Elaborated Lesson Plan

Your Name: Murphy Hansen

Length of Unit: 5 days [75 minute class periods]
Classroom Specifics: 10th Grade World History
Unit Topic: The Holocaust
Larger Catastrophe Unit: 3-4 Weeks in Length
1) The Bubonic Plague
2) The Lisbon Earthquake
3) The Holocaust
Larger Historical Problem/EQ: To what degree has human beings response to disease,
natural disaster, or human-made catastrophe been similar or different over the centuries?
______________________________________________________________________________
Length of Lesson: Day 1 (75 minutes)
Title of lesson: The Holocaust Defined
Context of Lesson: This will be the first lesson of five, used for my investigation mini-unit. We
will begin with conceptualizing the historical event called the Holocaust (or Shoah). I hope to
elicit student knowledge surrounding this event and address any misconceptions at the outset. We
will define the Holocaust/Shoah and then dive into the Jewish Myth via a visual inquiry. These
two activities will build a foundation for the remainder of the unit. Understanding what the
Holocaust actually was, who was involved, and the fact that anti-Semitism was a long-standing
issue within Europe for many centuries are all important factors that establish the processes
already in place at the time of Hitlers rise to power. Today is a day centered around building
student background knowledge about the who, what, when, where, and some of the why
surrounding the Holocaust. This way, we can dive deeper in the subsequent four days via student
analysis of rich primary sources.
Enduring Understanding:
Specific goldilocks conditions are necessary for the significant historical events we
investigate to actually occur. No global process, national/regional history, or specific event
was inevitable.
Essential Question:
How was the Holocaust possible?

Objectives:
Students will be able to
Analyze the causes of WWII, including Hitlers aggression and the Allies strategy of conflict
appeasement that led to war in Europe (WHG 7.2.3 WWII)
Explain the Nazi ideology, policies, and consequences of the Holocaust (or Shoah) (WHG
7.2.3 WWII)
Break down Hitlers rise to power in Germany and across Europe (WHG 7.2.2 Inter-War
Period)
Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:
Amount of content: My number one goal with this unit is to show students how Hitlers rise
to power and the lead up to the Holocaust was a long process that took many years to
culminate into the defining catastrophe we know today. However, in order to do this I must
cover a lot of content in a short period of time. I plan to upload my slides to my class website
for students to return to, should they need it. The presenter notes for each slide will also be
available to students when viewing my slides. I will point out the important bullets on each
slide for students and/or verbally sum up each section of my powerpoint for them. This way,
note-taking will run smoother and hopefully quicker.
Making sense of the progression being displayed: As I try to paint this process of increasing
Nazi consolidation of power and Jewish-persecution, Ive created a visual aid for students so
that they can keep track of each step that was taken to reach Hitlers final solution. Im trying
to provide a larger framework (the timeline) in which students can make sense of and fit
smaller individuals/events within. We will reference this timeline throughout the unit.
Unusual Vocabulary: Lastly, there is a lot of foreign vocabulary throughout my slides. Some
of it is Yiddish, Hebrew, and German. Ive done by best to define them throughout my slides
and on the timeline Ive made for students. These words will be explicitly defined for students
(verbally during class by me and in the presenter notes).
Assessment:
During Instruction: I will ask students questions throughout (to elicit prior knowledge about the
individuals, events, processes, phenomena were discussing, but also to check for student
understanding of these things)
After Instruction: Todays lesson will end with an exit ticket. Students will be asked to describe
the Jewish Myth and its role in the Holocaust. These will be collected and graded that evening,
returned during Day 2 of this unit. Students will be given credit for answering the question
(based on required length 3-4 sentences), but I will be using the content of these responses to
inform my instruction.
Instructional Sequence:
I.

