Unit+Rationale





 1. Comprehend what it is to be prejudice, how it can develop into discrimination, and possibly how discrimination practices can end in or lead to genocide. 2. Identify, explain, and evaluate how the Holocaust and Native American genocide could and did happen. 3. Understand that the Holocaust is unique among cases of injustice. It was the first time a government used industrial production to kill and target groups of people. It was also the first case of genocide, which did not originate from and was not justified by a war or attempted revolution. 4. Identify, analyze and describe the evolution of Native American reservations from their original purpose to today. 5. Construct a meaningful response to the essential question with examples from both books, class discussions the field trip, and their research. ===**Rationale**    ===

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">In this unit we will be touching upon some very big ideas and social themes like prejudice, discrimination, tolerance, death, faith, hatred, survival, and loss of innocence. These themes can be seen within the larger idea of genocides throughout human history. Two specific examples that have many similarities and differences are the Holocaust in Nazi Germany and the events leading to Native American removal and confinement to reservations. Some have even called the history between White Americans and the Native Americans, The Native American Holocaust. As a class we will be approaching this unit about prejudice, discrimination and genocide from an interdisciplinary perspective. We will start with World War II as this is part of our grades US history standards and delve into some difficult topics in order to gain some insight into how such a tragedy could happen. As part of the unit we will have many small group and class discussions pertaining to the build up of World War II and the Holocaust. We will be coming up with ideas and seeing how prejudice and discrimination can lead whole countries to act on their beliefs in acts of genocide and containment.

Students will be encouraged to think about their own modern day position in society and how they believe these impact their experiences and views. By critically thinking about places in society and how society as a whole impacts us, we will be able to put our selves in a better mind set to learn about the Holocaust and other acts leading to genocide throughout world and United States history.

Both of these examples are very important and relevant even in today’s world because not only are other examples of prejudice, discrimination and genocide happening, but also the impacts from these two are still being felt. Reservations remain a part of the political map of the United States and Holocaust museums have sprung up around the world. Through our class discussions and activities surrounding the readings of both Night and The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, we will see how even long after such events are thought to be over, they really are not and see how the impacts are still felt today. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 51);">//Below is a list of themes common to historical instances of prejudice, discrimination and genocide that will be touched upon based on our readings of the two assigned novels.//


 * Death**—The theme of death was used throughout both books. It was shown through the loss of loved ones, especially when Elie lost his entire family to the concentration camps. Death was also portrayed through the constant torture that was present. In the more modern Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, death was seen through the loss of Indian culture, tradition, land, money, and people.


 * Faith** **–** Such acts of prejudice and discrimination often lead to weakening ofr strengthening of faiths. In Night, Elie was told by his father to never lose his faith because it would help him through life keeping him strong, but undoubtedly Elie questioned his faith throughout his experience. Junior also questions his faith in his people, America, and himself in The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.


 * Hatred** **-** The Nazi's acted through hatred against the Jews, Gypsies, and many others who stood in their way. Hatred was the fuel needed to spark the Holocaust and rationalize it in the minds of many Nazis. On the Indian reservation, Junior feels that the neighboring white town hates the Indians and that the Indians hate the whites still until this day.

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Studying the Holocaust and other examples such as the history leading to Indian Reservations is important because … <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Georgia,serif;"> As you will see on our unit schedule, we as a class will be using several different learning techniques and activities to unfold this unit. I do realize that these are some very hard topics to talk about, but that is what makes them so important to this class. Using the emotional and historical importance of these topics will allow us as a class to take a different look at the Holocaust and really work to gain some empowering knowledge instead of contributing to what has come to be known as Holocaust fatigue.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Georgia,serif;">Studying them allows our class to develop an understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping in society. This unit will help students become more active and aware of the need for tolerance of diversity in our society.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Georgia,serif;">Studying both will provide our class with the context necessary to examine the dangers of remaining silent, indifferent, and inactive in the face of others oppression.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Georgia,serif;">Studying Holocaust history allows us to see just how modern nations could use their industry, technological expertise, and emotion to implement destructive policies such as genocide.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Georgia,serif;">Studying the Holocaust and Tragedies of Native Americans allows students to critically think about how power can be used and how it can be abused.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Georgia,serif;">Examining both as well as other examples allows students to gain insight into the many historical, social, religious, political, and economic factors that together ended up resulting with the Holocaust and other examples of genocide. This allows them to see how history unfolds and happens as well as how many factors can contribute to the degradation of civilized human values in society.

<span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0);"> **Standards**** State Standards: U6.1.1 America in the Last Half of the 19th Century - The policies toward American Indians, including removal, reservations, the Dawes Act of 1887, and the response of American Indians. F2.1 Describe the major trends and transformations in American life prior to 1877 including changing political boundaries of the United States 8.3.4 Civil Rights Expanded – Evaluate the major accomplishments and setbacks in civil rights and liberties for American minorities over the 20th century including American Indians, Latinos/Latinas, new immigrants, people with disabilities, and gays and lesbians.

7.2.1 Causes of WWII – Analyze the factors contributing to World War II in Europe and in the Pacific region, and America’s entry into war including the political and economic disputes over territory (e.g., failure of Versailles Treaty, League of Nations, Munich Agreement)(National Geography Standard 13, p. 210) the differences in the civic and political values of the United States and those of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan -United States neutrality

7.2.4 Responses to Genocide – Investigate development and enactment of Hitler’s “final solution” policy, and the responses to genocide by the Allies, the U.S. government, international organizations, and individuals (e.g., liberation of concentration camps, Nuremberg war crimes tribunals, establishment of state of Israel). (National Geography Standard 13, p. 210)