Holocaust Studies

Holocaust Studies is a one-semester course that describes the tragic mass murder of millions of Jews during the Nazi rule in Germany and its impact on the international community. In this course, students will trace the history of Jews living in Europe and the origins of anti-Semitism. Students will learn about the early life of Adolf Hitler and his rise to power. The course also describes how the Nazis exterminated the Jews and how the Jews resisted. Students will also learn about the liberation of the Jews and the impact of the Holocaust on the non-Jewish community. The course also covers the outcome of postwar trials. Additionally, this course is designed to allow the history of the Holocaust to be contextualized, encourage inquiry-based learning, and build critical thinking skills through literature (informational, fiction, and non-fiction reading). The design of this course will help foster empathy and relevancy and will be explored through annotations, connections, and self-reflection writings. This class will also offer the opportunity to learn the history of antisemitism, as well as define terms often arbitrarily used. Students will be better able to understand the ramifications of stereotyping, scapegoating, discrimination, and prejudice and better able to ‘interrupt hateful behaviors within schools, communities, and beyond’ (Echoes and Reflections, pg. 11). This class includes cross-curricular standards where skills will be developed, honed, and refined.