FRANKLIN COLLEGE

Education Department
Field School Lesson Plan
Name: Sara McGannon, Nick Uhl, Morgan Burch Lesson Number: Break Out Lesson
Subject Area: P.E, History, LA/English Grade Level: 7th grade

Topic/Concept/Skill: Holocaust

Related Standard:
Health Standard: 7.1.3 Discover how the environment can impact personal health.
History Standard: 7.1.16 Analyze cause-and-effect relationships, bearing in mind
multiple causation in the role of individuals, beliefs and chance in history.
English/LA Standard: 7.RN.3.2: Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text,
including how the major sections contribute to the whole understanding.

Background: Use prior knowledge.

Main Objective of Instruction:

Students will be able to comprehend the different experiences of the Holocaust by
reading teacher-created journals and completing a break out.

Teacher Materials/Resources:
Magnifying Glasses
Boxes
Locks
Pens
Copy of each journal
Student Materials:
Magnifying Glasses
Boxes
Locks
Pens/pencils
Notebook paper
Copy of each journal
Anticipatory Set (Introductory Approach):
The students will be given a worksheet and they will answer the first question below.
Make a prediction: How do you imagine the day in the life of a prisoner during the
Holocaust?

Instructional Procedures (Whole Group):

1. We would split the students into 4 groups of 5 (depending on class size) and the students
would all begin at one of the three journal stations. We would pass out the answer sheets
and journals.
2. We would explain to students that they are going to be reading journals that describe the
experience of Holocaust prisoners. The journals all include special key details that they
will have to figure out by reading and re-reading the journals.Explain to students that
they will be given a magnifying glass and box with 6 locks on it and they will have to
 find the answer to the questions on their sheet to unlock their box. The answers on the
sheet will be the codes to unlock the different locks on the box. Students will have to
move around and read the different journals so that everyone can unlock their box.
Remind students of their prediction from the beginning of class, because now they are
going to be learn more about the experience of a Holocaust prisoner. Ask students to look
at the final question on the answer sheet, tell students that this reflection is to be
completed independently. They are not to complete the final question as a group, but they
are to do it individually!
3. Explain to students that at the top of their page they need to write everyones role. They
need to decide on a Reader (Someone who reads the journal outloud to their group), a
Scribe (the person who writes down the answers on the answer sheet), 2 Investigators
(these are the people who find the clues or the answers to the locks), and a Locksmith
(the person who unlocks the locks with the codes). Once all these roles are filled then
they will be able to start reading their journals.
4. The remainder of the class period will be for students to partake in the activity and then
turn in their sheets at the end of class.
Provisions for Individual and/or Group Differences:

ELL/ESL: Translate keywords into students home language.

Visually Impaired: Enlarge the text in the journals so that students can read them better.

Closure:
Check your prediction, then make notes on what the life of a survivor was really like during the
holocaust.

Evaluation of Learning:
The students reflection about their prediction and experience while reading the journals
and learning more about the Holocaust through the eyes of the prisoners.

AdditionalResources:

http://www.breakoutedu.com/blog/
http://www.doe.in.gov/standards
https://www.ushmm.org/
http://holocaustlearning.org/survivorsVIDEOLINK
http://www.holocaustedu.org/education/services/lesson-plans/
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson187.shtml
http://www.holocaust-trc.org/lesson-plans/
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/unit-plans/teaching-content/remembering-holocaust/
https://onbeing.org/blog/evil-forgiveness-and-prayer-elie-wiesel/VIDEOLINK
http://www.theholocaustexplained.org/ks3/the-camps/daily-life/meals/#.WRUVuGjyvIU
How are you going to
survive the
Holocaust?
Name: ______________________

Bellwork Question: How do you imagine the day in the life of a prisoner during the Holocaust?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

STATION 1:

Directions: Read the Journal and answer the questions below.

1. When did the Holocaust technically begin and how were the prisoners treated at the
beginning of the Holocaust?

2. What groups were persecuted by the Nazi Regime in the Holocaust?

3. How much did they travel from start to finish? Show your work.

LOCK ANSWER: _____________

STATION 2:

Directions: Read the Journal and answer the questions below.

1. How were prisoners treated upon arrival at Auschwitz-Birkenau? What was the initial
reaction? Did it change?

2. How would you react in this situation?

3. When did they arrive at this location?

LOCK ANSWER:______________
STATION 3:

Directions: Read the journal given from a prisoner in Auschwitz. Answer the following questions
in order to unlock your lock.

