Terrible Things: an Allegory of the Holocaust
by Eve Bunting
Lesson plans and teaching resources
Fighting Injustice by Studying Lessons of the Past
Students study the experience of European Jewish citizens during the Holocaust. Through a reading of a novel set during the Holocaust period, students gain a better understanding of the social injustices and atrocities that occurred. Students then research the experience of the Cherokees during the Trail of Tears and the Japanese Americans during World War II. To compare these three events, students use an online Venn diagram tool. Students write about their reactions to these events in journals and discuss them during class. Critical thinking is encouraged to allow students to come to their own conclusions about these events. Designed for middle school.
Making Choices: Bystander, Perpetrator, Victim, Upstander
In this learning activity, students identify and discuss the choices of the individual in a threatening situation. Lesson plan includes vocabulary words, discussion questions, assessment, and extension activities. Designed for grades 3-5. 2 pages; Adobe Reader required for access.
My 3-Day Lesson on Courage
This unit uses both
Terrible Things
and
Smoky Night
to help second-graders learn about courage.
Terrible Things
These two lessons provide bookends (an introduction and conclusion) to a unit on the Holocaust. They require students to investigate and make decisions concerning human behavior before and after they study the lessons of the Holocaust. Prior to the word "Holocaust" being mentioned, the first lesson asks students to give advice to others dealing with the issues of speaking up and taking action rather than just standing by and watching. After students have studied the Holocaust, the second lesson asks them to re-evaluate the advice they gave at the beginning of the unit by reflecting on the lessons of the Holocaust and applying them to stereotyping, prejudice, and racism in today's society.
Terrible Things
Printable worksheet with discussion questions, writing prompts. Word processor required for access.
Historical Background
Lesson plans and other resources for teaching about the Holocaust.