Introduction
Welcome to our web quest that connects to our next novel, Anne Frank Remembered: The story of the woman who helped to hide the Frank Family. Before we get to the book and the unsung heroes who kept hope alive during one of the darkest times in modern history, we will explore the time and context together. This study is just a small part of the events that happened before, during, and after World War II; our webquest is a focus upon the Frank family, the city of Amsterdam where they lived, and the circumstances that led to widespread discrimination against millions of people. Many times these laws and restruction were passed without the voice of the people whom they governed.
This unit provides background information to the non-fiction work, Anne Frank Remembered: The story of the woman who helped to hide the Frank Family. Prepare to explore the context of the time, key places, and people who were instrumental during this time.
Brain Kickstart: Make a thoughtful face and think about these two questions with a partner.
1. What physical and mental traits help humans survive in a prejudiced and discriminitory environment? Your teacher will define prejudice and discrimination with you.
2. How can human virtues (the good things in us, like love, compassion, and kindness) be expressed in a time of darkness?
Now, let's talk about these 3 essential questions:
1. Who was Anne Frank?
2. What events triggered descrimination against certain groups of people during World War II? What is descrimination?
3. What mental and physical traits helped the Frank family survive during this time of prejudice and discrimination?
Instructions:
Read the "Task" section. Then proceed to the "Process" section. Read what to do on each day and complete the assigned tasks when prompted. Write your answers and observations on the answer sheets provided.
After completing this webquest, you should:
- Be able to recall some of the key historical elements that led to the Frank family to hide from the Nazi leadership.
- Be familiar with the rise and fall of the Nazi party.
- The impact that persecution had upon individuals during this time.
- Recognize how ordinary citizens like you and me became heroes.
BE CURIOUS! You'll get much more out of our study by being curious. Wonder about how the events we explore could happen? Ask why there were certain groups of people who were deprived of certains rights and liberty?
Task
Time for a handout! (it may be a hard copy or digital so look expectantly at your teacher!)
Got it?
You have spent several days watching and discussing the Diary of Anne Frank and learning about World War II and the Holocaust. This week you will spend some time exploring this time period online. Each section of this webquest will explore a different aspect of this period in history. Read the questions carefully and use the links provided to find the answers. Write your answers and observations on the answer sheets provided. There will be a new handout for each day. Sometimes, you may be asked to write or type something on a separate document.
Process
Day 1: How Could This Have Happened?
Please answer the following questions on Today's Activity Sheet.
Task #1 - The Rise of Nazism: World War I (one, not the pronoun "I") was pivotal in setting Germany up to follow the Nazis and Adolf Hitler. You will now go back to Germany and see for yourself the impact Hitler had on the German people. Use the links below to answer the following questions:
1. How did the end of WWI leave Germany open to follow a man like Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party?
2. What year did Hitler become the official leader of the Nazi Party? What events preceded his rise to power (what happened just before he became the leader).
3. What was Mein Kampf?
4. What reason did Hitler give for attempting to annihilate the Jewish people?
Resources:
Holocaust Timeline...Rise of Nazism
Task #2: The Nuremberg Laws: On September 15, 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were passed. These laws severely limited what Jews could do in Germany. Using the internet links provided, list four restrictions these laws placed on German Jews. You will write these on the Day 1 handout (either hard copy or electronic).
Resources...
The Nuremberg Race Laws
The Nuremberg Laws
Task #3: The Final Solution
This 'Final Solution' would result in the death of over 5 million European Jews. Go behind the front lines to discover how this could be accomplished in a 'civilized world.'
The Nazis murdered between five million and six million Jews during the Holocaust, two-thirds of European Jews and about one-third of the entire Jewish people. But a staggering 55 million may have perished during the Second World War including some 20 million Soviet (Russian) citizens…five million Germans, and three million non-Jewish Poles…In all, some 18 million European civilians may have died as a result of famine, disease, persecution, and more conventional acts of war.
1. What was the Madagascar Plan? Include some of the main ideas.
2. Describe how the Jews were transported to the death camps.
3. Who was in charge of transporting the Jews to the death camps?
Resources...
