Goals & Objectives
- Students will participate in a Socratic Seminar to discuss and analyze who was responsible for the Holocaust during WWII.
- Students will conduct their own research on eight different groups who may bear responsibility for the Holocaust.
- Students will list three groups who they feel are the most responsible for the Holocaust after participating in the Socratic Seminar.
- Students will reflect on why they chose to rank those three groups in a 200 word summary for each group on a discussion forum on their Canvas site. They will also reflect on the effect the Socratic Seminar had on their decision.
California State Content Standards
10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II
- Describe the political, diplomatic, and military leaders during the war (e.g. Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Emperor Hirohito, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussollini, Joseph Stalin, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower)
- Analyze the Nazi policy of pursuing racial purity, especially against the European Jews; its transformation into the Final Solution; and the Holocaust that resulted in the murder of six million Jewish civilians.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.3 Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.2.BDevelop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology's capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.2.BDevelop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology's capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Driving Historical Question
Who were the groups who held the greatest responsibility of the Holocaust during WWII?
Lesson Introduction : "Big Paper" Gallery Walk
Around the classroom as students walk in there will be posters around the room from the Holocaust. The posters will have either a quote, or a picture taken during the Holocaust on it. The students are to remain in complete silence and with a pen or marker in hand, walk around the classroom adding comments or questions they have about the source. Students may comment on other student’s questions as well. Students will be in groups of four and will get 3 minutes at each “Big Paper” the teacher will have a timer and will raise her hand (to keep the room silent) when it is time to change to a different “Big Paper” where they will repeat the same process until all of the groups have gone to all of the “Big Papers” around the classroom
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Big Paper activity images and...More presentations from Tracy Bebout |
Vocabulary
Concentration camp
Adolf Hitler
Allies
SS
Nazi / Nazi Party
Ghetto
Final Solution
Gestapo
Adolf Hitler
Allies
SS
Nazi / Nazi Party
Ghetto
Final Solution
Gestapo
Content Delivery
Day one:
Teacher will explain that the students are going to be doing a three part project on the Holocaust. She will inform them that first the students are to get into groups of 4 and will be assigned one of eight groups that are often associated with partial responsibility of the Holocaust. Once they have been assigned their group, they will use the computer lab to research the responsibility that their group had in carrying out the Holocaust.
Day Two (Block Day):
Teacher will explain that the students are to share their presentation with the class and that as the group is discussing their group who may hold partial responsibility for the Holocaust, those observing are to take notes that will help them in the Socratic Seminar the following day. The teacher will explain to students that in order for the Socratic Seminar to go smoothly the following day, they need to look over their notes that they have taken today and be knowledgeable about the content for homework.
Day Three:
The teacher will instruct the class that they will take part in a Socratic Seminar in order to better analyze the responsibility. The teacher will explain that it is the students’ responsibility to conduct the conversation, not the teacher’s. The teacher will observe the students as they discuss the content. After the Socratic Seminar is over, the teacher will tell the students that they are to go home and reflect on a discussion forum (on their Canvas classroom site) which three groups had the greatest responsibility in carrying out the Holocaust in 200 words or more. Also, she will tell them to reflect on the effect of the Socratic Seminar.
Teacher will explain that the students are going to be doing a three part project on the Holocaust. She will inform them that first the students are to get into groups of 4 and will be assigned one of eight groups that are often associated with partial responsibility of the Holocaust. Once they have been assigned their group, they will use the computer lab to research the responsibility that their group had in carrying out the Holocaust.
Day Two (Block Day):
Teacher will explain that the students are to share their presentation with the class and that as the group is discussing their group who may hold partial responsibility for the Holocaust, those observing are to take notes that will help them in the Socratic Seminar the following day. The teacher will explain to students that in order for the Socratic Seminar to go smoothly the following day, they need to look over their notes that they have taken today and be knowledgeable about the content for homework.
Day Three:
The teacher will instruct the class that they will take part in a Socratic Seminar in order to better analyze the responsibility. The teacher will explain that it is the students’ responsibility to conduct the conversation, not the teacher’s. The teacher will observe the students as they discuss the content. After the Socratic Seminar is over, the teacher will tell the students that they are to go home and reflect on a discussion forum (on their Canvas classroom site) which three groups had the greatest responsibility in carrying out the Holocaust in 200 words or more. Also, she will tell them to reflect on the effect of the Socratic Seminar.
