Teaching children about the Holocaust is not an easy task. The whole subject must be discussed in a way that is sensitive to Holocaust victims while informative and impactful for the students. Fortunately, you can use a curriculum that has already been developed by experienced professionals.
What to Look For
To start with, look for a curriculum that was developed by an actual Holocaust survivor. There is no substitute to teaching history from a first-hand account from someone who was actually there. A survivor’s story, told in first-person, is more powerful than the dry facts and dates that are taught in a traditional history curriculum.
Next, look for a curriculum that takes today’s teaching technology into account. Utilizing videos, digital timelines and other mixed media can be very powerful tools to create an emotionally invocative and impactful impression on students helping to create a long-lasting understanding of the events of the holocaust. Some curriculums even have interactive digital exercises designed using artificial intelligence to allow your students to question and learn in a hands on and interactive way.
Additionally, opt for a curriculum that has lesson plans ready to go. The best ones have been tested in classrooms across the globe already. This way, you can avoid mistakes made by previous teachers. Lesson plans help you put the Holocaust into the larger contexts of fascism and antisemitism in Europe.
Finally, go with a curriculum that is free; this shows that its purpose is to educate rather than any ulterior profit driven motives.
Take the first step towards educating others about Holocaust victims.
For a curriculum developed by a survivor of the Holocaust that is effective informative and impactful, check out the ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation at www.zachorfoundation.org.
