Nate Kilbride, Karen Noll, Amanda Tustin

EDR 420
Dr. Montgomery
April 18, 2016

Wordstorming
Grade: 8 or 9
Lesson theme: Nazi concentration camps

Objectives
a. Reading
1. Students will be able to activate prior knowledge by Wordstorming.
2. Students will be able to identify the tone and purpose of the text.

b. Content
1. Students will be able to review content of the Holocaust by Wordstorming.
2. Students will be able to describe historical information and personal feelings
about Nazi concentration camps.

c. Standards
1. Standard - CC.1.2.8.E Analyze the structure of the text through evaluation of
the authors use of specific sentences and paragraphs to develop and refine a
concept.
2. Standard - CC.1.2.8.F Analyze the influence of the words and phrases in a text
including figurative and connotative, and technical meanings; and how they
shape meaning and tone.
3. Standard - CC.1.2.8.J Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general
academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary
knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension
or expression.

Procedures

Before Reading:
Students will be Wordstorming ideas they already know from their study of the Holocaust as
part of their larger World War II history unit. This strategy can be adapted to any content area
reading. The goal is to activate prior knowledge about a topic and generate ideas about what
might be in the selection students are about to read. There are many ways the storming may be
designed as far as instruction and student breakdown. Dividing the students into small groups is
suggested by Janet Allen, but students in pairs or choosing to work individually can support
student needs as well. In this particular unit of study, it is often hard for students to understand
how the Holocaust happened. As a society today, we know perhaps too much of everyone elses
business. That was not the case in World War II; information was not instantly distributed. This
excerpt from Elie Wiesels famous book Night gives a first-hand account of what really
happened during this time in concentration camps.
 We have been studying World War II and the Holocaust, so you know a good deal about this
time in history. Today we are going to be reading an excerpt from a book about life in a
concentration camp. This reading is different from our textbook because the author is writing
about his time in a concentration camp when he was a teenager. We will be using a strategy
called Wordstorming to help us remember things we have already learned. As we work
together to collect words, this will also help us anticipate what might be included in todays
reading. Please grab something to write with, stand up and move around the classroom to find
one or two people to work with (no more than 4 to a group). (Wait for groups to get settled.) I
will give each group a piece of paper with three letters on it. For each letter, think of a few
words that come to mind about what we know about the Holocaust and concentration camps and
what might be included in author Elie Wiesels book Night. For example, if I had the letter A, I
would write down Auschwitz -- remember, this was one of the largest Nazi camps. I might
also write down a more general word like anxious for the letter A -- to describe feelings of
prisoners. Okay, lets Wordstorm (like brainstorm) for the next four-five minutes. Choose
one person in your group to record your words.

As students work, monitor their progress. Prompt struggling groups where needed. Challenge
groups done early with an additional letter (possibly Q, U, X, Y or Z tricky).
(Can pose below questions to group or post on board for all to reference)
Prompts: Can you think of any feelings someone going to a camp might have?
What are things prisoners in the camps might not have? Or need?
Adjectives describing conditions? Prisoners? Camp soldiers?
(Might also use images to prompt student storming)

Take a minute to jot down any final ideas...Lets direct our attention to the empty white
board. Lets start our Wordstorm. There is no need to raise hands, where are my As? What
words can you share with us? (Continue through the alphabet, skipping tricky letters not
included in student papers, QUXYZ. Could assign for extra credit to bring to the next class.)

During Reading:
Reading could be done a number of ways -- aloud (by teacher), in pairs, or silently. At this level,
to practice comprehension, we will have students read silently.

1. Please return to your seats. As you do, I will collect your Wordstorming papers. I am
going to give you a copy of todays reading from the book Night. Here Wiesel describes
his arrival at Auschwitz. As you read, circle any words that stand out to you. Please
read to A marked on the second page. (Once the students have finished) What words
stood out to you as you read? (Add to existing storm as you discuss words and what is
happening in the story with students.) Can someone summarize what is happening in the
story?
2. Please continue reading to letter B, circling any other words you notice. (Once finished)
Are there any words you would like us to add to our storm? What do you think the
authors purpose for writing is? How can you describe the tone of his writing? (Students
will need help identify words to describe the tone...honest, serious, fearful, etc. Resource
list available, can project onto board for reference. Continue to summarize the
story.) Can someone summarize the exchange between Elie, his father and the officer?
 3. Please finish reading this selection, again circling any words you notice.

After Reading:
The content is honest and disturbing. Students will need time to process it. Through discussion
of what happened, students will further support their earlier ideas of tone and purpose.

As you finish reading, turn to your neighbors and quietly share with them your thoughts about
Wiesels story and concentration camps.

Most likely, there will not be too many words taken directly from the reading that students will
add to their storm. Because of the content nature, students may wish to add their own words
based more on feelings they pull out of the story.

Before we begin discussing the story, are there any of your own words you wish to add to our
Wordstorm collection? Any feelings you could name? (add to storm) Lets begin by talking
about the underlined part at the bottom of the first page

Differentiation:
Students are provided with prompts and images reflecting content to help facilitate their
storming.
Students who may need more of a challenge, can begin to wordstorm for letters
QUXYZ.
Students who are having difficulty with thinking of words to identify tone will be given a
tone word reference sheet. For example, students may receive tone words that fall
under the category of Sorrow-Fear-Worry. The list will help students grasp the idea and
may trigger ideas to add to the class discussion of tone and purpose.
Students who have a difficult time with reading comprehension and vocabulary will be
paired up with a student who is advanced in this area.

Closure
We will ask our EDR420 class, After practicing this strategy and experiencing it first hand,
would you implement wordstorming in your future classroom?

In the classroom, we would end the day with a quick turn-and-talk. Students will get with one
partner and talk about the piece of information that resonated with them. For our next class,
students will be able to add words they thought of for the tricky letters - QUXYZ. This will be
an optional assignment, as extra credit will be given to those who complete. Once our storm is
complete we will be make it readily available online for students. Students will be able to refer to
it when studying for a test or any other related assignment.

Additional images can be shown in continuing discussion about what the world did not know
until camps were liberated, leading into the study of the Nuremberg Trials and future safeguards.

I think we all recognize this is a sad, disturbing part of history for the U.S. and the entire
world. A story like Elie Wiesels is one of hundreds of thousands from this unbelievable
event. Reading his words, understanding his feelings, studying the Holocaust helps future
generations protect the world from similar situations occurring or escalating like conditions did
under Adolf Hitler. We are going to talk more about this as we study the Nuremberg Trials and
future safeguards established after the war ends.

Formative and Summative Assessment:

Formative Assessment: Students will be observed throughout the lesson to ensure that all
students are actively participating in Wordstorming.

Summative Assessment: Students will hand in the Wordstorming Worksheet completed in

groups at the end of the class period. Students will be assigned an optional assignment to
wordstorm for the tricky letters - QUXYZ. This will count towards extra credit.

Materials:

Reading: Night, Elie Wiesel, pp. 26-32.

http://www2.d125.org/~dargentar/Night%2026-32%20excerpt.pdf

Strategy: Wordstorming
Allen, Janet. More Tools for Teaching Content Literacy. Wordstorming to Anticipate
Content. USA: Strenhouse Publishers, 2008.

Tone words
reference: http://valenciacollege.edu/east/academicsuccess/eap/documents/tonewords.pdf

Images:
http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/walking_in_and_then_out_of_a_concentration
_camp
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/the-holocaust/pictures/remembering-the-
holocaust/wedding-rings-taken-from-concentration-camp-inmates
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/the-holocaust/pictures/holocaust-concentration-
camps