GENOCIDE UNIT OUTLINE

http://msherzlworldhistory.wikispaces.com/Genocide

This unit will involve studying cases of genocide throughout history. For this unit students will choose three genocides to focus on. The options are: Holocaust, Ukrainian Genocide, Nanking Massacre, Cambodian Genocide, or Iraq/Kurdish Genocide.

At the end of this unit students will be able to understand and explain what genocide is, how it impacts a group of people, a country, and the world.

For this unit students will earn a grade by completing several mandatory assignments (indicated in bold font), and choice assignments up to 100 points. Students may not earn more than 100 points.

Level 1 assignments represent the base knowledge a student would need in order to complete higher level assignments. Level 1 assignments must be completed before a student can move on to the higher levels.

Assignment Choices Points Earned

Possible Points

What is Genocide? PowerPoint notes and four-square.

5

Genocide #1 InformationSee teacher for information regarding the genocide you’ve selected to study.

5

Genocide #2 InformationSee teacher for information regarding the genocide you’ve selected to study.

5

Genocide #3 InformationSee teacher for information regarding the genocide you’ve selected to study.

5

Be the Thing

Your Task: Write a short personal response as if you were a specific object from history. Your response should include both emotional and physical feelings of the object. Imagine you are the thing! Consider that if you were George Washington’s horse you would have quite a bit to think about.

Your response must:

5

-Be at least two complete paragraphs in length.-Describe the purpose and function of the object.-Describe how the object might feel or what it might be thinking.-Mention the historical situation

Bumper StickerYour task: Create a short statement based on the unit we’ve been studying.

Create your bumper sticker. Make sure it is:

§ Related to the Unit§ Colorful§ Thoughtful

On the back of your bumper sticker write an explanation of what your bumper sticker means and why you wrote it.

5

Cause and Effect ChainPlease see teacher for information for assignment.

5

Annotated Illustration

Your task: Draw an illustration of a historical figure, item or event. Annotate this with text labels and descriptions of the key points in the picture.

Instructions:

1. Draw a full page picture, in color, of your figure, item or event. 2. Neatly write a title identifying the person, place and year.3. Write a minimum of 6 annotations at least 2 sentences in length each to describe various parts of your drawing. Number these 1-6 on your paper.

5

Venn DiagramYour Venn Diagram should compare and contrast two of the genocides we studied.

5

Primary Source Response Read a primary source account about one of the genocides and write a personal reaction that compares what you read in the primary source with what you’ve learned throughout this unit and your own thoughts/opinions.

10

Epitaph/Gravestone 10

Estimated time to complete: 1 period

Your task: Write the epitaph (a summary statement of commemoration for a dead person) like you'd find on a gravestone for a person from this unit.

Your epitaph should follow this model:

Here Lies….

Born…Died…

Husband/wife of….Father/Mother/brother/son of…

Famous for…

Remembered for…

Two pictures that represent the person.Diary EntryCreate either one long or two shorter diary entries as either a survivor of a genocide of a perpetrator of a genocide.

10

Total Points for Level 1 _____/50

Level 2 assignments represent higher thinking activities that will require students to use and manipulate the knowledge they gained from Level 1 assignments.

Assignment Choices Points Earned

Possible Points

Write an encyclopedia entry about genocide. Use one of the genocides we studied to base your entry around.

20

Pretend to be a journalist and write a newspaper article about one of the genocides we studied.

20

Create a children’s book about one of the genocides we studied.

20

Don’t like any of these? Suggest something of your own.

20

Total Points for Level 2 _____/20

Level 3 assignments represent a real world application of the knowledge students have gained from the previous levels. Students may need to conduct independent research in order to successfully complete assignments at this level.

Assignment Choices Points Earned

Possible Points

Historical Legal Brief

Your task: As a defense lawyer your job is to prove your client is not guilty of crimes he/she is accused of. Write a legal brief defending a particular person or group in history. You will create an opening statement and describe what witnesses you would call and what you would ask them.

See teacher to receive more information for this assignment.

30

Briefing Presentation

Your task: As the head of a humanitarian foundation you will need to brief a group of social workers about the newest group of people they will be working with – survivors of one of the genocides we studied. You will need to inform these social workers about what these people went through and how that will impact their views on the world.

Your format can be PowerPoint, video, or paper. Please speak run your ideas by the teacher before proceeding.

30

History Newscast

Your Task: Create a 3-5 minute video news report about an event from a given historical period. This should include all of the key details of the events and at least one interview of a witness or person involved.

1. Write a 3 paragraph report on the event you have chosen.2. Determine what each group member will be doing for the video (director, writer, actor, editor, etc.)

30

3. Create a story board and script for your video.4. Create any costumes, props or backgrounds you’ll need for your video.5. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.6. Film and edit your video. (To be done before or after school only!)Don’t like any of these? Suggest something of your own!

30

Total Points for Level 3 _____/30