Thirteen Secrets: An Introduction

This lesson introduces students to historical testimony as communicated through graphic narratives. Using these narratives, students will learn to analyze Holocaust testimony.

Guiding Question

• How can graphic narratives help us understand history?
• How do personal narratives provide insight into different perspectives from the past?

Introduction

Think-pair-share activity

• Ask students to reflect on what they know, and what they wonder, about the Holocaust in the Netherlands. How was it similar or different to the Holocaust in other regions?

Next, have students look at the cover of the story. Have them discuss in pairs, taking notes, what they can infer about the story from its cover and title.

Lesson Activities

Introducing the Place

Have students read “Thirteen Secrets” as a class; prompt students to pay attention to the role that space and place play in the story. What do they notice about the landscape, the houses, the natural environment, etc.

As a class, discuss the observations students made while reading. Have students reflect again on what they know, and what they wonder, about the Holocaust.

Viewing Video

Conclusion

Following the viewing of the video,  discuss in groups if students’ impressions or understandings of the story have changed. Ask each student to form one question they have related to the story. Collect these questions—we will come back to them in future lessons.

Example questions:

• Did the fact that Nico and Rolf lived outside of Germany impact their survival?
• Did the methods of the Holocaust in the Netherlands differ from elsewhere?