Name:  Jodie Moorhead

School:  Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School 

Title:  Anne Frank and Louisiana - There is a Connection! 

Subject:  English/Language Arts 

Grade Level:  8 

Overview: 
This unit will provide students with a background of real world events that were taking place during World War II and the Holocaust. Only when a student understands what was happening "outside," will the tension and drama of "The Diary of Anne Frank" make sense. Also, the unit will allow for the integration of technology and research skills, as well as provide a better understanding of the character motivations and actions in the play. 

Approximate Duration:  One Week 

Content Standards:
Standard 1
Students read, comprehend, and respond to a range of materials, using a variety of strategies for different purposes.

Standard 3
Students communicate using standard English grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and handwriting.

Standard 4
Students demonstrate competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning and communicating.

Standard 5
Students locate, select, and synthesize information from a variety of texts, media, references, and technological sources to acquire and communicate knowledge.

Benchmarks:
ELA-1-M2
analyzing literary devices (e.g., figurative language, flashback, foreshadowing, dialogue) and story elements (e.g., setting, plot, character, theme, mood) within a selection;   (1,4)

ELA-1-M3
reading, comprehending, and responding to written, spoken, and visual texts in extended passages;   (1,3,4)

ELA-1-M4
interpreting texts with supportive explanations to generate connections to real-life situations and other texts (e.g., business, technical, scientific);   (1,2,4,5)

ELA-3-M3
demonstrating standard English structure and usage;   (1,4,5)

ELA-3-M5
spelling accurately using strategies and resources (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus, spell check) when necessary.   (1,3,4)

ELA-4-M1
speaking intelligibly, using standard English pronunciation and diction;   (1,4)

ELA-4-M3
using the features of speaking (e.g., audience analysis, message construction, delivery, interpretation of feedback) when giving rehearsed and unrehearsed presentations;   (1,2,4)

ELA-4-M5
listening and responding to a wide variety of media (e.g., music, TV, film, speech);   (1,3,4,5)

ELA-5-M1
recognizing and using organizational features of printed text, other media, and electronic information (e.g., parts of a text, alphabetizing, captions, legends, microprint, laser discs, hypertext, CD-ROM, pull-down menus, keyword searches, icons, passwords, entry menu features);   (1,3,4)

ELA-5-M2
locating and evaluating information sources (e.g., print materials, databases, CD-ROM references, Internet information, electronic reference works, community and government data, television and radio resources, audio and visual materials);   (1,3,4,5)

ELA-5-M3
locating, gathering, and selecting information using graphic organizers, outlining, note taking, summarizing, interviewing, and surveying to produce documented texts and graphics;   (1,3,4)

Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs):
Grade 8
3. Interpret literary devices. (ELA-1-M2)
4. Draw conclusions and make inferences in print and nonprint responses about ideas and information in grade-appropriate texts  (ELA-1-M3)
5. Interpret ideas and information in a variety of texts (e.g., scientific reports, technical guidelines, business memos) and make connections to real-life situations and other texts  (ELA-1-M4)
24. Write paragraphs and compositions following standard English structure and usage  (ELA-3-M3)
28. Adjust diction and enunciation to suit the purpose for speaking  (ELA-4-M1)
29. Use standard English grammar, diction, syntax, and pronunciation when speaking  (ELA-4-M1)
39. Locate and select information using organizational features of grade-appropriate resources  (ELA-5-M1)
40. Locate and integrate information from a variety of grade-appropriate resources  (ELA-5-M2)
43. Generate grade-appropriate research reports that include information presented in a variety of forms, including:  (ELA-5-M3)

Interdisciplinary Connections:  
Mathematics : Number and Number Relations
In problem-solving investigations, students demonstrate an understanding of the real number system and communicate the relationships within that system using a variety of techniques and tools.

Mathematics : Data analysis, Probability, and Discrete Math
In problem-solving investigations, students discover trends, formulate conjectures regarding cause-and-effect relationships, and demonstrate critical thinking skills in order to make informed decisions.

Social Studies : History: Time, Continuity, and Change
Students develop a sense of historical time and historical perspective as they study the history of their community, state, nation, and world.

Educational Technology Standards:  
Demonstrate the operations of a computer (e.g., touch-keyboarding skills, save, organize and back-up files) and other peripheral devices (scanner, digital and video cameras, VCR, laser disc player) at an intermediate level.

Use information, media, and technology in a responsible manner which includes following the school's acceptable use policy, adhering to copyright laws, respecting the rights of others, and employing proper etiquette in all forms of communication.

Use multimedia tools and desktop publishing to develop and present computer-generated projects for directed and independent learning activities.

Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, writing tools, digital cameras, drawing tools, web tools) to gather information for problem solving, communication, collaborative writing and publishing to create products for various audiences.

Use telecommunications and online resources efficiently and effectively to collaborate with peers, experts, and others to investigate curriculum-related problems, issues, and information and to develop solutions or products for various audiences.

