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MONDAY: I’M INNOCENT. I WAS BORN THIS WAY. 2
TUESDAY: BEING ME ISN’T A CHOICE 2
WEDNESDAY: MY COUNTRY MY RULES 2
THURSDAY: I DIDN’T KNOW THAT 2
FRIDAY: COMMUNITY SHARING EVENT 2
Table of Contents
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Overview
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is the foundation for this module. Members will explore challenges faced by Jews during the Holocaust, as well as the importance of helping those who are unable to assist themselves. Because the Holocaust was about hatred for one particular religion, the members will conclude this week with a Heritage Day presentation.
Driving Questions
Do we have a duty to risk our own safety to protect the powerless?
How are we transformed by our experiences?
Product of the Week
Community Sharing Event
Introduction
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is the story of two young ladies, one who is Jewish and one who is not, living in Denmark during the Holocaust. Annmarie, along with her family work together to protect a number of Jews, including Annmarie’s friend, which was a very dangerous sacrifice. Sacrifice is sometimes necessary to save someone who is not able to save themselves.
Special Notes
Some of the discussions may garner strong feelings and opinions from some members. Maintain control over conversations and remind members to always be respectful of one another. In this module the members will produce a Heritage Day as their
community sharing event. During the event each member will share
information about his/her own race and culture, as well as facts about
another race and culture. The main activities for Wednesday and
Thursday of this week will look the same, because they are being used
as preparation days. On Wednesday and Thursday members will
conduct research and prepare information to be presented Friday at the
event.
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holocaust
the mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime from 1941–45; more than 6 million European Jews, as well as members of other persecuted groups, such as gypsies and homosexuals, were murdered at concentration camps such as Auschwitz
racism the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races
Academic Vocabulary
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engage express evaluate exhibit
Note: Facilitator Resource materials and handouts are included at the end of the day,
but should be printed in advance.
Facilitator
Facilitator Resource: Two girls
computer connected to Internet
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Note: Complete the following table early during the week to prepare for the Community
Sharing Event. Share the answers with the CPO for approval.
Type of Event on Friday
Event Name
Who’s Invited
Publicity to Use (Circle all that apply, use blank spaces for additional items)
Fliers Website
Display Area for Projects
Supplies Needed (Circle all that apply, use blank spaces for additional items)
Chairs Scissors Games
Signs CD Player
Tape Video Equipment
Cups Napkins Refreshments (Try to select items that tie into the theme)
Task Assigned to: Due Date:
Task Assigned to: Due Date:
Task Assigned to: Due Date:
Task Assigned to: Due Date:
Task Assigned to: Due Date:
Event Planner
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Location: multipurpose room or tech center Estimated Time: 15-20 min
What You Need
Steps to Follow
1 Project the picture of Annemarie and Ellen. Then ask the members which of the two girls is the bad one? Which one is better?
2 Project the picture of the black and white girl. Ask the members which one of these girls is bad?
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Say: “Throughout history one group of people has oppressed other groups of people. Blacks in America are not the only group of people who have been oppressed and abused because of the ethnicity.”
4 Ask: “What other group of people has been oppressed, abused, killed and discriminated against?”
5 Allow members to answer.
Monday: I’m Innocent. I was Born This Way.
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Monday Activity 1: I’m Innocent. I was Born This Way
Location: multipurpose room or tech center Estimated Time: 30-45 min
Description: This activity provides insights into the Holocaust and provides members opportunities to discuss their perspectives based upon novel details.
Objective: By the end of this activity, members will be able to express at least two reasons why people will risk their own personal safety to assist or protect another helpless person.
What You Need
Steps to Follow
1 Say: “We are going to read the summary of the novel Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Number the Stars is set in Denmark during World War II.”
2 Ask: “Who knows what significant historical event took place during World War II?” (The answer is the Holocaust.)
3 Let members to answer. Confirm if someone gives the correct answer. If not, tell the correct answer.
4 Ask: “Who knows what the Holocaust was?” Let members answer.
5 Project the summary of the novel on the screen or whiteboard or give copies out to members. Tell members to read the summary of the novel.
