Holocaust Teaching Guide: Getting Started

Teaching about the Holocaust can inspire students to think critically about the past and their own roles and responsibilities today. The flexible resources below, created for middle and high school students, can help you develop your approach and find lesson plans to use in your classroom. 

How much time do you have to teach about the Holocaust?

Introductory Lessons (One to Two Days)

Note: the lesson plans below have online student asynchronous versions and are available in Spanish.

• Definition of the Holocaust (15-minute activity)

• Introduction to the Holocaust (one-day lesson plan)

• History of Antisemitism and the Holocaust (one to two-day lesson plan) 

• Timeline Activity (two to four-day lesson plan with multi-layered timeline, extension options, and free timeline cards available)

  • Timeline Extensions

    • Anne Frank (for ELA)

    • Elie Wiesel (for ELA)

    • American Responses to the Holocaust (for History)

    • Racial “Science”  and Law in Nazi Germany and the United States (for History)

For help with multi-day or unit planning, use the Museum's Building a Holocaust Unit Guide to plan your lessons. Learn more about Building a Holocaust Unit from Museum staff.

Do you teach History, Social Studies, or other humanities classes?

• Holocaust Film Guide (universal guide designed to support viewing any film)

• Exploring Pre-War Jewish Life (flexible lesson with options to explore Museum collections)

• Challenges of Escape (flexible lesson about the challenges of leaving Nazi Germany and coming to the United States)

Do you teach English, Language Arts, or Literature?

• Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl (flexible lesson plan with timeline and optional activities)

• Night by Elie Wiesel (flexible lesson plan with timeline and optional activities)

• Exploring Holocaust-era diaries (flexible lesson plan with diary excerpts and classroom activities)

• Holocaust Literature Guide (universal guide designed to support the reading of any Holocaust book)

• Holocaust Film Guide (universal guide designed to support viewing any film)

Digital Resources for the Classroom

• Online Exhibitions

• Holocaust Videos for Classroom Use

• Virtual Tour

Professional Development

• Review Museum Guidelines for Teaching about the Holocaust to inform the choices you make in your classroom. 

• If you are looking for on-demand professional development opportunities, watch the professional development video collections created by Museum staff.

  • These videos cover Museum resources, guidelines for teaching about the Holocaust, appropriate pedagogy, and classroom strategies.