By Elie Wiesel
Coordinated by
K.Helgren, L.Joberg, K.Mussieux, D.Smith
English 33
They came for the Communists, and I
didn’t object - For I wasn’t
a Communist;
They came for the Socialists, and I
didn’t object - for I wasn’t a Socialist;
They came for the labour leaders, and I
didn’t object - For I wasn’t a labour leader;
They came for the Jews, and I didn’t
object - For I wasn’t a Jew;
Then they came for me -
And there was no one left to object.
Martin Niemoller
German Protestant Pastor
1892 - - 1984
Overview: Description of tasks
Description of Unit
Story Charts: characters, motifs/symbols, historical and biblical references,
Pictures/quotes
Memory box/Diary
Final Personal Response
During class study of the autobiography Night you
will be required to complete the following assignments:
1. Charts
After reading the assigned pages, student groups will be responsible for creating
the following charts.
a. Character
Using Elie, his father, and one other character,
choose two incidents where their personalities cause them to deal with situations
differently.
On your chart, first describe the characteristic to be compared. Then, using
three columns, explain the person’s character trait and identify the significant
incident(s) that illustrate it.
b. Symbols/motifs
Explain the significance in the story of each symbol/motif that you find.
c. Allusions
Make two charts , one of historical references and
one of Biblical references. Include page numbers.
Exemplar of Student Chart (a) using ch
aracters
from 
English 23 novel Of Mice and Men.
#1: These characters have diffe
rent attitudes about how
to deal with stress.
Lennie Curley George
Characteristic: Characteristic: Characteristic:
When he is frightened he will When he is not in control George’s fears
centre on
panic . He tends to clench his or feels that he has been Lennie’s well-being.
His
fist on whatever is in his hand belittled, he lashes out first instinct in protecting
and squeeze, hard, then freeze violently Lennie is to keep a low profile, but
if that doesn’t
work, to take whatever
action is necessary.
Situation: Situation: Situation:
Mice nip his fingers, Curley After Slim belittles him George tells Lennie to
beats him up, Curley’s wife for his suspicions, “just stay away from
that
yells at him. He squeezes, Curley is angry and man”, but when Lennie
freezes, and won’t let go till the embarrassed. He is being hurt, George
reason for panic is gone (or thinks Lennie is laughing yells “Get him,
Lennie”,
dead). at him, so beats him up. thus freeing Lennie to
defend himself.
Exemplar of entry on symbolism chart, using symbolism 
from
English 23
novel Of Mice and Men
Symbol Significance
the little farm While this is literally a goal or dream that they share, it
that George and becomes a symbol of both security and the roots that they Lennie
would would like to have.
like to buy It incorporates their friendship, their strong sense of family,
and security in their later years.
.
2. A Survivor’s Perspective
a. Open up a Claris page to save pictures and quotations on.
b. Picture Assignment: This may be presented as
a computer slide show or on paper.
Choose a search engine (www.google.com and www.metacrawler.com
are recommended) and find five pictures that you feel are particularly compelling
in terms of life and death in the concentration camps.
Some suggested key search words:
holocaust Elie Wiesel
Simon Weisenthal concentration camp
Sobibor Auschwitz
Birkenau Buchenwald
Copy these pictures onto your Claris page. After
each one, formulate a significant question or statement.
c. Quotation Assignment:
Open up this address:
http://remember.org
After reading various survivors’ accounts, select five quotations that
you find particularly interesting, compelling, or horrifying. Print each quotation,
then formulate a significant question or statement for each.
Exemplar of sample picture and quotation
“The thought of vulnerable, soft human bodies being
handled by this sharp, impersonal iron instrument is obscene.’
Exemplar of a quotation from a witness and a student response:
“Now for Dachau - we saw nothing unusual from a
distance - some smoke coming out of smokestacks- you couldn't see inside the
walls or whatever the enclosure was.” Glenn Edward Belcher, Dachau Liberator.
Letter to Susan, April 20, 1985
“Neither the newly-arrived prisoners nor the liberators knew what was being
burned inside the ovens; didn’t it smell of burning flesh?”
d. Summary Paragraph Assignment:
Choose one of the above pictures or quotations
and write a personal response to it.
Suggested length -- 250 words.
