Introduction
Did you know that World War 2 was a very dark time in history for Jewish people? During the Holocaust it is estimated that six million Jewish men, women and children were murdered. The next piece of literature we will read is a memoir entitled Night by Elie Wiesel. This memoir is about Elie's time in concentration camps during the Holocaust.
Task
Consider yourself a historian who wants to learn more about the Holocaust in order to share your knowledge and use it to help you understand the memoir Night. You will use the linked websites to answer questions posed on the linked Google Doc, where you will record the information you find as if it were a personal notebook. While you search for answers to the questions, you will learn about the Holocaust and the mastermind behind this terrible time in history.
Process
Day 1- Use the links on the Holocaust Resources Page to answer the questions posed on the attached Google Doc which is also posted in the assignment on classroom with the rubric for how you will be graded.
Day 2- You will team up with your partner and discuss the questions and answers you found. You will share your opinions and discuss the information.
Day 3- Meet with another group, so there will be four or five of you together, and discuss your findings. How do you feel? Was there anything that could have been done to prevent this mass genocide?
Evaluation
Criteria |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
Questions Completed thoroughly |
All questions answered with some explanation and reference to the site where information was found. | Answered most of the questions and sited some of the websites where the information was located. | Answered a few of the questions and provided one website where the information was located. | Answered one or two questions and briefly referenced the site where the information came from. | Started a response but never fully completed a question or citation. |
Met with partner |
Discussed all of the questions and information. Assisted one another if necessary in locating information and had a meaningful discussion. | Discussed most of the questions and stayed mostly on task. | Discussed a few of the questions but drifted off task multiple times. | Discussed one or two of the questions and had great difficulty staying on task. | Didn't really discuss any of the information and were frequently redirected. |
Met with another group (4-5 people) |
Stayed on task, discussed the questions and even debated some findings. | Discussed most of the information. | Discussed a few pieces of information but had to be redirected. | Discussed a bit of the information and needed frequent redirection. | Off task, information was not relevant and the group needed constant supervision. |
Conclusion
Now you have gained excessive knowledge about the Holocaust and are prepared to embark on our reading of Night. Feel free to continue your research as we read Night and engage in meaningful dialogue. In our classroom library we have an array of books on World War 2, Hitler, The Holocaust and many individual stories of survival. You can also continue to explore the internet, visit museums and both the town library and middle school library.
Credits
Permission is granted for others to use this webquest for educational purposes only.
Teacher Page
This webquest was designed for an eighth grade English Language Arts Classroom where a one to one initiative has allowed students the opportunity to research information and expand their learning in order to understand the literature, both fiction and nonfiction, they will read this year.