1. How many grams of food did they eat total for dinner? Show your work.
 2. What was the meal for breakfast?

LOCK ANSWER: _______________

STATION 4:
Directions: Read the journal in front of you and use the tools at the station to figure out the
answers to the questions.

Questions:
1. Where does Elie and his father live?

2. When did Elie and his father arrive at the first camp?

3. Reflection Question: How do you think young Elie felt being forced to move and live in
such conditions?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________

LOCK ANSWER: _____________

NOW, DO THIS WORK ON YOUR OWN.

Check your individual prediction. Were you right or wrong? Why?

In 3-5 sentences please explain how reading these journals changed your perspective on the
Holocaust?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

In 2-3 sentences summarize what we achieved and learned today.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Name: _____KEY______

Bellwork Question: How do you imagine the day in the life of a prisoner during the Holocaust?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________

STATION 1:

Directions: Read the Journal and answer the questions below.

1. When did the Holocaust technically begin and how were the prisoners treated at the
beginning of the Holocaust?
1933, not terribly.
2. What groups were persecuted by the Nazi Regime in the Holocaust?
The Jews, Slavs, Jehovahs Witnesses, LGBTQ, Gypsies, and Political Enemies.

3. How much did they travel from start to finish? Show your work. Are you including all of
the places they traveled?

LOCK ANSWER: _____________

STATION 2:

Directions: Read the Journal and answer the questions below.

1. How were prisoners treated upon arrival at Auschwitz-Birkenau? What was the initial
reaction? Did it change?
Horrible. Treated like animals and stripped of their humanity.

2. How would you react in this situation?

Varies from student to student
3. When did they arrive at this location?
December 28th 1940
LOCK ANSWER:_____1228_____
STATION 3:

Directions: Read the journal given from a prisoner in Auschwitz. Answer the following questions
in order to unlock your lock.

1. How many grams of food did they eat total for dinner? Show your work.

300+25= 325

2. What was the meal for breakfast?

Half a cup of black coffee or herbal tea.

LOCK ANSWER: ___325____________

STATION 4:
Directions: Read the journal in front of you and use the tools at the station to figure out the
answers to the questions.

Questions:
1. Where does Elie and his father live? (Hint: need a magnifying glass)
Block 4
2. When did Elie and his father arrive at the first camp? (Look at the date of the journal and
read carefully)
May 20
3. Reflection Question: How do you think young Elie felt being forced to move and live in
such conditions?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

LOCK ANSWER: _____0520________

NOW, DO THIS WORK ON YOUR OWN.

Check your individual prediction. Were you right or wrong? Why?

In 3-5 sentences please explain how reading these journals changed your perspective on the
Holocaust?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
In 2-3 sentences summarize what we achieved and learned today.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

JOURNAL 1:

28 December, 1940

Germany used to be such a wonderful place, the previous government was fine, and we

went about our lives as any other human would. It gradually got worse and worse as the years

went by. I remember things began changing in 1933 and it wasnt just against us. The Nazi

Regime seemed fine at first, but then they began treating not only us differently but the slavs,

gypsies, Jehovahs Witnesses, and really anyone who disagreed with them. Things began to

change, and they sure did change fast. Now we are sitting on a train in complete darkness. We

can not see anything but the faces in front of us, we have no food, no water, nothing. I am not

sure where we are headed but surely it is better than Sachsenhausen, we barely made it two years

there. Dachau wasnt much better, but we are finally leaving. I am optimistic that where we are

headed next must be better. We have no idea where we are going. The only motivation we have is
to see our families, if we see our families.

JOURNAL #2

29 December, 1940
 We have arrived at Auschwitz. I have never felt such a terrifying aura from somewhere in

my entire life. As we were let off the train, we didnt get a second to see our families before

being taken to our blocks. Cell block 5 will forever be etched in my mind. I had no idea that a

place like this could exist. I had heard the stories but didnt think it could possibly be a reality.

They brought us in like animals, took our clothes, our belongings, and shaved us completely

down. We were stripped of our humanity before we even knew where we were going. I had heard

of this place but I never thought it could truly exist. Now I am living in it.

