{"id":176,"date":"2026-03-18T14:06:48","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T18:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=176"},"modified":"2026-03-20T20:21:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T00:21:24","slug":"choice-and-survival","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/chapter\/choice-and-survival\/","title":{"raw":"Choice and Survival","rendered":"Choice and Survival"},"content":{"raw":"Students examine the historical and emotional context behind the decision to volunteer for labour camps and conceal Jewish identity in <em>Two Roses<\/em>. Through historical framing and close reading, students begin exploring how gender and religion shaped survival decisions and identity concealment.\r\n\r\nLesson aim: Understand survival decisions and identity concealment in <em>Two Roses<\/em>.\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nStudents will be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>explain why volunteering for labour could be viewed as a survival strategy.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>analyze how visual storytelling represents tension and risk.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>apply a historical perspective to evaluate difficult wartime decisions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Guiding Questions<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>What factors influenced the decision to volunteer for labour camps in <em>Two Roses<\/em>?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>How did gender shape the risks and opportunities available to women?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What does \u201cchoice\u201d mean in a system designed to remove freedom?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>How does <em>Two Roses<\/em> visually represent moments of difficult decision-making?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Materials<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><em>Two Roses<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t<li>short historical context slide deck (optional) <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2605\/2026\/03\/L1-Choice-and-Survival.pdf\">Choice and Survival PPT<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalww2museum.org\/war\/articles\/nazi-forced-labor-policy-eastern-europe\">article<\/a> for background reading (optional)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>projector<\/li>\r\n \t<li>blank paper<\/li>\r\n \t<li>annotation chart <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2605\/2026\/03\/L1_Handout_AnnotationChart.pdf\">Handout_AnnotationChart<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li>student notebooks \/ paper for reflection<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Preparation<\/h2>\r\nMark stopping points in <em>Two Roses<\/em> leading up to the labour camp decision. Print out a class set of the annotation chart. Key points covered in the chart are:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Escalating Restrictions<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Emotional Impact<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Gendered Experiences<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Signs of Tension<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Lesson Activities<\/h2>\r\n<h3>Introduction<\/h3>\r\nWrite the following question on the board:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Can a choice still be a choice if every option is dangerous?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nInstruct students to complete a silent quick write for 3\u20134 minutes. After writing, facilitate a discussion asking students to define what makes a decision voluntary. Guide them to consider power, safety, and survival. Transition by explaining that today they will explore how this question appears in <em>Two Roses<\/em>.\r\n\r\nTransition into your short contextual overview slide deck before beginning the reading.\r\n<h3>Historical Framing \u2013 Limited Choices<\/h3>\r\nUsing either the article or the slide deck, provide students with background context about:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>conditions in ghettos.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>labour recruitment policies.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>the perception that labour camps sometimes offered temporary survival advantages.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>the dangers of passing as Polish (documentation, accent, discovery).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Guided Reading \u2013 Building Context<\/h3>\r\nRead the opening section of <em>Two Roses<\/em> together (either aloud or silently with pauses). \u00a0 At key stopping points, ask students to annotate using the annotation chart as a guide.\r\n\r\nUse the following questions to help prompt deeper thinking:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>What has changed since the last section?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What freedoms have been removed?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What new dangers appear?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Where do you see fear or uncertainty visually?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nEncourage students to pay attention to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>shifts in panel size<\/li>\r\n \t<li>use of shadow<\/li>\r\n \t<li>facial expressions<\/li>\r\n \t<li>silence or minimal dialogue<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAfter reading each section, briefly discuss what has escalated.\r\n<h3>Escalation Mapping<\/h3>\r\nIn small groups, have students create an Escalation Timeline. Draw a horizontal line representing time from the beginning of the memoir to the start of the labour camp.\r\n\r\nGroups label:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>new restriction introduced<\/li>\r\n \t<li>emotional response shown visually<\/li>\r\n \t<li>evidence of increasing danger<\/li>\r\n \t<li>gender-specific vulnerability<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nHave groups post timelines around the room. Do a short gallery walk.\r\n<h3>Decision Analysis Discussion<\/h3>\r\nNow return to the panel where they decide to go to the labour camps.\r\n\r\nAsk students:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>After everything we\u2019ve seen, does this decision feel sudden or inevitable?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What pressures are influencing it?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What alternatives realistically existed?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>How does the artwork show emotional weight?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\r\nReturn to the opening question. Ask students:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>After reading <em>Two Roses<\/em>, would you still call this a voluntary choice? Why or why not?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nHave students complete an exit slip:\r\n\r\n<strong>Explain one factor that influenced where Rose ended up and how <em>Two Roses<\/em> helps us understand the emotional weight of that moment.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nCollect responses to assess readiness for Lesson 2 (which can deepen into visual analysis of hidden identity).