Objectives:

The students will be able to:
1. use the internet to locate and research a Holocaust survivor who currently live in Louisiana
2. evaluate information for effectiveness and present findings in a Power Point project
3. create a timeline of the events surrounding the life of the Louisiana Holocaust survivor selected
4. use located information to establish a link between Anne Frank/Germany/Louisiana 

Lesson Materials and Resources:
Worksheet for Gathering Information
Trading-Card Note Taking Guide
Example of a Trading Card
Guide for Using Power Point
Example Slides of Power Point
Self-Assessment
Peer Evaluation Rubric
Project Rubric 

Technology Tools and Materials:
Hardware:  iPaq Handheld Computers/, Mobile Laptop Lab, LCD Projector
Software:  Power Point, Timeline 5.0, Word, Trackstar

Websites:
In Memory of Millions Video  <http://unitedstreaming.com/>
One Human Spirit Video  <http://unitedstreaming.com/>
A Teenager's Experience Video  <http://unitedstreaming.com/>
Anne Frank and Louisiana - Trackstar #217342  <http://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/ts/viewTrack.do?number=217342>
Sounds from the Holocaust  < www.tulane.edu/~so-inst/SoundBites.html>

Background Information:
The students really could do this lesson with very little background knowledge, however a a basic understanding of some key people and a time frame would be very beneficial. It would also benefit the students to have some knowledge of the geography of Europe at the time World War II begins. 

Lesson Procedures:
1.  Introduce the lesson with a PowerPoint presentation in which students are presented the key terms and political figures that will be needed to complete the unit. As the slides are shown, the students are encouraged to take notes about the physical qualities of some of the people in the slides.
2.  Students will receive review instruction of the processes involving PowerPoint, Timeline 5.0, and Inspiration software by walking through an example activity of each software application. (Students will also receive a quicktip reference sheet on the software programs as that is not the major focus of this lesson.)
3.  Students will view the following videos using United Streaming and the LCD projector: 'In Memory of Millions," "One Human Spirit," and "A Teenager's Experience." They will receive a handout with the web addresses, in case they need to use the site during the research/presentation phase of their project.
4.  Lead a whole class discussion of the events that were taking place during World War II and the Holocaust, focusing on the geography and political changes involved in the time period.
5.  Students will complete the Trackstar Activity using Trackstar #217342, which asks the student to walk through a tour of the Holocaust. The student will take notes in their journals, and record their final answers on the "Anne Frank and Louisiana" Worksheet. Students will be asked to answer basic factual questions and transfer the knowledge to other situations, including basic role play and character/person motivation tasks.
6.  Students will receive a worksheet upon which they will gather information as they research a survivor of the Holocaust who currently resides in Louisiana. Once again, the students may use Trackstar #217342. The information recorded will include: date of birth, country of birth, gender, current age, current residence, name and location of concentration camp detained at.
7.  Using a supplied "WORD" template, students will take the information and create a Trading Card about their Louisiana Holocaust Survivor.
8.  Alternate activities include: 1) using the information to create an original monologue of the survivors thoughts and feelings about being in Europe at the time of the Holocaust; 2) a computerized journal entry (using WORD) from the point of view of one of the family members in the attic
9.  Using "Timeline 5.0," students will make a time line featuring the key events from their survivor's life and the key dates about Anne Frank given in the text book. The time line should also include the following important dates: Hitler comes to power, US enters the war, the Holocaust takes places, and World War II ends.
10.  Using PowerPoint, the students will create (by group) a brief presentation (approximately five slides) to tell the history of their Louisiana Holocaust survivor. As the slide is shown, any information the students have on the subject of the slide should be discussed in a brief oral response.
11.  Facilitate a whole group discussion to decide whether any of these people could have the possibility of knowing Anne Frank (or her family members) at one of the camps. Answers must be backed up with factual information obtained during the activities above. The students may use "Ask Jeeves" or "google.com" to locate the camps the family was sent to after being captured by the Nazi forces.
12.  If time permits, the students may use "http://www.puzzlemaker.com" to create a puzzle on their survivor's life. The puzzle can include names, locations, dates, and other historical facts. 

Assessment Procedures:
Project Rubric
Timeline Rubric
Peer Assessment Rubric
Self-Assessment Rubric
Final Project 

Accommodations/Modifications:
In the lesson procedures, there are several alternate activities listed. The best way to accommodate/modify the lessons is to have the students work in groups. Groups should be heterogeneous and assigned based on some random sampling process (e.g. - drawing cards, counting off, etc.)           ----- written by Jodie Moorhead 

Reproducible Materials:
Anne Frank/Louisiana Connection Rubric
Timeline Rubric

Explorations and Extensions:
Students will create a color-coded map of the number of Holocaust deaths per country.
In "Excel," create a graph comparing the Jewish population before the Holocaust and after the Holocaust. The chart must country the information by country. 

Lesson Development Resources:
Robinson, Plater. Deathly Silence. New Orleans: Tulane Press, .
Elements of Literature. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, Winston, 2000.
Parenthetical Within Text ( 340-345)

Feedback: If you are not the author but used this lesson plan, please send your comments to the author.