What impact did the Holocaust have on how we view race? This is an issue my students explore every year, drawing connections between history, racism, and current issues of race in the USA. For this project we need copies of the graphic novel MAUS to explore a first-person account of the Holocaust.
My students live in a highly impoverished and rural area on a reservation in Washington State.
Over 90% of them live well below the poverty line and struggle to own proper clothes, food, and school materials -- owning books, technology, or venturing outside our rural valley is not something many of them are fortunate to be able to do.
Funding for our school is minimal, and every year we are asked to do more with less. Thanks to micro-grants provided by DonorsChoose.org and other organizations, I've been able to provide new reading materials for my students and replace old technology, but the need is greater than I've been able to provide for and my students need additional assistance from donors who are looking to help improve the education of some impoverished and deserving kids.
My Project
The Holocaust is never an easy subject to teach -- often graphic, often disturbing, but something that must be learned, remembered, and reflected upon. I have found one of the best ways to teach the content is through the graphic novel MAUS, a fantastic first-person account of the struggles of the Jewish condition in 1930ÂÂs Poland and an inside look at the strength of will needed to survive Auschwitz.
As I've discovered in the past, using this novel is a great way to ensure student buy-in, as many of my students are struggling readers and by using diverse materials I can engage learners of all ability levels. Many of my students have found great success with this novel in the past, so I want to ensure that future classes have access to it as well. Unfortunately, this year several copies of the text that I owned were stolen or damaged beyond repair, so I need 15 new copies of both Volumes 1 and 2 to ensure that next year's students can have the same experience as previous years.
The Holocaust is a tragic moment in human history and one we can't forget.
Sadly, many of my students reach my ninth grade classroom having never heard of it. By using engaging materials I want make sure the Holocaust is never forgotten by my students so that one day these future leaders of our society can ensure that it never happens again.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Olden and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.