Holocaust Survivors Speak with Middle School Students
On Tuesday, April 7, Middle School students were fortunate to hear from two Holocaust survivors, Ralph Franklin and Danny Goldsmith. Ralph addressed 7th and 8th graders while Danny spoke to the 5th and 6th grade classes. Each shared their personal experiences in Germany and Belgium, respectively.
The timing of this visit lined up with lessons that students are currently studying in their classes.The fifth grade recently read Lois Lowry's Number the Stars, which gives a fictional child's perspective of the German campaign to "relocate" Jewish citizens from Denmark. Eighth grade is currently immersed in their study of World War II. While they do not have a direct curricular focus on the Holocaust, sixth grade delves into the themes of identity, stereotypes, and the concept of "mob versus group" in their classes. Seventh grade teachers also set the context and tied together Tuesday's presentation with our students' past and future learning. Each group also had activities and discussion following the presentations as well.
"Everything that happened to me, I was your age and younger," impressed Danny upon the students as he shared that he was eight years old when World War II began, eleven when his mother sent him into hiding, and thirteen when Belgium was liberated from the Nazis.
These messages really resonated with the captive student audience. 7th grader Tyson said, "This is the 1st time I've heard from someone who was there. It was amazing."
His classmate, Zivia, agreed. "I've read a lot of books about the Holocaust, but it was so different to see a person who lived through it than to read about it in a book."
To hear Danny's and Ralph's stories, please click on the links below:
Ralph
Danny
Thank you to Danny, Ralph, the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center, and Lehla Olson for making this special assembly possible!
The timing of this visit lined up with lessons that students are currently studying in their classes.The fifth grade recently read Lois Lowry's Number the Stars, which gives a fictional child's perspective of the German campaign to "relocate" Jewish citizens from Denmark. Eighth grade is currently immersed in their study of World War II. While they do not have a direct curricular focus on the Holocaust, sixth grade delves into the themes of identity, stereotypes, and the concept of "mob versus group" in their classes. Seventh grade teachers also set the context and tied together Tuesday's presentation with our students' past and future learning. Each group also had activities and discussion following the presentations as well.
"Everything that happened to me, I was your age and younger," impressed Danny upon the students as he shared that he was eight years old when World War II began, eleven when his mother sent him into hiding, and thirteen when Belgium was liberated from the Nazis.
These messages really resonated with the captive student audience. 7th grader Tyson said, "This is the 1st time I've heard from someone who was there. It was amazing."
His classmate, Zivia, agreed. "I've read a lot of books about the Holocaust, but it was so different to see a person who lived through it than to read about it in a book."
To hear Danny's and Ralph's stories, please click on the links below:
Ralph
Danny
Thank you to Danny, Ralph, the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center, and Lehla Olson for making this special assembly possible!