Day 1: The Holocaust Defined

A. Introduction, Essential Question & Disclaimer (7 minutes)
1. Introduce students to the essential question

a) Throughout this week, we will be working with this question here, How was the
Holocaust possible?. We will be investigating the historical event we now know
as the Holocaust. Together, we will analyze a number of primary sources today
and tomorrow, and by the end of the week, you will be working in groups to
analyze a wide array of texts, including: images, poems, letters, journal entries,
video clips, and oral histories. Being so far removed from this event, it might be
easy for us to see that the actions taken by the Nazis and other individuals who
aided in the completion of Hitlers plan. However, the conditions that both
victims and perpetrators of the Holocaust faced during this time, is not something
many of us can say we have experienced first hand. Yet, being the historians we
are we are going to use these primary sources from individuals living at this
time to help us try to understand what the saw, heard, felt, and experienced. And
by the end of this week, we will be able to answer this question right here (point
to EQ).
b) Disclaimer: Just so you know, with our focus on the Holocaust we will see, hear,
and experience things that are disturbing. A lot of the language used in the
primary sources is highly offensive. Meanwhile, the images and video clips we
watch are equally as offensive and some disturbing. However, we are using these
texts for educational purposes. Like historians researching a historical event or
topic, we too will be investigating what the Holocaust was and how it was
possible. I trust that you are both mature enough to handle the anti-Semitic or
anti-Jewish ideas and beliefs laid out in these sources, but also, that you are
intelligent enough to consider the credibility of the claims being made against the
Jewish people in throughout these sources.
B. Hook Concept Formation (10 minutes)
1. Concept Formation: The Holocaust
Student/Teacher Action: I will be leading a whole-class discussion where
students will be expected to participate (those who do not speak up will be
expected to listen and remain quiet during this activity).
a) What do you think of when you hear the word Holocaust?
(1) Write Holocaust in the center of the board and take student answers and
write them on the board around the word in a different color.
(2) After I am satisfied with the student contributions, I will begin to hand out the
student worksheet with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museums
definition of the Holocaust and address the word Shoah. (See Appendix A).
(a) Once the sheets are passed out, I will ask the class, In looking at this
definition of the Holocaust, how is it either the same or different than your
previous understanding of this tragedy?.
(b) The definition will also be displayed on the projector via a document
camera so I can point to the different pieces of the definition as I read it
aloud and break it down for students. I ask that students at the very least
underline the important words/phrases I point out (will model via

document camera) and take quick notes in the margin about their
meaning.
C. Visual Inquiry The Jewish Myth (20 minutes)
Student/Teacher Action: I will run this activity, students will be asked to participate.
Over the course of my hook (above) and this visual inquiry, I will try to get each
student to participate (verbally or by show of hands, how many of you). However,
when not speaking, students are expected to be quiet and listening, following the class
discussion.
1. The first two images will be analyzed in a similar fashion, using the Visual Inquiry
Model. I will begin by asking students to:
a) Tell me what they see, describe the details in the image
b) Tell me some ideas or inferences they may have about the evidence in the image
c) Consider the evidence and inferences we came to as a class and bring in some of
their prior knowledge about the context of the image to help them draw
connections. Id also like to probe to see if students are able to recognize the
authors perspective or bias (important info about the image and things Id like to
focus on in presenter notes).
d) We will then corroborate the first image by comparing it to the second. I will ask
students what is different vs. what is similar between the two and have them
consider which may be more reliable/less reliable and why.
(1) The Eternal Jew Exhibit Poster (1937) & Film Poster (1940)
What is the first thing you see in this image? What else do you notice?
What do you think is happening in this image? What do you think that means?
(Pull from student responses what do you think __ means?)
Why do you think the author/publisher made the image like this? How does
when and where it was made/published inform your understanding of this
image(s)?
(2) The Eternal Jew Film (1940) (5 minutes)
I will transition into the video clip [16:13-20:50] by prefacing what it is, when it
was created, and who it was created by. I will warn students that the content is
disturbing (the language is extremely offensive), but we are viewing the clip for
educational purposes.
I will ask students to focus on how the language and the claims made in this
video clip and how they support the concept of the Jewish Myth we just
discussed. Following the video clip, I will ask for 2-3 student reactions.
D. Interactive Lecture Background Knowledge (33 minutes)
1. The remainder of my lesson will be spent conducting an interactive lecture. I say
interactive because my slides obtain a wide array of primary sources (e.g., images,
poems, maps, written text, etc.).
We will cover slides 8-36
2. Hand out timeline packet (2 minutes)
Student/Teacher Action: Students are expected to take notes on the slides
provided and verbally contribute responses to my questions and/or their own

