Teaching about the Holocaust can inspire students to think critically about the past and their own roles and responsibilities today. Discover access to free lesson plans and resources below. We hope these tools are helpful in the classroom and beyond.
Resources for Teachers and Instructors from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: https://engage.ushmm.org/index.php/email/emailWebview?md_id=7975
“Well Worth Saving: American Universities’ Life-and-Death Decisions on Refugees from Nazi Europe”- Thursday, June 24, 2021 (11:50 AM – 1:00 PM CT)
Please register at https://bit.ly/3vH8jo2
Here is the video link to the outstanding program, “The Last Million: Europe’s Displaced Persons from World War to Cold War” with historian and author David Nasaw which aired May 13, 2021.
Link: https://youtu.be/uRVNKTFC0kM
Presented by the Edlavitch DCJSS (D.C. Jewish Community Center), JxJ is a multidisciplinary arts project that encompasses the Washington Jewish Film and Musical Festivals, alongside hybrid arts programming (https://jxjdc.org/about/).
“The Auschwitz Report” is Slovakia’s official entry to the 2021 Academy Awards, about two Slovak Jews who escape from Auschwitz only to find themselves up against allies that don’t believe the truth. Streaming May 23-30, $11 per household. You can receive a $2 discount by entering the code: FOSxJ
More information here: https://jxjdc.org/events/the-auschwitz-report/
Sign up for $9.50 on Eventide at: https://bit.ly/3eYl8o2
Friends of Slovakia is a Washington-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of volunteers founded in 2001. Its mission is to strengthen friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the United States and Slovakia, by promoting cooperation in the economic, business, political, security, cultural, educational and humanitarian fields and improving mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries.
Ida Kramer “Children and the Holocaust” Essay Contest:
1st Place: Lila Teitle, 11th grade, Pleasant Valley High School
“Never Forget: A Story of Hope and Forgiveness”
2nd Place: Mary Roldstad, 10th grade, Assumption High School
“Mengele’s Twins”
3rd Place: Anna Prosise, 7th grade, Central DeWitt Middle School
“The Undercover German Beauty”
Honorable Mentions:
Christina Reyna, 8th grade, St. Joseph’s Catholic School
“A Time in History Never to Forget”
Ryan McGarry, 8th grade, St. Joseph’s Catholic School
“Survivors: The Children of the Holocaust Story”
Meyer and Frances Shnurman Holocaust Visual Arts Contest:
1st Place: Grace Peterson, 7th grade, Creative Arts Academy of the Quad Cities
“Peggy Taylor’s Assassination”
2nd Place: Ella Strader, 8th grade, Creative Arts Academy of the Quad Cities
“Maty Anitek (Little Angel)”
3rd Place: Aviel Ramsey, 12th grade, Rockridge High School
“The Blood on his Hands”
Honorable Mentions:
Gael Chenus, 8th grade, Creative Arts Academy of the Quad Cities
“It Only Takes One”
Johnise Thorson, 7th grade, Creative Arts Academy of the Quad Cities
“Despair”
The Quad Cities Yom HaShoah Committee sponsors the annual The Ida S. Kramer “Children and the Holocaust” Essay Contest for Quad City area (Illinois and Iowa) for students in grades 7-12. The Essay Contest, in honor and loving memory of Ida S. Kramer (1926-2015), bears her name. Ida has been the voice of Holocaust education for Quad City schools, civic groups, and the community at large for over 30 years.
2021 Yom Hashoah Essay Contest entry form
The annual Meyer and Frances Shnurman Visual Arts Contest theme is “Imagery and Expression: A Visual Response to the Holocaust.” The contest is open to students in grades 7-12 in the Greater Quad City area. The Visual Arts Contest bears the name of Meyer and Frances Shnurman who were both survivors of Nazi extermination camps.
2021 Holocaust Art Contest rules
Deadline for submission was March 1, 2021.
Flyer: Essay and Art Flyer 2021
April 21st is Holocaust Remembrance Day. For parents and educators who are home-schooling students in grades 7-12, here is a one class period lesson (with extended activities) from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum entitled: “History of Antisemitism and the Holocaust.”
R.O.I., produced by KALA and an affiliate of Public Radio International, has interviewed several local scholars on topics relating to the Holocaust. The show examines important events in history as well as current events through books, journal article, papers, and presentations. The guest and show co-hosts then discuss the topic with experts and history buffs who ask the question “How is it relevant or irrelevant in today’s world?”
Dr. Art Pitz was interviewed on the radio show R.O.I. in 2019, on the topic “History of Antisemitism and American Eugenics Movement.” His interview can be found at this link or click on the “play arrow” below.
KALA is operated by St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa. Shows air locally on Friday night on KALA 88.5 FM and 106.1 FM at 9:30 PM. After airing, the full program and web segment will be available as a podcast at: https://soundcloud.com/kalaradio
Other Holocaust-related shows on R.O.I.:
Mark Finkelstein – Holocaust Memorial in Des Moines
Rabbi Henry J Karp – One Human Family Program
Author Noah Lederman – A World Erased
Curriculum cases for teaching about the Holocaust in grades 6-8 are available for free checkout by Quad City area teachers. These cases were developed by the Curriculum Committee for the Jeff Leibovitz Special Collection of Holocaust Education Materials.
Flyer Curriculum Cases
Three curriculum case topics:
Case 1: “You Can Make A Difference: Teaching About the Holocaust”
Case 2: “They Made a Difference: Rescuers and Resisters”
Case 3: “Voices from the Holocaust: Diaries & Memoirs”
Cases 1, 2, and 3 are located at WIU-Quad Cities Library (3300 River Drive, Moline, IL). Call to schedule curriculum case checkout at 309/762-1598. No delivery service. Self pickup required. Website Case 1 is also available at Mississippi Bend AEA9 (729-21st St., Bettendorf, IA). Call to schedule curriculum case checkout at 563/359-1371. Iowa schools within the AEA9 district can request AEA9 van delivery to school building.
