Grade Level
7th-12th grade

Subject
Social Studies
Language Arts/Reading

Time Needed
1-2 class period(s)

This exercise helps students identify the priorities and perspectives of individuals struggling to live in the Warsaw Ghetto at the time of the Great Aktion – 22 July to 12 September 1942.

Diary excerpts used in this lesson:

1. Abraham Lewin extract from Art from the Ashes by Lawrence Langer (pages 161-163).
2. The Warsaw Diary of Adam Czerniakow edited by Raul Hilberg (pages 378-385).
3. Janina Bauman excerpt from Voices and Views by Deborah Dwork (324-326).
4. The Diary of Mary Berg edited by Susan Pentlin (pages 156-167).
5. Scroll of Agony by Chaim Kaplan (pages 375-385).

These texts are available in the MCHE Library. Contact us if you need help obtaining the excerpts used in this lesson.

Materials
Teacher Instructions
Warsaw Ghetto Aktion Notesheet
Warsaw Ghetto Aktion Notesheet_Digital
Warsaw Ghetto Aktion KEY