frank’s diary. Includes historic photos, lesson plans and online quizzes that are geared towards middle school.

• Investigating the Holocaust: A Collaborative Inquiry Project- Students will explore a variety of resources to learn about the Holocaust. Unit plan us geared towards 6th-8th grade.

• Introduction to the History of the Holocaust- A lesson plan that is based on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to teach middle school students the history of the Holocaust.

• Holocaust Remembrance Day- A site outlining the activities of the event to honor the past and raise awareness of the Holocaust.

• Holocaust Educator and Teacher- Provide information on a professional speaker on the Holocaust including training, resource and reading materials. 

• Northwest Center for Holocaust Education- Provides middle school teachers with information about events during the Holocaust and other acts of genocide.

• Moral Philosophy and the Holocaust- A class outline of key questions, chapters and information regarding the moral philosophy of the holocaust.

• Holocaust Resources Unit- A guide for teachers and educators to learn the best way to teach their students about the horrific truth of the Holocaust. Geared towards middle and high school.

By the time high school students are reintroduced to the Holocaust, they should have a solid understanding of responsibility and be more developmentally capable of thinking beyond their own life experiences than their former middle school selves. From personal obligations to the reliability of groups and dependability of communities, responsibility should be addressed in regards to anti-Semitism and discrimination. Here, ethics should also be highlighted throughout the course structure. High school students should be able to identify unethical power and determine ways of promoting tolerance.

• A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust- An overview of the people and events of the Holocaust through photographs, documents, art, music, movies, and literature. Geared for a secondary audience. 

• Teaching Children About the Holocaust Through Literature- A collection of Holocaust-related texts are summarized and a selection of poems, as well as artwork, are featured on this site.

• Holocaust Interviews- Documented interviews of different Holocaust survivors. Many include the transcription of the original video or audio interview. Because the content of the interviews can be a difficult to watch, this is geared towards a high school audience.

• USC Shoah Foundation Institute- Educates with the purpose to overcome intolerance through the use of the Institute’s visual historic testimonies.

• Holocaust and Resistance- A lesson geared towards grades 9-12, it teaches about the people who actively resisted the Nazi regime and persecution. Provides accounts of the the many different rebellions among the concentration camps that happened during that time.

• Concentration Camps- Provides an interactive map of the camps and also photos and a virtual tour of Auschwitz.

• Guidelines for Teaching About the Holocaust- Based on information from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, these are guidelines for the best way to teach new students about the Holocaust.

• Curricula For Teachers- Based on information from the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the site provides many different examples of curriculum for teachers meant to be used before or after visiting the museum. Geared from elementary to high school.

• America and the Holocaust Teaching Guide- Provides suggestions for the classroom regarding the Holocaust film that is geared primarily towards students. Includes activities and discussion questions. 

Post-secondary students are offered the most complex, sophisticated and often times, the most graphic Holocaust material. Unsuitable for younger students, these lesson plans offer a more in-depth analysis of the events, government and overall history of the time. Lesson plans are geared toward racial prejudices and anti-Semitism analysis, often featuring other genocides for comparison purposes. As students at this time are often a part of the general adult community, the effort of these courses is to promote more informed and humane citizens.

• Holocaust Teaching Materials and Resources – There are many resources from around the world about the Holocaust and other genocides available here.

• Teaching About the Holocaust (XML) – This document provides information on why we should study the Holocaust and resources to do so.

• Holocaust Survivors and Their Stories - Has a number of Holocaust survivor stories and also provides lots of personal information on Holocaust experiences.

• Teachers Resource Guide To Auschwitz - Many lessons on the Holocaust and are based on the book “The Holocaust: A North Carolina Teacher’s Resource” here.

• Holocaust & Genocide Institute - Defines the history of the Holocaust, the institute’s mission and the different programs provided through the college.

• Holocaust Education Resources For Teachers - Has many different links and descriptions of resources for teaching educators how to present the Holocaust to students.

• Teaching the Holocaust at a Two-Year Public College – This source provides an outline and abstract of a course that teaches how to properly present the Holocaust at a two-year college.

• Holocaust Teacher Resource Center - Transforms the Holocaust into educational lessons to create a more tolerant and better world.

• Holocaust Education - Provides many different links and information on teaching resources about the Holocaust.

• Holocaust Project: An End to Intolerance - Provides many different issues and editions of the “An End to Intolerance” which is an annual international student produced holocaust magazine.

The Holocaust was an incredibly tragic event in world history. As such, it is important to remember to be sensitive when teaching the historical events to audiences of all ages. Educating about the Holocaust must be done tactfully, so tread lightly. Ensure proper delivery of conveyed information by providing well-organized and well-researched lesson plans.