ideas/questions regarding the content (my slides/primary sources included in

them).
3. My slides are grouped in several categories, marked by title slides throughout. When
I reach each category of content I will either point this out to students and ask them
reference their timelines Ive given them. I will ask them to place a star and word or
two to describe each category, near the date/year in which we are discussing.
4. Please see powerpoint slides for topics being taught today*
E. Wrap-Up Exit Ticket & Scripted Conclusion (5 minutes)
1. Before students leave today, I will give them a formative assessment (one I have
planned ahead of time). I will ask them to fill out an exit ticket, in which students
will be asked to describe the Jewish Myth and its role in the Holocaust. These will
be collected and graded that evening, returned the following day. Students will be
given credit for answering the question (based on required length 3-4 sentences), but
I will be using the content of these responses to inform my instruction. I will clear up
any terms/concepts or questions students had at the start of the class period on Day 2.
Student/Teacher Action: Students will fill out responses to the question posed
and I will collect and grade them. Before collecting them, I will use the last
minute of class to conclude todays lesson.

Elaborated Lesson Plan

Length of lesson: Day 2 (75 minutes)
Title of lesson: The Parallel Phenomena: Anti-Jewish Persecution and Hitlers Increasing Power
Overview: Today we will be investigating the slow progression of anti-Jewish legislation
enacted within Germany. This will be done via a close reading of this legislation and an
interactive timeline. The goal is to provide students with a visual representation of this
progression. After the legislative progression has been established, I will then ask students to
reference their timeline packet, and help me to place pieces of paper (each detailing a step that
increased Hitlers power and brought him closer to completing his Final Solution). This way,
students can see these two factors (Hitlers level of power and the intensity of anti-Jewish
legislation) side-by-side. I want students to see that as Hitler gained support and experienced
little resistance from the German people and world leaders like the British and U.S., he expanded
his reach across Europe while tightening his grip on the Jewish population. Student
understanding of these simultaneous processes of expansion and persecution, will help them
throughout the online exhibition that will take place the following two days. They will be
viewing a great deal of oral histories via the exhibitionfrom victims, perpetrators, and
collaborators and its important for them to try and imagine why these individuals may have
taken the actions they did. Things for the people living during this time were not as cut and dry
as we see them today, for we have the affordance of historical hindsight.
Enduring Understanding:
Specific goldilocks conditions are necessary for the significant historical events we
investigate to actually occur. No global process, national/regional history, or specific event
was inevitable.
Essential Question:
How was the Holocaust possible?
Objectives:
Students will be able to
Analyze the Nazi ideology and its policies (WHG 7.2.3 WWII)
Explain the progression of Hitlers rise to power in Germany and across Europe (WHG 7.2.2
Inter-War Period)
Explain the progression of anti-Jewish persecution in scope and consequence (WHG 7.1.3
Twentieth Century Genocide)
Identify the ways in which individuals of the time understood the historical events/
developments of the past and how these differ from our understanding of the same events/
developments presently (WHG 7.1.3 Twentieth Century Genocide)

Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:

