As part of the 8th grade team's interdisciplinary unit about the Holocaust, our 8th graders visited the Holocaust Museum in Skokie. Not only did they have an opportunity to view artifacts and videos regarding the Holocaust, but they also had the opportunity to hear a survivor speak. This trip was a valuable experience for our students. Listening to the stories of survival during this horrific time was a special honor for our students.
To further enhance their knowledge of the Holocaust, students will learn about this time period in their social studies and literature classes, but they will also complete a research paper in their language arts classes. We will begin working on this expository essay next week. Students will utilize books, pamphlets, websites, movies, and documentaries to gather information about their topics. Once the research has been compiled, they will apply the lessons that they have learned about exposition in order to organize this information into an essay. We will also continue to apply the writing skills that we have been learning about in class as well as continue to discuss the importance of putting information into their own words.