Current Contexts

Exploring Now through Then

 

Grades: 6-8

 

Subjects: Current Events, Language Arts, Teaching with The New York Times

Interdisciplinary Connections

 

Overview of Lesson Plan: In this lesson, students will explore how they relate to today’s world. Through quotes written by Anne Frank, and current newspaper items that appear in The New York Times, students will examine the connection between the past and the present.

Review the Academic Content Standards related to this lesson.

Suggested Time Allowance: 1 hour

 

Objectives:

Students will:

1. Examine how they are affected by world affairs.

2. Consider new correspondence outlining Otto Frank’s attempts to immigrate to America by reading and discussing the article, “In Old Files, Fading Hopes of Anne Frank’s Family.”

3. Read The New York Times to find examples of news, advertisements, graphics, photographs, or other features that connect in some way to a quotation from “The Diary of Anne Frank” and present them to the class.

4. Write lists of quotations they might include in their own autobiographies and brief explanations of each of their quotations.

Resources / Materials:

-student journals

-pens/pencils

-paper

-classroom board

 

Collection Map

-copies of “In Old Files, Fading Hopes of Anne Frank’s Family” found online at http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20070216friday.html

-resources about Anne Frank including Global History textbooks, encyclopedias, computers with Internet access, etc.

 

 

 

 

Content Standards:

 

Grades 6-8

Language Arts -Standard 1- Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process.

Language Arts Standard 4- Gathers and uses information for research purposes.

Language Arts Standard 5- Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process.

World History Standard 44 - Understands the search for community, stability, and peace in an interdependent world.

World History Standard 45- Understands major global trends since World War II.

Geography Standard 13 - Understands the forces of cooperation and conflict that shape the divisions of Earth's surface.

 

Technology Infusion:

In this lesson, students will use blogs to discuss and provide feedback from chapter summaries.  Also, students will use virtual tours to visit the museum to view artifacts about Anne Frank’s life.

 

Information Literacy Model:

Irving’s Research Model- Irving stressed a resource-based learning approach that emphasized addressing individual differences in teaching and learning style. She also emphasized the importance of students, teachers, and librarians collaborating toward this joint goal.

 

Teacher/Collaboration:

I will be collaborating with my History team teacher to develop and enhance this lesson by implementing one or all of the following:

 

Interdisciplinary Connections:

·         American History- Research the role of the United States in World War II. How does the role of the United States relate to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party? What military and legal action did the United States take against Germany? How did these measures affect people, like the Franks, who were attempting to escape to freedom? Write a report using facts from your research.

·         Civics- The article, “In Old Files, Fading Hopes of Anne Frank’s Family,” describes the difficult process the Frank family faced when trying to gain entry into the United States. What is the process today? Create a flow chart illustrating your findings. Specify the issues relating to countries that are not on friendly terms with the United States, such as Cuba, Iraq, and North Korea.

·         Global History- The Holocaust that took place during World War II was not just against the Jewish people. Research the other ethnic, cultural, and religious groups that were targeted by the Nazis. Prepare a poster with graphs that help explain who else was killed during this time. For each group of people you find, write a brief explanation of why these people were viewed as a threat to the Nazi regime.

 

 

Procedures/Activities:

1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Prior to class, place a copy of the survey described directly above on each student’s desk.

Explain to students that they will be expressing their views on different statements regarding their awareness and understanding of world events. Ask students to fill out the survey and collect their copies once completed.

As a class, read and discuss the article “In Old Files, Fading Hopes of Anne Frank’s Family” (http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20070216friday.html), focusing on the following questions:

a. Why did Otto Frank contact Nathan Straus Jr.?

b. What conditions was Mr. Frank referring to when he wrote to his friend?

c. What does the correspondence that was found say about the American immigration system during World War II?

d. What happened to members of Mr. Frank’s immediate family?

e. After June 1941, why weren’t people with close relatives in Germany allowed into the United States?

f. Why did Mr. Frank contact Cuba?

g. Why do you think Mr. Frank tried to get a visa just for himself?

h. If you were in his position, would you stay with your family or try to leave alone? Why?

i. Under what circumstances was this correspondence found?

j. Why do you think Mr. Frank chose to stay in Amsterdam after the war?

 

3. If the class has read “The Diary of Anne Frank,” discuss how connected or disconnected Anne felt from the world around her. Consider how thoughtful she was, despite the fact that she was so young. If the class has not read the book, ask students to consider how they might have felt if they were forced into hiding to avoid being sent to a concentration camp. Discuss what students may have felt or thought during such a challenging time.

Divide students into small groups. Explain that each group will be assigned a quotation from “The Diary of Anne Frank” to examine in connection with today’s current events. They will then be asked to share their findings with the class. Assign each group a quotation, from the list below (copied into a handout for easier student access):

-“Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”

-”How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

-“I don't think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.”

-“Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.”

-“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.”

-“We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.”

Have members of each group work together to analyze their quotation and then rewrite Anne’s words into a statement with which they can relate. Next, group members should read current editions of The New York Times to find examples of, connections to, and extensions of their assigned quotation. Encourage students to search for headlines, photos, quotations deep within stories, advertisements, graphics, sidebars, etc. Explain that anything relevant they find in the paper can be used. Group members should clip the newspaper examples they find and paste them onto a poster that clearly states their assigned quotation.

Each group member should choose one item from the newspaper and write a richly detailed paragraph that shows how this particular example is connected to their assigned quotation by Anne Frank. Encourage students to be specific in their explanations and to include all relevant facts.

At the end of class, groups should present their posters. Individual group members should explain how various current events connect to the ideas of Anne Frank. Next, share the results of the survey taken during the DO-NOW activity. If time allows, have the class discuss the way today’s youth feel about current events and the world around them. Do students feel disconnected or involved? Why? Are they uninformed and passive or aware and active? How?

Remediation/Accommodation/Modification:

 

If students need extra assistance with the lesson, an additional extension will be extended with the help of a peer student.  Accommodations will be provided by using library assistance with online research and guidance.  Modifications will be made by lessoning the amount of course work for IEP requirements and an extra two-week extension.

 

Assessment/Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated based on completion of surveys, participation in class and group discussions, completion of newspaper research and explanations of connections between their assigned Anne Frank quotation and examples from the newspaper, and meaningful explanations of quotations for their autobiographies.

 

 

 

 

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20070216friday.html

 

 

 

Assessment:

 

 

Group Evaluation Rubric.docx