\r\n<h2>Additional Resources<\/h2>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2605\/2026\/03\/L1-Choice-and-Survival.pdf\">Choice and Survival PPT<\/a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2605\/2026\/03\/L1_Handout_AnnotationChart.pdf\">Handout_AnnotationChart<\/a>","rendered":"<p>Students examine the historical and emotional context behind the decision to volunteer for labour camps and conceal Jewish identity in <em>Two Roses<\/em>. Through historical framing and close reading, students begin exploring how gender and religion shaped survival decisions and identity concealment.<\/p>\n<p>Lesson aim: Understand survival decisions and identity concealment in <em>Two Roses<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Students will be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>explain why volunteering for labour could be viewed as a survival strategy.<\/li>\n<li>analyze how visual storytelling represents tension and risk.<\/li>\n<li>apply a historical perspective to evaluate difficult wartime decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Guiding Questions<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>What factors influenced the decision to volunteer for labour camps in <em>Two Roses<\/em>?<\/li>\n<li>How did gender shape the risks and opportunities available to women?<\/li>\n<li>What does \u201cchoice\u201d mean in a system designed to remove freedom?<\/li>\n<li>How does <em>Two Roses<\/em> visually represent moments of difficult decision-making?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Materials<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Two Roses<\/em><\/li>\n<li>short historical context slide deck (optional) <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2605\/2026\/03\/L1-Choice-and-Survival.pdf\">Choice and Survival PPT<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalww2museum.org\/war\/articles\/nazi-forced-labor-policy-eastern-europe\">article<\/a> for background reading (optional)<\/li>\n<li>projector<\/li>\n<li>blank paper<\/li>\n<li>annotation chart <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2605\/2026\/03\/L1_Handout_AnnotationChart.pdf\">Handout_AnnotationChart<\/a><\/li>\n<li>student notebooks \/ paper for reflection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Preparation<\/h2>\n<p>Mark stopping points in <em>Two Roses<\/em> leading up to the labour camp decision. Print out a class set of the annotation chart. Key points covered in the chart are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Escalating Restrictions<\/li>\n<li>Emotional Impact<\/li>\n<li>Gendered Experiences<\/li>\n<li>Signs of Tension<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Lesson Activities<\/h2>\n<h3>Introduction<\/h3>\n<p>Write the following question on the board:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Can a choice still be a choice if every option is dangerous?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Instruct students to complete a silent quick write for 3\u20134 minutes. After writing, facilitate a discussion asking students to define what makes a decision voluntary. Guide them to consider power, safety, and survival. Transition by explaining that today they will explore how this question appears in <em>Two Roses<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Transition into your short contextual overview slide deck before beginning the reading.<\/p>\n<h3>Historical Framing \u2013 Limited Choices<\/h3>\n<p>Using either the article or the slide deck, provide students with background context about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>conditions in ghettos.<\/li>\n<li>labour recruitment policies.<\/li>\n<li>the perception that labour camps sometimes offered temporary survival advantages.<\/li>\n<li>the dangers of passing as Polish (documentation, accent, discovery).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Guided Reading \u2013 Building Context<\/h3>\n<p>Read the opening section of <em>Two Roses<\/em> together (either aloud or silently with pauses). \u00a0 At key stopping points, ask students to annotate using the annotation chart as a guide.<\/p>\n<p>Use the following questions to help prompt deeper thinking:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What has changed since the last section?<\/li>\n<li>What freedoms have been removed?<\/li>\n<li>What new dangers appear?<\/li>\n<li>Where do you see fear or uncertainty visually?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Encourage students to pay attention to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>shifts in panel size<\/li>\n<li>use of shadow<\/li>\n<li>facial expressions<\/li>\n<li>silence or minimal dialogue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>After reading each section, briefly discuss what has escalated.<\/p>\n<h3>Escalation Mapping<\/h3>\n<p>In small groups, have students create an Escalation Timeline. Draw a horizontal line representing time from the beginning of the memoir to the start of the labour camp.<\/p>\n<p>Groups label:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>new restriction introduced<\/li>\n<li>emotional response shown visually<\/li>\n<li>evidence of increasing danger<\/li>\n<li>gender-specific vulnerability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Have groups post timelines around the room. Do a short gallery walk.<\/p>\n<h3>Decision Analysis Discussion<\/h3>\n<p>Now return to the panel where they decide to go to the labour camps.<\/p>\n<p>Ask students:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>After everything we\u2019ve seen, does this decision feel sudden or inevitable?<\/li>\n<li>What pressures are influencing it?<\/li>\n<li>What alternatives realistically existed?<\/li>\n<li>How does the artwork show emotional weight?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Return to the opening question. Ask students:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>After reading <em>Two Roses<\/em>, would you still call this a voluntary choice? Why or why not?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Have students complete an exit slip:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Explain one factor that influenced where Rose ended up and how <em>Two Roses<\/em> helps us understand the emotional weight of that moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Collect responses to assess readiness for Lesson 2 (which can deepen into visual analysis of hidden identity).<\/p>\n<h2>Additional Resources<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2605\/2026\/03\/L1-Choice-and-Survival.pdf\">Choice and Survival PPT<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2605\/2026\/03\/L1_Handout_AnnotationChart.pdf\">Handout_AnnotationChart<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1929,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[50],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-176","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","chapter-type-numberless"],"part":114,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1929"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":318,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/176\/revisions\/318"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/114"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/176\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=176"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=176"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/artsbasedholocaustremembrance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}