Historical Events Not Inevitable: Its important that students understand events like the
Holocaust are not inevitable. At many different points in time, throughout Hitlers rise in
power within Germany and the continent of Europe, the actions of any one individual or group
could have dramatically changed the course of his reign. For example, some historians argue
that had Hitlers life not been spared in battle during WWI, the Holocaust may not have
happened. With the Beer Hall Putsch as his trial run, Hitler realized that anarchy and revolution
was not the way to win over the German people. Similarly, the careful attention paid by Hitler
and his Nazis to the response of German citizens to anti-Semitic propagandaand the
response of various international powers leading up to the 1936 Berlin Olympicsthey were
able to navigate the choppy waters of resistance, ensuring the murder of six million Jews.
Multiple Factors at Play: It will be hard for students to see how the murder of six million
Jewsand even more individuals originating from other groups also targeted by the Nazis
was able to happen. It is my intention to show students the multitude of conditions that were in
place for this historical event to happen. It was these factors/conditions, that together, enabled
Hitler to influence and command so many. Furthermore, I want to clear up any misconceptions
students may have about how Hitler came to power and how he enacted his Final Solution
(both over time). Todays lesson, which includes an interactive timeline will help students see
the progression of these two factors of the Holocaust (Hitlers power and popularity, and the
increasing persecutory nature of his legislation). My questioning and debrief on this student
timeline will point out these two conditions and hep students come to these conclusions about
Hitler and his policies.
Assessment:
During Instruction: I will be informally assessing my students throughout todays lesson via
questioning. I will ask concluding questions both during and after our timeline activity, which
will help me gage student understanding of how the ideas we explored throughout the activity fit
within our larger understanding of the Holocaust as a whole.
After Instruction: I will be collecting each groups responses to the questions that were written
on the board (see instructional sequence for exact questions). Students will be given participation
points for their responses.

Instructional Sequence:
I. Introduction (2 minutes)
II. Finish Lecture (25 minutes)
A. I will spend the first portion of the hour finishing up my lecture from the previous day.
Again, students will be expected to take notes during this time and ask any questions
they may have regarding the content presented. See presenter notes for my actions*
B. We will cover slides 37-66 today
III. Interactive Timeline (36 minutes total)
IV. Primary Source Activity (see Appendix D for sources) [16 min]

A. Students will be split up into groups of about five students per group. They will each be
given one primary source (7 total). These sources vary in length and complexity.
However, they are mostly anti-Jewish legislation, with a few anti-Jewish persecutions
(specific events like Kristallnacht) mixed in.
1. Procedure:
a) Each group will be given their primary source. They will be asked to perform a
close reading of the text. After they have done this, they will answer the questions
listed below on a lined piece of paper (questions will be written on the white
board at the side of the room, not front)
(1) What is the name of your law or event and when was it created/when did it
happen?
(2) What is does this law state? What restrictions has it placed on Jews? What is
the significance of your event?
(3) If you were a German citizen reading this law in isolation (by itself), what
would you think? Place yourself in the shoes of someone at this time (a time
when anti-Semitism was accepted and the preferred doctrine of the
government).
b) After reading the source as a group and answering the questions on the board, we
will begin the interactive timeline activity. It will go as follows:
(1) I will ask each group to pick one member to act as a representative
(2) I will call on each representative one-at-a-time (in chronological order,
according to the date their law was enacted or their event occurred). They will
walk to the front of the room and position themselves against the front wall. I
will have the date 1920 at one end and 1950 at the other.
(3) After the first representative (of the Enabling Act) has positioned themselves,
I will ask that they hold up their laminated sheet so that the class can see the
largely printed date 1933 clearly. Then I will as that representative to read
the law aloud. I will then rephrase the meaning of the law or significance of
the event. After the first few, I will then ask the representative if they can
rephrase the law as I have just modeled for them via the first three or four
laws.
(4) Once representative has read and gave meaning to their anti-Jewish law/event,
I will hand each representative a piece of tape. I will then ask them to leave
the side with the title of their law/event facing the class. Then I will ask them
to sit down.
(5) I will then conduct a brief class discussion around what students have noticed/
what the timeline shows us.
(a) What do you notice about this timeline?
(b) What does this timeline tell us? Specifically, what does it tell us about
Hitlers implementation of anti-Jewish persecution?
(c) Do you notice any patterns based on what we see here? What can you say
about this progression in anti-Jewish persecution?

