"Artzy" Art during World War II

At the conclusion of World War II, Allied forces moved through Europe.  Almost immediately, reports surfaced from numerous sources telling of camps that were set up by the Nazis where prisoners were killed in large numbers.  This gathering and execution came to be known as The Holocaust.

This photo was taken in the city of Warsaw in Poland where people were gathered together from small towns before being sent to the camps.  It shows people being rounded up to be sent to one of the concentration camps.

In recent years, some individuals and political groups have been stating that there is evidence to show that the Holocaust did not happen as history has recorded it.  British author and historian David Irving came out in support of a the Leuchter Report which stated that the there was scientific evidence to show that the Auschwitz Camp could not have been used to kill Jews.  Since its publication, numerous organizations have disproven this report.  Take a moment to read the Foreward written by Irving for the Leuchter Report .
 

You have been selected to gather and present information to show that the Holocaust DID indeed happen.  Read through the rest of this web page before beginning. 

        As a member of a team, you will need to use all available resources to produce a thorough PowerPoint presentation revealing evidence of the Holocaust.   The presentation must include at least ten slides.  In addition to providing an overview of the Holocaust, you'll want to make sure your presentation includes numerous primary sources.
        Primary sources of information are actual historic materials such as documents, photographs, sounds and movies, produced by individuals who were present.   The photograph you saw in the Introduction section is an example of a primary source.
        Everyone in your group must take a turn providing narration for the PowerPoint slides.  Your group must provide a summary handout for the other students in the class as well as a bibliography for all of your sources.
 
 
 
 

        A good place to begin finding materials is The Holocaust History Project (THHP) .  The site has a number of esaays written by THHP members as well as many primary source documents such as letters and memos written by German Officals.
        Another source for Information including photographs is Special Learning Center of The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum .  This site has a special learning center for students with maps and timelines.
        The Cybrary of the Holocaust is an educational forum bringing together Holocaust survivors, children of Holocaust survivors, art by children, educational efforts, and Books by Survivors to promote learning and remembering.
       About.com has collected information from a number of resources about The Holocaust and gathered it together in one very comprehensive site.
        The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a good source for overview material on The Holocaust.  It also has information on current issues of anti-Jewish activities.
        For a timeline and photographs, go to the The History Place .  There you'll find an overview of The Holocaust along with numerous photos.
        The site at Virginia Wesleyan College has translations of many primary German documents and speeches given by German Officials.

        In addition to the Internet Links listed above, here is a list of video and print sources for information that may be available in your classroom or Library Media Center:

Videos:

• Nazis:  Witness to Genocide, Video Tape from MPI Home Video, copyright 1989.
• Genocide. Video by Charles Bloomberg.  HBO Home Video, New York.

• We are Witnesses:  Five Diaries of Teenagers Who Died in the Holocaust, 1st Edition.  Henry Holt, copyright 1995.
• Inside the Vicious Heart:  Americans and the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps.  Robert H. Abzug, Oxford University Press, copyright 1985.
• The Other Victims: First-Person stories of non-Jews Persecuted by the Nazis.  Ina R. Friedman, Houghton MIfflin Company, copyright 1990.
• The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide.   Robert J. Lifton, Basic Books, copyright 1986.
• Raoul Wallenberg:  The Man Who Stopped Death.  Sharon Linnea, Jewish Publication Society, copyright 1993.
• Never to Forget.  Milton Meltzer, Harper & Row, copyright 1976.
• Rescue: The Story of How Gentiles Saved Jews in the Holocaust. Milton Meltzer, Harper & Row, copyright 1988.
• Days of Judgement:  The World War II Crimes Trials.  Isobel Morin, Millbrook Press, copyright 1995.
• Hiding to Survive:  Stories of Jewish Children Rescued from the Holocaust.  Maxine B. Rosenberg, Clarion Books, copyright 1994.
• The Holocaust:  Understanding and Remembering.  Helen Strahinich, Enslow, copyright 1996.
• Night.  Eliezer Wiesel, Bantom Books, New York, copyright 1982.
• The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.  Karen Zeinert, Millbrook Press, copyright 1993.

        Before you begin the steps below, make sure you have your blank note cards and a bibliography sheet ready.  The teacher has already divided the class into groups of four students.  Be sure to read ALL of the directions below before you begin:

1. Divide your team into two groups of two students each.
2. One group will be reviewing the Internet Links that are listed in the Resources section while the other group will be reviewing the non-Internet materials.
3. In your groups, review the information available to find information to use in your PowerPoint presentation.  Keep in mind that you are looking for primary source materials such as pictures, original diaries, documents, etc. that you can include.
4. Be sure to record the necessary information to your note cards and to your bibliography sheet as you find it.  Refer to your MLA Bibliography Sample Sheet.
5. Be sure to save any pictures, sound clips, etc. to your network drive so that they can be incorporated into your presentation.  The file names you use should be recorded on a note card with a brief description.
6. After you have completed your research and have sufficient information, gather as a group and organize your note cards by grouping cards that will appear on a slide and then putting the grouped cards into the order your slides will appear.
7. Be sure you have sufficient information to answer WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHY and HOW questions.
     
    
    
    
    

        Students will be evaluated based on a rubric specific to this activity.  Students should review the rubric at the bottom of this page before the group begins their work.  This rubric will reflect your research as well as the PowerPoint presentation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

        As a result of your research and in completing your presentation, you have reviewed a considerable amount of documentation relating to the Holocaust.  There are many who believe that in order for society to insure that this doesn't happen again, we must make sure that every generation knows about The Holocaust.  Your completion of this project is a step toward that goal.
 
 

    Number in parentheses (8) indicates the point value                                            Name:
 

Category					Your Score
PRESENTATION
Graphics	(8) At least six pictures	(6) At least four pictures	(4) At least three pictures	(2) At least two pictures	___ of 8
Documents	(8) At least three primary documents	(6) At least two primary documents	(4) At least one primary document	----	___ of 8
Presentation Length	(8) 10 or more slides	(6) 8-9 slides	(4) 5-7 slides	(2) 4 or less slides	___ of 8
Content Accuracy	(8) No errors in content	(6) 1 or 2 errors in content	(4) 3-4 errors	(2) more than 4 errors	___ of 8
Spelling/Grammar	(4) No errors in content	(3) 1 or 2 errors in content	(2) 3-4 errors	(1) more than 4 errors	___ of 4
Interpretation and Synthesis of Information	(12) Interprets info. in and accurate and highly insightful manner. Provides a creative and unique synthesis of info.	(9) Accurately interprets info. and concisely synthesizes it.	(6) Makes significant errors in interpreting the information or synthesizes the info. imprecisely or awkwardly.	(3) Grossly misinterprets the information gathered and/or fails to synthesize it.	___ of 12
RESEARCH
Note Cards	(8) More than 24 cards	(6) 18-24 cards	(4) 11-17 cards	(2) less than 10 cards	___ of 8
Bibliography	(4) Contains no errors in format	(3) 1 error in format	(2) 2-3 errors in format	(1) more than 3 errors in format	___ of 4
Sources of Information	(4) Use more than 6 sources	(3) Use at 6 sources	(2) Use 4 or 5 sources	(1) use less than 4 sources	___ of 4
				TOTAL	_______ of 64