Introduction to the Holocaust Using Art
The teacher will share art from, and about, the Holocaust. Teachers should create a community for students to engage with difficult material.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- describe how art can be used as a tool for teaching; in particular, how art can be used to teach the Holocaust.
- establish a safe and brave space in the classroom
- use self-check-ins to advocate for themselves and to protect their own wellbeing.
Introduction
Review trauma-informed teaching practices. In this lesson, it is important to talk about self-check-ins because of the type of material we will be engaging with. It is important to have check-ins with ourselves and how we are processing (or not) the things we are hearing/learning about.
Lesson Activities
Video Viewing
Class will watch the Yad Vashem video and be prompted to write down three things they learned and three things that were new to them from the video. Students should take notes in their sketchbooks as they watch.
The video can be paused to outline key concepts, or so students can use the handout to respond to questions.
Class Discussion
Following the video, class engages in small-group discussion to unpack what they have learned. Students should share three things they reflected on/learned from the video as a starting place.
Conclusion
Personal journaling: Students should take 5–10 minutes to write a short reflection on their experiences in class. We will circle back to our reflections to create our personal-response graphic narratives.
End-of-Lesson Journal Prompts
For each lesson in this unit, students will have the opportunity to engage in reflective journaling. This practice aligns with taking a trauma-informed approach to teaching the Holocaust. The self-reflection journal prompts students will do at the end of each lesson will allow them to unpack and reflect on how they felt during that lesson, what they learned, what they may be curious about and more. When given the opportunity to self-reflect, students are encouraged to dive into their feelings, enacting brave spaces by writing out their thoughts and reflections.
The following are some journal prompts students can use to inspire their reflections if they find they are having trouble writing. These journal prompts are meant to be detailed so students can write detailed reflections.
- Write about something that grasped your interest in this lesson. Was it something new you learned? Was it something you wondered about after the lesson?
- What questions do you have after this lesson? Is there anything you are still curious about?
- How did what you learned today make you feel? Describe your emotions in detail.
- Did anything from today’s lesson connect deeply with you on a personal level? Why or why not?
Support Materials
Recap lesson on colour theory (if needed)
Handout: End of Class Journal Prompts