B. Tape on wall and ask student help for Hitlers rise to power (See Appendix E for events)
[10 min]
1. As an extension to the interactive student timeline, I will take out my second set of
laminated sheets and the roll of tape we already used to hang the first set.
2. I will introduce the fact that we will now be adding more events to our timeline.
Except these events are a parallel phenomenon we discussed both yesterday and
today as we finished up our lecture. We will now add events/steps documenting
Hitlers rise in power over the same timeframe.
3. I will read each event/step and ask students to volunteer to walk to the front of the
room, take the laminated sheet and a piece of tape and correctly position it on our
timeline. This is a low-stakes way for students to participate in the lesson (no reading
or answering questions of mine).
4. After each event/step is in place, I will debrief this timeline activity with students.
V. Timeline Discussion/Debrief [10 min]
A. I will lead a whole-class discussion surrounding the timeline across the front wall. I will
ask the following questions:
1. Looking at this timeline weve made, we have two parallel phenomenon going on.
We have: 1) Anti-Jewish persecution taking place and 2) Hitlers rise and
consolidation of power both within Germany and across Europe over the course of
this time period.
2. What similarities do you notice between the two phenomena?
3. What differences do you notice between them?
4. The essential question were working with for this unit asks, How was the
Holocaust possible?. Looking at this timeline, what do you think? Based on what
you know about the Holocaust so far, how do you think it was possible to kill six
million Jews and a host of individuals from other targeted groups?
VI. Student Replication of Timeline (10 minutes)
A. Lastly, I will have students replicate the timeline we created on the from wall (with any/
all lines, markings, starting on the whiteboard). They will copy this timeline down on the
blank timeline provided for them in their packets (Appendix B).
Wrap-Up (2 minutes)

Elaborated Lesson Plan

Length of lesson: Day 3 & 4 (75 minutes each)
Title of lesson: Some Were Neighbors
Overview: With an understanding of the general progression of Nazi popularity and control,
along with the increasingly violent anti-Jewish persecutions taking place both inside and outside
Germany, students will now grapple with the fact that the Nazis were not the only perpetrators
during the Holocaust. They will be given the entire class period (Day 3) to conduct research on
their assigned topic (7 total) via the online exhibition called Some Were Neighbors. The next
class period (Day 4) will also be used for any research that needs to be wrapped up. However,
Day 4 should be used to create a group presentation outline (which will be turned in that day/
night) and begin putting their presentations together.
Enduring Understanding:
Specific goldilocks conditions are necessary for the significant historical events we
investigate to actually occur. No global process, national/regional history, or specific event
was inevitable.
Essential Question:
How was the Holocaust possible?
Objectives:
Students will be able to
Use various sources including works of journalists, journals, oral histories, films, interviews,
and writings of participants to analyze the conditions necessary for and consequences of the
genocide of Jews and other groups targeted by the Nazis (WHG 7.1.3 Twentieth Century
Genocide)
Identify the ways in which individuals of the time understood the historical events/
developments of the past and how these differ from our understanding of the same events/
developments presently (WHG 7.1.3 Twentieth Century Genocide)
Use questions generated about individuals and groups to assess how the significance of their
actions changes over time and is shaped by the historical context (C3.D2.His.3.9-12.)
Evaluate how historical events and developments were shaped by unique circumstances of
time and place as well as broader historical contexts (C3.D2.His.1.9-12.)
Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:
Disturbing Content: This online exhibition offers students a closer look into the experiences
of individuals who experienced the Holocaust first-hand. With this privilege, comes the
responsibility of seeing, hearing, and reading things that are extremely sad, evoke anger in us,
and are just disturbing in nature. I plan to warn students that the content is tough, but the
purpose is for them to learn from it. However, if at any time my students are struggling with

