8th grade 'Perspectives' (Unit 2 overview)
Highlights of Unit 2: The Holocaust
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: As a class, in small groups, and independently, students will work to answer the question
How do we remember the past?
TALK IT OVER WITH YOUR CHILD |
*What are some of the ways you could answer the question, How do we remember the past? *Why is it important to remember the past? *What do these texts say about the Holocaust? How do people deal with the knowledge that something so terrible happened? *Why do you think the Holocaust is so often featured in the media, books and film? |
UNIT 2 SELECTION TITLES, AUTHORS, GENRES
Whole-Class Learning
The Diary of Anne Frank, Act 1 |
Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich |
drama |
The Diary of Anne Frank, Act 2 |
Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich |
drama |
“Frank Family and World War II Timeline" |
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media: timeline |
from Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl |
Anne Frank |
diary |
“Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Peace Prize” |
Elie Wiesel |
speech |
from Maus |
Art Spiegelman |
media: graphic novel |
Additional reading list
Your child may choose one or more to read independently.
“Saving the Children” |
Bob Simon |
television transcript |
“A Great Adventure in the Shadow of War” |
Mary Helen Dirkx |
reflective essay |
“Irena Sendler: Rescuer of the Children of Warsaw” |
Chana Kroll |
news article |
“Quiet Resistance” |
Ann Byers |
primary source |
“Remembering a Devoted Keeper of Anne Frank’s Legacy” |
Moni Basu |
news article |
“I’ll Go Fetch Her Tomorrow” |
Bloeme Emden |
memoir |
PERFORMANCE TASKS AND PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT
Whole-Class Learning Performance Task 45%
Your child will need to answer the question:
How can literature help us remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust?
He or she will write an explanatory essay, drawing on knowledge gained from the selections/texts in this unit.
Small-Group Learning Performance Task 25%
*Presentation- Group research presentation on the historical themes or important figures in the Holocaust.
*Diary entry- Choosing one of the characters from Anne Frank’s collection of work.
Activities and assignments in Unit 2 will help your student meet the following Common Core State Standards for reading literature and informational texts, writing, and speaking and listening. Here are some key standards students will work toward mastering in this unit.
Reading • Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. • Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. • Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. • Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea. Writing • Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. • Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. |
Speaking and Listening • Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. • Present claims and findings emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
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