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MGRP Unit
TE 408-Spring 09
1. Unit Overview: The Holocaust and its affects. (Night & Maus I)
a. Context: 10th grade, Carman-Ainsworth High School, Flint Michigan. 50% Caucasian, 39%
African American, 2% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 7% American Indian/Alaskan native. 30% of
students are economically disadvantaged. Majority of students are coming from a dual-parent
home where both parents have their high-school diploma. Class size is relatively small, with at
21:1 student to teacher ratio.
b. Unit: After first unit of school year, before unit on American lit. October.
c. Themes/Concepts:
i. Human Tragedies
ii. Personal Narrative
iii. Genocide
iv. War and its consequences
v. History
vi. Life lessons and Changes
vii. Surviving and Starting life again
viii. Essential Questions(me)
1. What are important themes for the students to tackle
2. How deep can I get into the Holocaust without harming students
3. Is it my job to teach the history
4. How much history do they already know
5. Would connecting current genocides be beneficial
6. How do I know that students will be respectful to the issues presented in class
discussion and in the texts
ix. Essential Questions (students)
1. How does genocide affect me?
2. Has learning about the Holocaust made me think differently about…?
a. Family
b. Youth
c. Life
d. War
e. Government
3. What are the changes in life due to war? Do these changes make us see life in a
different way? What way?
4. Is genocide now different than genocide then?
5. Have we learned from the Holocaust, if not, why?
6. Is there anything we can do to make a difference and not allow this to ever happen
again, or is there no way to stop these atrocities from happening?
7. What is multi-genre, how does it help opposed to a test or a paper?
8. How is being a survivor harder than being a victim?
9. How does genocide change a person?
d. Rationale:
• An old saying goes; “If we do not learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat
it.” I believe that this is very true. The Holocaust was one of the most horrific
Engel Unit Plan
MGRP Unit
TE 408-Spring 09
events to take place in modern history. Not only did it take place within the largest
war the world has ever see, but also claimed over 2 million lives all on the basis
of race. Students should know what happened to this group of people over 60
years ago in Europe. There were so many things that went into the Holocaust.
However, these things are still happening, in places such as in Darfur, and Iraq.
Obviously people are not learning the lesson. By bringing these issues to the front
burner, will not only challenge my students and their beliefs, but also increase
what they may or may not have known about racism and the horrors that can
come from it. Students will also be able to see how the war affected not only
Europe but the home front as well. This will be an extension to the history lessons
they have learned and will be learning in American History, giving a more holistic
approach to the themes presented in class. It is also important to give students the
chance to build off of what they have already done, writing papers such as literary
analysis, personal narrative, and research, and moving onto multiple genres. This
allows students to explore creative outlets, and new forms of technology. It also
allows students who learn differently to be able to learn in the most beneficial
way. For example, visual learners can harness that and use it to their advantage.
e. Goals
i. Gain a higher understanding of genocide, and the effects this had upon people during the
war
ii. Look into different genres to see through different lenses the war and holocaust
iii. Make opinions and conclusions on genocide, especially those happening today
iv. Create a MGRP on their website to show the understanding they have received from the
texts and discussions within the unit
v. Critically look at the texts to see the holocaust through different eyes and cultures,
specifically American, European, and Japanese perspectives
f. Standards:
i. 1.1 Understand and practice writing as a recursive process
ii. 1.2 Use writing, speaking, and visual expression for personal understanding and growth.
iii. 1.3 Use multimedia appropriately for the form and audience
iv. 1.4 Develop the tools for inquiry and research
v. 1.5 Develop mulitgenre, written, spoken, and multi-media works
vi. 2.3 Develop as a reader, listener, and viewer for social personal, and political purposes
through independent and collaborative readings
vii. 3.1 develop the skills of close and contextual literary reading
viii. 3.2 Read/ Respond to classic and contemporary literature
ix. 3.4 Examine mass media, film, series fiction, and other texts from pop culture
x. 4.2 Understand how language variety reflects and shapes experiences
g. Summative Assessment
i. See handout for students.
h. References
i. Dr. Reade Dornan. Professor of English, Michigan State University
ii. Simoneau, Yves. Nuremberg movie. Alliance Atlantis Communications. 2000.
iii. Smagorinski, Peter. Teaching English by Design. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008
iv. Spiegelman, Art. Maus 1. New York: Pantheon Books, 1986.
v. “Why we Fight” Band of Brothers 2005 HBO studios.
vi. Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York: MacGibbon & Kee, 1960.
vii. www.freewebs.com or www.wetpaint.com
Engel Unit Plan
MGRP Unit
TE 408-Spring 09
viii. http://www.poetryparlor.net/holocaust.html
ix. http://www.pbase.com/mikecaine/image/45936493
x. http://dying.about.com/od/funeralsandmemorials/ht/write_a_eulogy.htm
xi. Flint Journal, October 7th obituaries
xii.
i. Calendar
i. All instructional days sketched out- look at other document: Engel calendar
1. Week 1 (September 29-October 3)
a. Monday- hand out project, introduce Maus
b. Tuesday- Maus ch. 1, continue blogging
c. Wednesday- ch 2, discuss family- model different forms of poetry
d. Thursday- Ch 3, need one artifact for Friday posted to website, will have
time in class to work on artifact
e. Friday- ch 4- discuss propaganda, show examples, listen to speech from
WW2, have artifact posted
2. Week 2 (October 6-10)
a. Monday- Ch 5-concentration camps and ration cards- discussion on life
during the war
b. Tuesday- Ch 6- finish book, create comic showing importance of family
and loyalty (can be used in portfolio)
c. Wednesday, day to work on artifacts…need 2 more posted by Friday
d. Thursday- viewing of Band of Brothers, “Why we Fight”- in-class
reflection on American point of view
e. Friday- have 3 total artifacts posted. Hand out Night, read through pg. 70
for the weekend…continue research
3. Week 3 (October 13-17)
a. Monday- Discuss Night. How is the genocide different from a child’s
point of view
b. Tuesday- Go over more genres they can use, show examples, have
students write on these photos, and letters I show them
c. Wednesday- Night part 2, discuss the use of genocide, why people do it.
Look at other genocides (Irag, Armenian, Darfur, Lynchings in America)
d. Thursday-Work on more genres, show some examples using techonology,
need 2 artifacts posted to website
e. Friday- Finish Night, quiz on genocides and the text. Watch Nuremberg
trials, one page write up- creative writing either article, journals, and
conversations, maybe even a defense case.
4. Week 4 (October 20-24)
a. Monday- In class time to work on the rest of genres. Time to test out
technology.
b. Tuesday- Conference time with each student (10 mins) to do last minute
changes.
c. Wednesday- first third of presentations- 5 to 8 minutes each
d. Thursday- second third of presentations
e. Friday- third third of presentations. End of Unit
Engel Unit Plan
MGRP Unit
TE 408-Spring 09
Pieces:
• A short life history about the loved one
• Details of their life (family, occupation, achievements,
hobbies)
• Memories of the deceased
• Poems, songs, or something that had meaning to the
deceased.
These come from the heart, and are read while at a memorial
service.
Summative Assessment :
Genre Ideas: you are not limited to this list; if you have any
ideas just check with me first.
iMovie Cartoon
podcast Map
ration cards Wanted poster
journals plays
letters epitaphs
recipes news reels
articles poems
videos songs
One moment face book profiles
Digital Stories photos
Advertisements speeches
Propaganda flier bulletins