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UGA ELAN 7408 - Sellers

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Goal 1: Dialogue JournalsGoal 2: Literature CirclesGoal 3: Multigenre ProjectPreserving Memory: Holocaust Literature and the Quest for Remembrance An Instructional Unit Designed for 10th Graders Created by Mary Michael Sellers ELAN 7408 Dr. Smagorinsky December 2006RATIONALEPreserving memory: Holocaust literature and the quest for remembrance In 1933, Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany, and thus began “the most tragic period of Jewish history”—the Holocaust (Norton, 2005, p. 260). The lasting impact of the atrocities committed by Hitler and the Nazi army continue to haunt people worldwide. As Aharon Appelfeld notes, “The Holocaust is a central event in many people’s lives, but it also has become a metaphor for our century” (BrainyQuote.com). Despite the fact that the Holocaust and World War II ended over fifty years ago, the effects of the most horrific genocide in history have not been forgotten. I have chosen to study Holocaust literature in this conceptual unit designed for 10th graders for several reasons. First, as Israeli official Abraham Hirchson suggests “The Holocaust is not only a Jewish issue; it is a universal issue. Let us learn from the past so that a more humane, tolerant society may evolve for the benefit of all” (March of Remembrance and Hope, 2005). It is my hope that this unit will allow students to confront the demons of the past in a way that will make them more sensitive, conscientious citizens of the world. In the United States, school children begin learning about the Holocaust as early as fourth grade, but because of curriculum constraints, many history classes do not have time to adequately address the Holocaust (DeNardo, 2006). Studying Holocaust literature elevates the events of the past from the pages ofhistory text and makes the facts come alive. Statistics suddenly have faces, names—and students quickly stumble into the harsh reality that children just like them were murdered and families just like theirs were torn apart. When we allow students to only view events in abstract terms (statistics and numbers they cannot fully grasp), we do them a disservice. There is something unmistakably raw but necessary about digging deeper and feeling and understanding an event. Holocaust literature is one pathway for deeper understanding. Some might argue that confronting the Holocaust in such an in-depth way is too troubling for today’s youth. Many might employ the adage, “Let bygones be bygones.” The sad reality is that our world is not immune from genocide today. In Chechnya and particularly in Sudan, thousands of human beings live with the daily threat of genocide. Our past informs our future, and our students—the future of our world and humanity—should be equipped with the knowledge that terrible things can happen in this confusing world, but more importantly that they have agency and the potential to effect change through action. Many teachers across the nation have been teaching Holocaust literature for some time. One teacher in Nebraska feels that teaching such literature is imperative because our world is not entirely different from that of the 1930s. He notes, “’Pick up a newspaper every day. Look at how people don’t understand each other and our differences. We don’t learn from our mistakes” (Reist, 2006). Simply put, the Holocaust cannot and must not be relegated to a set of facts. The memory and horror of the Holocaust must be kept alive in hopes of preventing a repeat of history.On a smaller scale than genocide, students deal with discrimination each day. Whether they are discriminated against because of their sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age or another identity category, our students have felt the sting of discrimination too many times. Although many students might find genocide remote at first, they will quickly be able to connect with the feelings of characters in Holocaust literature that are mistreated or judged because of who they are or what they believe. This unit focuses on Holocaust historical fiction, but also includes excerpts from nonfiction writing, song, poetry, film, graphic novels and art. I have chosen to use historical nonfiction for several important reasons. Advocates of historical fiction argue that it “is a way to take in the past in order to understand and have a (positive) impact on the present and perhaps even the future” (Apol, et al, 2002). In addition, historical fiction “encourage[s] readers to see, feel, and experience the frightening person-against-society conflicts in which they place their heroes and heroines” (Norton, 2006, 111). Students are more familiar with the fiction genre, and confronting difficult material in a familiar way will hopefully guide students through the unit. Finally, historical nonfiction for young adults is a particularly strong body of literature, and authors who write within the genre have a keen understanding of what their young readers need and expect from a text. Instead of assigning a single book for the entire class to read, I have selected four novels to be used in literature circles. The award-winning young adult novels that I have selected are The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss, The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, Number the Stars by Jane Yolen and The FinalJourney by Gudren Pausewang. I have chosen to employ literature circles for several reasons. First, literature circles replace teacher-led discussion, which is often marked by lack of student participation and interest, with student-centered discussion and learning. Lev Vygotsky believed that knowledge was constructed socially through collaborative efforts. As critical theorist and educator Paulo Freire suggests, “’teaching cannot be done from top done but only from inside out…with the collaboration of the educator” (Kutz and Roskelly, 1991, 111). In essence, when students work in groups and have a shared investment in a certain piece of literature, the potential for authentic, meaningful learning increases. Another reason for using literature circles is the undeniable importance of giving students choices in the classroom. Schools should be a place that foster individuality and seek to develop able and confident persons. When students have a choice in what the study, they are immediately more invested in the material. In addition, students are able to decide what aspects of the literature are


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UGA ELAN 7408 - Sellers

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