Goals

 

Details

Duration: 90 minutes

Assessments: Student reflections/journals, Student discussions

 

Description

MEMORIALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE WITNESSED THROUGH
READING, EXPLORING AND DISCUSSING NIGHT BY ELIE ?WIESEL

Activity One:
The New England Holocaust Memorial consists of six glass towers (viewable in the accompanying PPT), each representing one of the six main death camps. Etched in each tower are quotations from Holocaust survivors and witnesses. Students recieved a handout with the quotations and for each quotation, they were asked to consider the following questions:
1. Why do you think each of these three quotations was chosen?
2. How does each add to our understanding of:
a. Auschwitz and other death camps?
b. why people allowed the Holocaust to happen?
c. how we might keep such things from happening again?

Activity Two:
Create a Memorial (Small Group Activity): With your partner or triad, begin considering the meaning and message of Night by creating a miniature "memorial" of what you have witnessed through reading, exploring and discussing the novel. Take a few moments to:
1. Discuss and decide together what you feel is the ONE most important passage/quotation in the ENTIRE novel that you feel best expresses or summarizes Elie Wiesel's message.
2. Discuss and decide together what you feel is the ONE most LASTING image...the image you will NEVER forget and that you feel best captures the experiences of Elie and the other prisoners.
3. Place the image and the quotation (in a viewable and readable size) on large paper that will be displayed/presented.
4. Be prepared to explain how your memorial not only represents Elie's experiences but also his message. Remember to think about why he is writing this book? What is the message he wants you to hear?

Holocaust Memorial Quotation Activity
This handout has the instructions, the 3 quotations and room for question responses....
Download (81K)

Memorializing 'Night' Activities
This PPT has the prompts for both activities for this day...
Download (475K)

Author Reflections

This activity proved to be effective in continuing analysis of the text, but also allowing students to highlight for one another the meanings and messages that most resonated with them throughout their study of the text.