Holocaust+CBL

= Exploring the Holocaust =

Dehumanization and the Theme of Loss
 * Big Idea**

How was the Holocaust an example of dehumanization? How does the Theme of Loss relate to dehumanization?
 * Essential Questions**

While reading Elie Wiesel’s haunting memoir, //Night//, consider the process of dehumanization as it relates to Elie’s experience and the experience of the countless victims of the Holocaust. Reflect on the causes of the Holocaust and the process it took to carry it out. Students need to consider how to prevent dehumanization from occurring in our culture today.
 * Overview**

Understand the process of dehumanization and prevent it from happening in our culture.
 * The Challenge**

· What is dehumanization? · How does dehumanization occur? · What is propaganda? · How can humans prevent dehumanization from occurring?
 * Guiding Questions**

· Student groups brainstorm what they think dehumanization means and examples of it from their lives or literature they have read. · Students research primary source documents to find examples of propaganda. They identify the creators’ messages, purpose, credibility, and reliability. · Students learn the art of persuasion. They practice writing persuasive essays about topics of their choosing. They exchange their products with their peers and give constructive criticism about their arguments. · Students research any dehumanization, loss, or genocide going on in our world today. Students offer solutions to these atrocities.
 * Guiding Activities**

· United States Holocaust Memorial Museum [] · Northwest Center for Holocaust, Genocide and Ethnocide Education [] · Dictionary .com (useful for defining “dehumanization” similar words) [] · University of Minnesota Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies [] · Wikipedia entry on dehumanization [] · The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity []
 * Guiding Resources**

Students are allowed to come up with any number of solutions/actions in order to combat dehumanization in our world today. Whatever they come up with must be put into a form that is presentable to the rest of their classmates. This could be a podcast, blog, reflective paper, or even a presentation using Glogster or Animoto.
 * Solution/Action**

Students are assessed using a rubric similar to the one below:
 * Assessment**

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