3. Novel Project: Choose (a) OR (b)
a. Memory Box
Taking on the persona of either Elie, his father, or
an officer of the SS, create a memory box. Find or create a box that will best
represent that person, and using the details from the book, fill it with artifacts
that best represent that person and their experiences. Creativity and careful
attention to
details in the book will ensure your ability to capture the memories of the
character. The box and the items included should look like genuine articles
that would be ones kept by loved ones and would fit the time period of the book.
OR
b. Diary
Using the details in the book, create a character (either a member of the
SS or one of the prisoners in the concentration camp) and write a diary of that
person’s experiences. The diary will relate both facts and reactions to
the events that happen during your character’s stay in the concentration
camp. Minimum length: ten entries. Your choice of material used to make the
diary is a very important decision , as you are being asked to create a historical
artifact that looks like it comes from the time period of W.W. II. The focus
should be creativity and the ability to capture a person’s realistic experience.
When evaluating the Memory Box, the teacher should establish a marking scale
for the students beforehand.
This is a subjective analysis that will vary from teacher to teacher.
In some classrooms the teacher will establish a rubric based on whether there
is
A. outstanding evidence of awareness of detail in the
text and appreciation of the significance of the
items chosen.
B. strong evidence of awareness of detail in the
text and appreciation of the significance of the
items chosen.
C. adequate evidence of awareness of detail in the
text and appreciation of the significance of the
items chosen.
D. little evidence of awareness of detail in the
text and appreciation of the significance of the
items chosen.
When evaluating the diary, the teacher should establish a marking scale for
the students beforehand.
This is a subjective analysis that will vary from teacher to teacher.
In some classrooms the teacher will establish a rubric based on whether there
is evidence of
- organizing events in logical order
- including important details from the character’s life
- using information that is basically correct
- a clear understanding of the person’s character
- a clear setting
- a conflict that is developed
4. Final Personal Response
Your teacher will assign a personal response in the
format of the Alberta Education English 33 final
Diploma Examination.
Both the Summary Paragraph and the Personal Response will be marked according
to the Marking Criteria used in marking the final essay examination.
Thought and Detail: Addresses how effectively the assignment is addressed
and how well the explanation supports/clarifies the response.
Organization: Addresses how effectively the writing
demonstrates unity and consistency, clarity and coherence.
Matters of Choice: Addresses how effectively the writer’s choices
in matters of diction, syntax, and creation of a writer’s voice contribute
to the total composition.
Matters of Correctness: Addresses how effectively the writer handles
sentence construction, usage, grammar and mechanics. Proportion of error to
complexity and length of response are to be considered.
Students will be evaluated in each category as follows:
Excellent (5)
Competent (4)
Satisfactory (3)
Limited (2)
Poor (1)
Teacher Resources:
1. Night by Elie Wiesel
2. Some URL’s for Teachers
http://remember.org The “mother lode” of pictures, maps,
survivor’s accounts, maps, etc. Very useful. Has many links to other sites.
http://www.ushmm.org United State Holocaust Memorial
Museum and contents
http://www.nizkor.org A holocaust information project. Contains camps, bibliographies,
holocaust theories, archives, etc.
http://historyplace.com/speeches/wiesel.htm “Great
Speeches” collection and a summary of
Wiesel’s personal experiences.
3. Claris works
LEARNER OUTCOMES:
1. ICT Outcomes
P1 Students will compose, revise and edit text
P2 Students will organize and manipulate data
P3 Students will communicate through multimedia
P4 Students will integrate various applications
C3 Students will critically assess information accessed through the use of
a variety of technologies
C4 Students will use organizational processes and tools to manage inquiry
C5 Students will use technology to aid collaboration during inquiry
C7 Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge
and meaning
2. Senior High Language Arts Curricular Outcomes:
General Outcome #1: Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
1.2 Extend awareness
General Outcome #2: Comprehend and respond personally and creatively to literature
and to other texts in print, visual and multimedia forms.
2.1 Construct meaning from text and context
2.3 Respond to texts
General Outcome #3: Manage Ideas and Information
3.1 Determine research requirements
3.2 Follow a research plan
3.3 Review and evaluate research resources and findings
General Outcome #4: Create print, visual, and multimedia texts and enhance the
clarity and artistry of communication.
4.1 Draft and develop print, visual and multimedia texts
4.2 Assess and improve thoughtfulness, effectiveness and correctness of
communication
4.3 Produce, publish and present print, visual and multimedia texts
General Outcome #5: Respect, support and collaborate with others
5.2 Work within a group