the content and need either a break (e.g., get some water or walk to the restroom) or someone
to talk about it with, I will offer myself up as a listener.
Time Constraints: Finishing the online exhibition may be difficult in one class period because
students will be collaborating on their responses to questions outlined in their packet (which
details their summative assessment). However, I will split students up into seven groups, so
that each group needs to complete research on only one topic. They should be able to respond
to each question within the time limit. However, if they do not finish, I will encourage them to
compete it at home for homework (if computer access is available if not, the library after
school?). I will give each of my classes about fifteen minutes the following day (Day 4) to
finish up if needed.
The same issue of time will plague us on Day 4 when students are asked to create their group
presentations. However, in groups of about five students, there should be at least one student
who is familiar enough with the powerpoint software to help their groups progress run
smoothly. Also, anything that is not finished will be homework for these groups. Ive limited
the amount of slides/components each group needs to touch on during their presentations. This
cuts down the time it takes to make the powerpoint slides and the time it takes to present them.
Assessment:
During Instruction: I will be circling the classroom to check for the completion status of each
group as they work their way through the online exhibition. I will check-in with each group
briefly, to see what they have uncovered about their topic.
After Instruction: I will ask that students turn in a brief outline of their groups presentation. This
can be just a bulleted list of topics theyre going to discuss or how they will use the one primary
source they have chosen to focus on during their presentation. I will look through these at home
that night and provide direct feedback for students to use in class the following day (Day 4), as
they create their group presentations.
Instructional Sequence:
Introduction (2 minutes)
Day 3
Handout Packets & Go Over Directions (9 minutes)
B. I will hand out the packets that detail the steps students need to take in order to complete
their online exhibition and summative assessment. I will go over the directions for the
online exhibition. I will follow up with an explanation of the group presentation outline
that is due at the end of the hour (exit ticket style). I will alert them to the fact that I will
read these outlines, provide feedback and return them to students tomorrow. If they are
unable to complete this outline by the end of the class period, I want them to come see
me during the last few minutes of class.
1. Scripted: If you look at your packets you will see Online Exhibition: Some Were
Neighbors at the top of the page. Follow along as I read through the directions.
*Read directions on page 1. After I give you your assigned group and topic for the

online exhibition, I will let you find your group members and sit at a cluster of
computers and get started. Pages 2-6 have the questions your group will answer as
you work your way through the exhibition. By the end of the class period today, I
would like for you to fill out, on another piece of paper, a group presentation outline.
This will be your groups exit ticket. I ask that you follow the criteria laid on on
pages 7 & 8 and just write down bullet points and with either a list or a few sentences
describing how you think your group will meet that criteria. This outline is tentative
and I understand it will probably change. I only need one copy, so make sure to put
each of your group members names at the top so I can give you credit. If for some
reason your group is unable to complete the outline on time, please come see me at
the en doc class.
Are there any questions about what we are doing today before we get started?
*Take any student questions* If not, move on
C. I will give students their groups and assigned topics. I will tell them that I expect this to
be a quiet work-time, where they may discuss responses with their group members as
they work through the exhibit, but these conversations should remain on task and in low
voices, so that they do not disturb any other groups or classes that may be working in the
library at this time. I will reference the short time period in which Ive given them to
complete this portion of their assessment and will encourage them to use their time
effectively.
Quiet Work-Time (Online Exhibition) (62 minutes)
D. I will continuously walk around the library to make sure conversations are on-task and
quite. I will ask student groups (briefly) what they have found about their topic thus far
and ensure they are moving along at the necessary pace.
Five Minute Warning (1 minute)
E. At this point in time, I will warn the student groups that they have only five minutes left
in the class period to compete their work. I will remind them that their outlines are due to
me as a exit ticket before they leave class. Also, I will mention that if there are any
groups who will not have an outline together by the end of class, to please come see me
now. With these groups, I will work out a time by which one group member can email
me their outline e.g., by 6:00pm (working around the sport, extracurricular, and work
schedules of my students).
Wrap-Up (1 minute)
Day 4
Introduction (2 minutes)
A. See Scripted Introduction*
Go Over Group Directions (5 minutes)
B. I will have students take out their packets and I will read through the directions for their
group work. After their 10-15 minutes of finishing up any responses they may have to do,
students will be expected to start working on their group presentations. *Read groups
presentation directions* I will make sure to reference the rubric and ask that students use

that to create their presentations. Then, I will remind them that they will be presenting
their slides for the class tomorrow. Finally, I will ask if there are any questions and then
hand out the group outline feedback to each student group and let them get started on
what they need to do.
Quiet Work-Time (Group Presentations) (67 minutes)
C. I will continuously walk around the library to make sure conversations are on-task and
quite. I will ask student groups (briefly) what they have found about their topic thus far
and ensure they are moving along at the necessary pace.
Wrap-Up (1 minute)
D. See Scripted Conclusion*