6 Ask: “Why do you think Annmarie’s family was so committed to helping the Jews, even though her family was not Jewish? What kinds of consequences could they have faced for helping the Jews?”
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Monday Facilitator Resource: Number the Stars Summary
Annemarie Johansen is a young girl who hangs out with her friend Ellen and takes care of her little sister Kirsti. Seems normal enough, right? Sure, except that she lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II. Copenhagen used to be peaceful, but now it's full of enemy soldiers. The Nazis have come into Denmark from Germany and are slowly forcing the Danish people to do what they say. Annemarie is a thoughtful young lady, and she reflects on how much life has changed since the Nazis came along. Actually, Annemarie's older sister Lise died around the time the war began and naturally, Annemarie misses her like crazy. At least her family still gets to see Lise's mysterious (in a good way) fiancé, Peter. Things start getting worse in Denmark. The Nazis have begun gathering up Jews and taking them somewhere unknown. Brave families like the Johansens insist on helping their Jewish friends, no matter how dangerous it might be. Ellen comes to live with Annemarie, pretending to be her sister, and even removing her Star of David necklace to hide her identity. After a scary interrogation by Nazi soldiers, Mrs. Johansen takes Ellen, Annemarie, and Kirsti to visit her brother (their uncle) Henrik up north. After a tense run-in with more Nazi soldiers on the train, they make it to Henrik's house, and are able to relax a little. (Don't get too excited, it doesn't last long.) Pretty soon, they start preparing a funeral for a non-existent great aunt. Turns out they're trying to fake a reason for having so many people at their house. Several other Jewish people, including Ellen's parents (whew!) show up, too. After the funeral, Peter and Mrs. Johansen each take a group of Jewish guests out of the house—toward safety, it seems. When her mom gets back, injured from a bad fall, Annemarie discovers that an important package Ellen's father was supposed to take to Henrik never made it. Her mother sure can't take it, so Annemarie has to go. Talk about courage. She hides the package in a basket with food and hurries through the woods to her uncle's boat—but not before another scary encounter with the Nazi soldiers and their dogs. Only later does Annemarie find out that she did something wonderful and courageous. Henrik had hidden Ellen's family and other people on his boat. When Nazi soldiers and their dogs came to search the boat, they didn't sniff out any humans—the package had a special ingredient in it that kept the dogs from finding the people hidden on Henrik's boat. If Annemarie hadn't delivered the package, they would have all been discovered. So Annemarie saved them. The boat traveled safely to Sweden, and Ellen and her family escaped. The book concludes two years later, as World War II is ending. Peter has been discovered as a Resistance worker and killed by the Nazis. But in a moment of hope, Annemarie knows that her best friend will finally be able to come back home—and she has her necklace waiting for her.
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Steps to Follow
1 Say: “During the time of slavery in American history, whites and free blacks risked their lives to assist slaves to escape to freedom.”
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Ask: “What was the name of the vessel used? Note: Blacks used the “Underground Railroad”. Ask: What kinds of consequences could those who helped get slaves to freedom have faced if caught?”
3
Explain that the Underground Railroad was not a real railway, but rather a system of locations and houses where runaway slaves could hide, get food, clothes and protection as they fled to freedom. In both the Holocaust and Black Slavery, the oppressed group of people were killed and abused for being born into what whites felt was a lesser race.
4 Say: “Imagine you were living during the Holocaust in Germany, and you are white. Write a paragraph on whether or not you would do what Annmarie’s family did.”
5 Ask: “Would you risk your life and your freedom to help a person who is being victimized? Why or why not?”
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Location: multipurpose room or tech center Estimated Time: 15-20 min
What You Need
1 Distribute index cards to each member.
2 Say: “Write down one personal physical feature that you don’t like.”
3 Display the pictures of the Jewish woman and the Jewish man.
4 Say: “These two people are Jewish. Looking at the picture, can you tell they are Jewish? “
5 Say: “According to the Nazis, there were physical features that let them distinguish who was Jewish and who was not. The main feature was the nose.”