Student Engagement
Day One:
Students will go to the computer lab and will research one of eight groups that they were assigned by a teacher. The eight groups include:
Day Two: Students will present their information to the class using their Prezi, PowerPoint, or handout so they can determine the level of responsibility for each of the eight groups. If the students feel that their group bears a great deal of responsibility, it should be clear—be passionate and empathetic. On the other hand, if the students find information that is ambiguous, that should be expressed to the class as well. Students need to remember that their goal is to help the class assess responsibility for the Holocaust. As students are listening to their peers, they should be filling out the graphic organizer provided by the teacher, taking notes on each group. Day Three: Students will participate in a Socratic Seminar in order to better analyze the responsibility of the eight groups. Students should come to class prepared with notes they took from the presentations and with an idea of who they feel are the top three groups that hold the most responsibility. Also, students need to be able to defend or refute the level of responsibility their group bears. There will be a circle of chairs set up in the center of the class where two members of each groups will sit. Around that circle will be another circle where the remaining two students from each group sits. The inner circle will be discussing their ideas, while the outer circle listens in and takes notes. After 15 minutes, the groups will meet up and discuss for 5 minutes what has been discussed thus far in the Socratic. Then, the grouping of students will switch—the two that were in the inner circle will now be in the outer circle and vise versa—and will repeat the process picking up where the previous group left off. Some questions to consider for the Socratic are: How did the Holocaust happen? How could a well-educated society like Germany perpetrate a Holocaust? How could other countries allow the murder of six million people? Who is most responsible for Hitler coming to power? How much responsibility do other religious groups bear? What about the men who rounded up the Jews from their homes? Who wrote the laws that mandated the formation of the ghettos and how much responsibility do they have for the Holocaust? When was the decision made to exterminate the Jews and when did other countries become aware of the policy? Should the people who voted for the Hitler’s political party be held responsible? |
Holocaust Groups GOMore presentations from Tracy Bebout |
Lesson Closure : Discussion Forum
At home, the students will participate in a discussion forum on their Canvas site. They will choose three of the eight groups and will discuss, in 200 words or more, why they think each group bears so much responsibility in the Holocaust. Also, the students will reflect on the effect that the Socratic had on them. They should consider if the Socratic influenced their decision on the top three groups who bear the most responsibility, if they heard anything that was unexpected, if they disagreed with anyone’s interpretations of the information about a certain group, etc. Additionally, they will need to respond to two other students’ posts.
Assessments
Formative:
The “Big Paper” activity will activate the students’ prior knowledge and I can see what they know about the topic before we get into the lesson. As the students discuss their ideas in the Socratic Seminar, I can see what students really know about the information or if there are any grey areas that need to be further addressed. The presentations will also serve as a formative assessment. From their presentations I can not only see what the students know about content, but can also see if they are able to decipher what constitutes as good information and what is erroneous information while researching. If it appears groups have trouble finding credible information, then there may need to be a lesson that shows students how to properly research.
Summative:
The discussion forum that the students participate in will serve as a summative assessment. From reading the students responses, the teacher can clearly see who understands the content, and who does not.
The “Big Paper” activity will activate the students’ prior knowledge and I can see what they know about the topic before we get into the lesson. As the students discuss their ideas in the Socratic Seminar, I can see what students really know about the information or if there are any grey areas that need to be further addressed. The presentations will also serve as a formative assessment. From their presentations I can not only see what the students know about content, but can also see if they are able to decipher what constitutes as good information and what is erroneous information while researching. If it appears groups have trouble finding credible information, then there may need to be a lesson that shows students how to properly research.
Summative:
The discussion forum that the students participate in will serve as a summative assessment. From reading the students responses, the teacher can clearly see who understands the content, and who does not.
Accommodations
English learners will be provided with a handout to help them participate in the Socratic. This handout will contain sentence starters that will help them to be able to incorporate academic language into the discussion.
Students with special needs will benefit from working in a group setting. The group members will be able to coach and guide them through the activities so that they are able to participate fully.
Striving readers will benefit from the graphic organizer for note taking provided by the teacher. This organizer will allow them to organize their notes while the groups are presenting. Also, working in a group setting will help them as well because they will be able to discuss material with their peers which will help them fill in any information gaps they may have.
Students with special needs will benefit from working in a group setting. The group members will be able to coach and guide them through the activities so that they are able to participate fully.
Striving readers will benefit from the graphic organizer for note taking provided by the teacher. This organizer will allow them to organize their notes while the groups are presenting. Also, working in a group setting will help them as well because they will be able to discuss material with their peers which will help them fill in any information gaps they may have.