JOURNAL 3:
2 February, 1942

We have to keep this cup in our possession at all times. It was ours. We used it for food,

drinking, and urinating. In the morning for breakfast, we would only get half a cup of black

coffee or herbal tea. Midday meal for us would consist of soup, which was only three quarters of

the cup. The soup was terrible, but I did not complain because it was something going into our

bodies. It was very watered down and it had meat. Which to us, was a mystery because it was not

meat tasting. Dinner was small as well. We had 300 grams of bread and sausage or butter which

totaled to 25 grams. During dinner we had to eat a total of 900 calories. Still our biggest meal

compared to the 300 calories before the last meal of the day. Sometime I caught some people

eating out of trashcans and raw foods. They were picking out rotten foods to eat, that would only

make them sicker. The feeling of an empty stomach is awful. I just want big feast like I used to

have. The only reason I think they are feeding us here is so we can do their dirty work.

JOURNAL 4:
May 22, 1944

I met a young man today named Elie Weisel. He worked with me in the electrical-fittings

factory, and while working on the wires he began to tell his story. He and his father arrived in

Birkenau two days ago, and he seems to be 12 years old. They are currently living in block four,

which is near my block. He told his story about how his family was taken from their home in

Hungary. He told of the NAZI officials forcing him and his family into ghettos within his town

and then shipping them here, which sounds much like my own experience. That poor boy being

pushed into an environment such as this and at such a young age. I could begin to care for this

boy, if I am not careful. It is scary to think of caring for anyone in this place of torment. The

ways we are stripped and scolded suggest that there is no actual life to be lived here.

JOURNAL 1:
28 December, 1940

Germany used to be such a wonderful place, the previous

government was fine, and we went about our lives as any other human

would. It gradually got worse and worse as the years went by. I

remember things began changing in 1933 and it wasnt just against us.

The Nazi Regime seemed fine at first, but then they began treating not

only us differently but the slavs, gypsies, Jehovahs Witnesses, and

really anyone who disagreed with them. Things began to change, and

they sure did change fast. Now we are sitting on a train in complete

darkness. We can not see anything but the faces in front of us, we have

no food, no water, nothing. I am not sure where we are headed but surely

it is better than Sachsenhausen, we barely made it two years there.

Dachau wasnt much better, but we are finally leaving. I am optimistic

that where we are headed next must be better. We have no idea where we

are going. The only motivation we have is to see our families, if we see
our families.
JOURNAL #2
29 December, 1940

We have arrived at Auschwitz. I have never felt such a terrifying

aura from somewhere in my entire life. As we were let off the train, we

didnt get a second to see our families before being taken to our blocks.

Cell block 5 will forever be etched in my mind. I had no idea that a place

like this could exist. I had heard the stories but didnt think it could

possibly be a reality. They brought us in like animals, took our clothes,

our belongings, and shaved us completely down. We were stripped of

our humanity before we even knew where we were going. I had heard of

this place but I never thought it could truly exist. Now I am living in it.
JOURNAL 3:

2 February, 1942

We have to keep this cup in our possession at all times. It was

ours. We used it for food, drinking, and urinating. In the morning for

breakfast, we would only get half a cup of black coffee or herbal tea.

Midday meal for us would consist of soup, which was only three

quarters of the cup. The soup was terrible, but I did not complain

because it was something going into our bodies. It was very watered

down and it had meat. Which to us, was a mystery because it was not

meat tasting. Dinner was small as well. We had 300 grams of bread and

sausage or butter which totaled to 25 grams. During dinner we had to eat

a total of 900 calories. Still our biggest meal compared to the 300

calories before the last meal of the day. Sometime I caught some people

eating out of trashcans and raw foods. They were picking out rotten

foods to eat, that would only make them sicker. The feeling of an empty

stomach is awful. I just want big feast like I used to have. The only

reason I think they are feeding us here is so we can do their dirty work.

JOURNAL 4:

May 22, 1944

I met a young man today named Elie Weisel. He worked with me

in the electrical-fittings factory, and while working on the wires he

began to tell his story. He and his father arrived in Birkenau two days

ago, and he seems to be 12 years old. They are currently living in block

four, which is near my block. He told his story about how his family was

taken from their home in Hungary. He told of the NAZI officials forcing

him and his family into ghettos within his town and then shipping them

here, which sounds much like my own experience. That poor boy being

pushed into an environment such as this and at such a young age. I could

begin to care for this boy, if I am not careful. It is scary to think of caring
for anyone in this place of torment. The ways we are stripped and

scolded suggest that there is no actual life to be lived here.