Ready-Set-Tech: Fighting Back- What were some ways that Jews resisted the Nazis during the Holocaust?
Marion Peluso, P.S. 101,
Brooklyn, New York
Grade Level
6 - 8
Subject
Social Studies
Background
There are various responses to
dealing with a threat from an authority. The Jews did resist the
Holocaust, despite a common misconception that there was no
resistance. Resistance can take many forms, both passive and
active. The inaction and complicity of the world community reduced
the extent to which the Jews could resist the Holocaust. There
were many non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews from
destruction. Though Jews faced repeated obstructions to their
efforts to emigrate from Nazi-occupied countries, steps were taken
by some nations to rescue Jews, Denmark being the archetypical
example.
Objectives
Identify different methods of resistance used by Jews during
the Holocaust.
Classify the different methods as either passive or active forms of resistance.
Write the statement by Edmund Burkeon the board. Have students
discuss in pairs what they think it means. "The only thing
necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Give the class the following situation: You are faced with the
school bully, who wants to take away your lunch. He outweighs you
by 50 pounds. What do you do? As students brainstorm solutions to
the following situation, classify each response on the board as
either passive or active.
Tell each group that the government has issued a law that all
people who are left-handed shall be put in jail. Anyone harboring
a person who is left-handed or who resists this law shall also be
put in jail. Give each group about 5 minutes to discuss ways that
they would react to this law. (As each group goes over their
solutions, consequences and obstacles should also be noted.)
Have each student work with their neighbor to create a role-play
with the same situation- there is a discussion between a husband
and wife on whether they should hide a child of a neighbor (who is
left-handed) in their attic.
Have students read about the different ways Jews
resisted the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Evaluation
Students can take an online quiz. Have students write an article for an underground
newspaper that would have been appropriate inside the Warsaw
Ghetto.
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