Elaborated Lesson Plan Template

Length of lesson: Day 5 (75 minutes)
Title of lesson: Presentation Day!
Context of Lesson: This lesson is the last of my investigation mini-unit on the Holocaust. The
majority of the class period will be spent on student presentations. The last fourth of the class
period will be a debrief and wrap-up of the entire unit. Following this unit, we will move into a
short investigation on World War II. This subsequent unit will act as a larger framework for the
Holocaust, as I will shift up in scale to show students the big-picture of this time period. Todays
lesson will give students a chance to present their ideas to their peers via the summative
assessment Ive designed for this Holocaust unit. These student presentations will take up the
majority of the hour. However, I plan to finish the unit off with a whole-class debrief that will
wrap it up nicely. We will revisit the unit essential question at this point as well.
Enduring Understanding:
Specific goldilocks conditions are necessary for the significant historical events we
investigate to actually occur. No global process, national/regional history, or specific event
was inevitable.
Essential Question:
How did was the Holocaust possible?
Objectives:
Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during
different historical eras (C3.D2.His.4.9-12.)
Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned
argument about the past (C3.D2.His.16.9-12.)
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared
writing products, taking advantage of technologys capacity to link to other information and to
display information flexibly and dynamically (CCSS WHST 9-10 6.)
Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:
Reciprocal Teaching: To save time, I have split the class into seven different groups, each
investigating a different topic that is covered in the online exhibition Some Were Neighbors. I
have purposely predetermined the groups so that there is a diverse group of students in each
(e.g., ability level, gender, race, etc.). I placed a few high achieving students within each
group, in the hopes that they would lead their group through the online exhibition (and
response to packet questions) and help ensure that the main points their group uncovered about
their topic make it into their presentation for the class. Reciprocal teaching is a great way to
hep students master the content theyre learning and to save time. However, if student groups
do not properly teach their topics material, misconceptions and misunderstandings can arise. I

did two things to help combat this, 1) predetermined the groups with high achievers in each
group and 2) the group outline that was turned into me before group presentations were put
together. I wanted to make sure each group was on the right track. If not, I would go through
their feedback one-on-one (teacher and student group) and help get them on the right track.
Responses to the Essential Question: Without any sort of debriefing activity, I don't think the
purpose of my EQ is explicit enough for students. This is why I have added a quick debrief
activity at the end of todays lesson. The goal is to give purpose to all the intellectual work we
completed leading up to this lesson (building background knowledge, taking a deep dive into
primary sources, paying special attention to the interactive timeline we created, and our
investigation into the different groups of perpetrators/collaborators via the online exhibition). I
will try to have students answer the EQ as a class, working through the content weve covered
and student ideas as to how they think this human-made catastrophe was possible (using
evidence from last several days).
Assessment:
I will be using the Group Presentation Rubric to grade each of the seven groups as they present
live. I will fill out the Individual Work Rubric for each student at home over the weekend. I
will use the work theyve turned in to fill these out. I will add the points from both rubrics
together to create each students 75 point total grade. They will be able to see the breakdown of
each component, however (individual and group). They will get each rubric filled out by me as
evidence.
Instructional Sequence:
Introduction (1 minute)
Student Presentations (49 minutes [max time per group])
E. Each group will go (in order Ive provided on the board). They will present for about 5
minutes each. Students are expected to listen carefully and be respectful of their peers
during presentations (e.g., no talking, no phones, staying seated during each, etc.). The
class will clap for each group once they finish presenting.
F. I will be grading the group presentation portion of the rubric during each presentation.
Debrief Activity (24 minutes)
G. After all the groups have presented, I will then thank students for all their hard work.
Then, I will bring up my own powerpoint slides. I will begin by giving a quick verbal
wrap up of what weve the debrief with the poem First they came. Source poem for
students.
H. Discussion Questions
1. What do you think of this poem? Why do you think I chose to read it?
2. Okay, so how does it fit into our larger investigation? Does it touch on any
similarities about what weve learned over the last several days?
3. Combining everything weve learned about the Holocaust as a historical event and
the different groups of individuals who experienced it how was the Holocaust
possible (EQ)? [spend a lot of time working through this]

I.

Go through remaining slides to wrap up the Holocaust as a historical event

We will use slides 67-72 today

Wrap-Up (1 minute)