The Final Solution
Day 2: Getting to Know Our Protagonists
Task #1: Anne Frank in Color. Please watch this video of photographs that have been colorized. When finished watching the video, please turn to a blank page in your journal. Write a new entry with today's date at the top and a title called "Photographs and Memories".
Now, think about what you discovered yesterday about the rise of the Nazi party, the Nuremberg Laws, and the general treatment of those considered as not pure Aryans or "true Germans" as incorrectly defined by Hitler and his followers. Then, respond to the following prompt: What does viewing all these photo make you think about Anne's experience growing up? How is it similar and different to your own experience so far? Please explore this idea by writing your honest thoughts about the photographs and how it may or may not compare to your own experience as a young person. Consider that many of these photographs were taken during a time of great persecution.
Task #2:
Use this link! to fill in the blanks for the following sentence.
Anne ___ is a ____ girl who had to go into ____ during the ____ to escape the ____ .
Task #3: At the bottom of the page there is a timeline section. The timeline has 13 sections to explore.
a. Click each colored section of the timeline
b. Each section has text and photographs that connect to that point of time
c. As each on your team person explores each section on the timeline, as a group, come up with a single summary statement for each of the sixteen timeline elements.
For example, after reviewing one section, you are your partners might discuss and determine that a good summary statement is, "The people hiding in the Annex are betrayed by an unknown informant; they are all arrested and sent to extermination camps."
Write your summary statements on the handout provided for Day 2.
1. 1914
2. 1919
3. 1925
4. 1929
5. 1933
6. 1940
7. 1942
8. 1944
9. 1945
10. 1947
11. 1960
12. 1980
Day 3: The Secret Annex
Task #1: The Secret Annex
Explore each of the sections of the annex that are listed below. Once inside the room, click on the "play" icon and write down something interesting from that section. Use the link here: https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/
1. Bookcase:
2. Otto/Edith/Margot's room:
3. Anne & Fritz's room:
4. Bathroom:
5.Attic:
Task #2: Write down three interesting facts about Anne Frank's diary from this link: https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/diary/publication-diary/
1.
2.
3.
Task 3: Many people had to go into hiding in the Secret Annex. Write down two important facts about each of the people listed below by using this link: https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/main-characters/
1. Edith Frank:
2. Otto Frank:
3. Margot Frank:
4. Anne Frank:
5. Hermann van Pels:
6. Auguste van Pels:
7. Peter van Pels:
8. Fritz Pfeffer:
Day 4: The Rescuers
Task #1
|
At least two million Jews survived the Nazi terrorism in Europe because of aid given by courageous men and women who despised what Hitler was doing. They put their own lives at great risk to save lives. Your task here is to find these people and tell the world about them. Look up the three people listed and briefly explain (in no less than three sentences) how these ordinary citizens helped save lives. https://www.yadvashem.org/righteous/stories/grueninger.html https://www.yadvashem.org/righteous/about-the-righteous.html |
Task #2
Many Jews fought back in many different ways so they could escape the hands of the Nazis. Your assignment is to find out how they defied the Nazis
1. What were a few of the reasons why some people helped the Jews escape?
2. What did Andre Trocmé, Edouard Theis, and Roger Darcissac do that got them in trouble? What was their punishment?
3. How many Jews did Oscar Schindler save and how did he do it?
Resources...
https://jfr.org/rescuer-stories/theis-pastor-edouard/
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/oskar-schindler
Evaluation
Your teacher will identify critical skills you are expected to demonstrate. They are connected to specific Common Core State Standards and are related to comparing and contrasting, summarizing, and connecting a literary source to its historical fingerprints.
Your responses on each handout should address the specific tasks. It's always a good idea to review each task multiple times as you work through the webquest.
Conclusion
Now that you are finished, let's review what you should know:
- Who was Anne Frank?
- What events triggered descrimination against certain groups of people during World War II? What is descrimination?
- What mental and physical traits helped the Frank family survive during this time of prejudice and discrimination?
Can you/Are you...
- recall some of the key historical elements that led to the Frank family to hide from the Nazi leadership?
- familiar with the rise and fall of the Nazi party?
- explain the impact that persecution had upon individuals during this time.?
- explain how ordinary citizens like you and me became heroes during this dark time?
Credits
Many thanks to the following sources in helping us compile this web quest for the 7th graders at Hillview Middle School.