by George J Elbaum

Students in Leota Middle School in Woodinville, WA, have been through an extensive Holocaust unit including learning and discussing common terminology, exploring the Pyramid of Hate, and completing a research and presentation project related to the timeline of Hitler’s Rise to Power, World War II, the Holocaust. Their presentations also included spending time reading ID cards on both the United States Holocaust Museum Website and Holocaust Center site where they focused on honoring each person by researching and sharing about the different people, those who may have survived and of course those who were murdered by Hitler and his collaborators. Students have read Night by Elie Wiesel and watched Bearing Witness: Elie Wiesel and Night. Since this is for an English Language Arts class, students also participated in the school field trip exploring artifacts of the Holocaust and have read different literature selections (poems, personal stories, articles, etc.) along with a non-fiction or fiction book of their choice about the Holocaust. Students will reflect upon their learning in journal entries and other written assignments, as well as small group discussions about their chosen book. The class will utilize photographs, texts, videos, artifacts, and other supplemental materials, from the Holocaust Center as well.

Arrangements for my presentation at Leota Middle School were made by Lexi Jason, Education Program Manager at Seattle’s Holocaust Center for Humanity.