6 Ask: “Could you imagine being hated, abused and killed because you happen to have a big nose?”
7 Tell members to look at their index card again and then share some of their responses.
8 Ask should you die for (fill in the blank with the member’s answers.)
Tuesday: Being Me Isn’t a Choice
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Location: multipurpose room or tech center Estimated Time: 30-45 min
Description: In this activity, the members will examine the reasons why Jews were discriminated against during the Holocaust, and evaluate the thought process of Adolf Hitler.
Objective: By the end of this activity, members will have written a letter to express three reasons Adolf Hitler and the Nazis’s thought process was flawed.
What You Need
1 Distribute another index card to each member.
2 Say: “At the end of the novel, Annmarie looks at life and relationships very differently. She becomes even more hopeful for positive change.”
3 Ask: “How many of you have ever had an experience that caused you to change in some way? Would you like to share?”
4 Say: “Imagine you are being teased and bullied at school, and the reason you are being teased is because of something you cannot control.”
5 Ask: “What do you think some of the consequences of such treatment could be? Could it change how a person views themselves and others?”
6 Distribute paper.
7 Say: “Now you are going to write a letter to a person who has done something to you that changed your life for the better or worse. Let them know how their actions affected you.”
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Steps to Follow
1 Share the following writing prompt with members: Think about a time when you have been discriminated against or you have witnessed someone else get discriminated against.
2 Ask members to share the details of the situation.
3 Ask members to express how they felt and how they handled the situation.
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Location: multipurpose room or tech center Estimated Time: 30-45 min
Description: In this activity, members will create their own countries, with cultures that have specific characteristics.
Objective: By the end of this activity, members will be able to express the importance of one’s culture and the importance of respecting and being open to different cultures.
What You Need
pencils
paper
pre-prepared index cards
Steps to Follow
1 Have members get into groups of no more than three.
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Say: “Today you are going to create your own country. Create characteristics of the culture within your country on your poster board. Display the following on your poster:
Country name
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Entertainment
Anything else that sets one culture apart from another Say: “Be as creative as you possibly can. Remember it is your country, so you make the rules. Each group will present their posters at the end of the session.”
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Steps to Follow 1 Distribute index cards to each member.
2
Say: “On the index cards, write two reasons learning about other cultures is an enhancement to our lives. Share one thing about your culture people tend to not understand or have an inaccurate idea about.”
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Location: multipurpose room or tech center Estimated Time: 30-45 min
Description: In this activity, the members will begin researching their races and cultures, along with researching a different race and culture.
Objective: By the end of this activity, members will be able to share at least three facts they were not aware of about their own race and culture, and three facts about a different race and culture.
What You Need
pencils
paper
bowl
Steps to Follow 1 Have members draw an index card from the bowl. Then distribute a piece of paper to each member.
Thursday: I Didn’t Know That
Module 3: Number the Stars
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2 Say: “We are going to have a Heritage Day as our weekly event this week. Tomorrow you will bring in and present one item that represents your culture or race. It can be food, music, etc.”
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Tell members they will share three facts they have learned this week about their race, along with three facts they learned about a different race. Let them know they will also research a popular style of music for the culture they pulled from the bowl. They should find one appropriate song to share with the group during Heritage Day.
4 Say: “Use the race that is on the index called you drew. If you drew your own race, let me know so that you can draw again.”
Thursday Cool Down Estimated Time: 15-20 min
Steps to Follow 1 Distribute index cards to each member.
2 Say: “Today you had the opportunity to create your own country. Imagine you could change three things about our country. What would those three things be and why?”
3 Ask members to write down the three changes they would make, and allow them to share with the group.
Module 3: Number the Stars
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Location: multipurpose room or learning center Estimated Time: 3 hours
Description: Each member will present at least three unknown facts about their race and culture and three facts about a different race and culture. The members will also share an object that is representative of their culture.
Objective: By the end of this activity, members will be able to share at least three facts they were not aware of about their own race and culture and three facts about a different race and culture.
What You Need
Speakers if necessary
Steps to Follow
1 Each member will present three facts they recently learned about their culture, and the three facts they learned about the different culture.
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Ask each member to present the object they brought to represent their culture. Have each member provide the title of their selected song, along with the artist. The members will need to be able to let the facilitator know on what site the song can be found, i.e. YouTube.
Friday: Community Sharing Event