Number the Stars

by Lowis Lowery

6th grade

|   Introduction   |   Task   |   Process   |   Resources   |   Evaluation   |   Conclusion   |

|   Teacher Notes   |

Introduction

It is 1943 and you are living in Copenhagen, Germany.  Your home, neighborhood, school, activities, clothes and social interactions are different than anything you are familiar with in today's society.  Not to mention there are food shortages and Nazi soldiers everywhere.  This WebQuest will take you back in time to learn what your life would be like as a young person growing up in the during World War II. Using what you learn you will write a series of pen pal letters to someone living in the year 2004.

One of the most famous pictures of the Holocaust. German storm troopers force Warsaw ghetto dwellers of all ages to move, hands up, during 1943.

The Task

You are going to begin by researching the resources listed below to learn about your life during World War II. Using the information you learn, you will write four letters to your pen-pal living in 2004. Each letter will focus on the following four aspects of your life.

• In your first letter, describe your home and neighborhood in detail. Include lots of specific and interesting information so that the reader of your letter can picture the environment in which you live.  

• In your second letter, tell about your family. What types of activities do you enjoy to do with your family? What kind of job do your parents have?  How many brothers and sisters do you have and what are their ages? 

• In your third letter, tell about your school and your friends. Describe your school, classes you take and your teachers. Who are your friends, and what are some activities you enjoy doing together?

• In your fourth letter, describe what's going on in the world around you. What's happening in the nation politically and economically? Tell about popular fashions, music, radio programs, and other interesting facts.

In all countries occupied by the Nazis, there were those individual non-Jewish people who were prepared to risk their lives to rescue Jews from persecution and death. They were the exceptions to the rule. Because of their valiant and heroic efforts, thousands of Jews were rescued from the clutches of the Nazis

The Process

The following instructions will make completing of your task easy!

1.     Reread the first two chapters of Number the Stars.  On a note card write Book as the title then make notes about the setting and characters in this novel. This preparation will help you as you begin to research.

2.      On another note card write Letter as the title and then write the the gender, race, and age of the "character" that you will become as you write these letters. Also include a name for your character and who you are going to address each of your letters to.  You might consider writing to a friend, family member or even to your teacher.

3.      On your next four note cards write the following topics on the top of each card:

                    1. Home and Neighborhood

                    2. Family and Standard of Living

                    3. School and Friends

                    4. Social and Political Events.

4.      Begin by exploring the resources listed below. You should be able to find all of the information needed to do this assignment on those websites.  To find more information you may also go to the library. 

5.      As you explore the sites record facts on the appropriate card. Some tips to make note taking more effective include printing excerpts from sites that you find useful; use highlighters to mark important information. This information can then be recorded, in your own words, on your note cards. Printouts that you get information from will need to be included with what you turn in.  For each additional note card you used be sure to title it appropriately. Be sure that you create a bibliography for each resource you use. 

6.      When you have collected information about each of the four topics, you are prepared to begin the writing process.  Remember, you are writing from the perspective of a person living during World War II. You are explaining your life to a person living in 2004. Your letters should include enough detail and description for your reader to gain a good sense of what your life is like.

7.      Each one of your letters should follow the following process:

   a.      A completed Brainstorming page

   b.      Prewriting (not typed) with notes from conference with the teacher

   c.      A typed draft with notes from two separate conferences.  One with the teacher and one with a fellow student.  During these conferences you will get suggestions for revisions and editing. 

   d.      Final draft

8.      You will be required to turn in your four published letters, your note cards, all writing drafts, and notes. These materials should be presented in an organized, labeled folder.

*  Find out about living conditions during World War II

            http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2children/research/research_intro.shtml

*  What it was like for Children during WWII

          http://www.iwm.org.uk/education/lifeinww2/children/childindex.htm

*  What did people eat?

           http://www.iwm.org.uk/education/lifeinww2/eat/eatindex.htm

*  What did people wear?

           http://www.iwm.org.uk/education/lifeinww2/wear/wearindex.htm

* What was family life like?

           http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~rescuers/book/Bochove/ikkersheims/abmiawim1.html

* Stories of childhood memories during the Holocaust.

           http://www.valourandhorror.com/DB/ISSUE/Women/GermanWomen.htm

* First hand accounts.

           http://www.adl.org/hidden/between_religions/between_religions_toc.asp

Evaluation

Before turning in your work make sure you can answer yes to the following:

1.     Do you have four complete, revised, edited and typed letters?   

2.      Is each letter focused on the subjects described in the Task section of this WebQuest? Do your letters accurately describe facts about life in World War II?

3.      Has each letter been written using the writing process? (Brainstorming, Prewriting, Drafting, Response, Revision, Editing, Publication). Do your letters show improvement from first draft to final copy?

4.      Is the presentation of your folder containing your letters, note cards and drafts neat and professional?

This WebQuest will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
 

Click here to see the grading rubric that will be used. 

Conclusion

When you complete this WebQuest, you will be able to identify and understand the setting of Number the Stars.  You will have a greater understanding of the personal, social, and political issues which were dealt with in the story, and you will have a greater appreciation for the children and survivors of this period in history.

* Help students create a bibliography page:

          http://www.easybib.com/

* Relevant TEKS to this assignment:

 (13)  Reading/inquiry/research. The student inquires and conducts research using a variety of sources. The student is expected to:

          (E)  summarize and organize information from multiple sources by taking notes, outlining ideas, and making charts (4-8);

(18)  Writing/writing process. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated and assigned writing. The student is expected to:

          (A)  generate ideas and plans for writing by using prewriting strategies such as brainstorming, graphic organizers, notes, and logs (4-8);

(20)  Writing/inquiry/research. The student uses writing as a tool for learning and research. The student is expected to:

          (C)  take notes from relevant and authoritative sources such as guest speakers, periodicals, and on-line searches (4-8);

To find more TEKS visit: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/

Resources Used:

motlc.wiesenthal.com/pages/ t065/t06534.html

www.arts.monash.edu.au/.../ part1/page2.html

www.rcfirstucc.org/ toc.htm

www.us-israel.org/.../ Aliyah_during_war.html

www.virtualnewarknj.com/.../ bodianberg.htm

fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/ people/children.htm

http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~rescuers/book/Bochove/ikkersheims/abmiawim1.html

http://www.valourandhorror.com/DB/ISSUE/Women/GermanWomen.htm

Created by Heather, Lisa, and Mary

April 6, 2004