The Holocaust

Track 3 eighth graders have been reading an Anne Frank play in their Language Arts classroom and working in the media center several times a week on a Holocaust research project. Students chose a topic that most interested them about this historical time period (popular choices have been Anne Frank's life in the concentration camp, Auschwitz, and Hitler's childhood). They wrote two questions that they were most interested in finding the answers to. These eighth-grade researchers have used media center books and a variety of online resources, such as museum and educational websites, to answer their research questions.

Once a week, students reflect on their research process by completing a Daily Reflection. This communication tool provides insights into their researching and allows me to help them individually. Students shared the search terms that have been most effective, what resources contained the best information, and what new questions do they have about this project. I write comments on their reflections that will help guide their research during their next project day.

Students are completing their research this week and will start organizing their notes to write a research paper. They will then share their findings with their classmates in a brief presentation by the middle of April. This unit has provided these students with valuable skills to carry them into high school.

-Ms. Z