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Procedure:
Students will gain a better understanding of the
plight of Anne Frank, her family, and those who
were in hiding with her if they visit the web sites
in this lesson before reading The Diary of Anne
Frank, the novel, or The Diary of Anne
Frank, the play. In this unit, students will
read historical background information about the
Holocaust, Anne Frank, and her family, tour the
secret Annex, complete a scavenger hunt, increase
grade level/historical vocabulary, and respond to
their reading in a reader's logs. |
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Introduction
1. Before students begin reading The Diary of
Anne Frank, have them visit several Anne Frank
and Holocaust related web sites to gain
introductory information about Anne Frank, her
family, the others that were in hiding with her,
and her diary. First, use the following
discussion questions to introduce the subject
matter and themes found in The Diary of Anne Frank
to your students:
Discussion Questions
 | Before reading the diary or seeing the play,
ask yourself -- what have you heard about Anne
Frank? What do you think you know about her
story? Talk about how some people can be so
famous that we "know" or think we "know" about
them without actually learning the facts or the
historic times in which they lived. In addition
to Anne Frank, write the names of other "famous"
individuals on the chalk board or overhead. Ask
students to share what they know about these
individuals.
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| Anne, the main character in this story, is a
young girl whose family is forced into hiding by
the Nazi invaders. In her diary she writes about
many things she misses.
Make a list of at least five things you would miss
if you had to leave your home for a long time.
After you have read the first act of the play or
the first 20 pages of the diary, review your
list and compare it to what Anne says she
misses.
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| Anne uses her diary to help her to escape
from the problems she faces each day and the
fears she has. Anne, her family, and those in
hiding with her must live with the constant fear
that one day they will be discovered, arrested,
and sent to a Nazi concentration camp. If you
were in the same predicament as Anne and the
others, how would you cope with the fear of
living in such a small space and in constant
fear? With your classmates, brainstorm to list
strategies that you would use to find temporary
relief from the pressures and discomforts of
living in hiding.
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| Discuss the Nazis' determination to rid
Europe of Jews and to take as much land as
possible for Germany.
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Diary Background
After visiting the above
websites, record the information you discovered
about Anne, her family, and her diary on this worksheet.
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Background Information
2. After students have read and discussed this
introductory information about Anne Frank and her
diary, go to the sites hyperlinked below to learn
more about the Holocaust. Have students read about
both phases, 1933-1939 and 1939-1945. Instruct students to take notes on each
of the topics listed below on the worksheet that is provided.
Historical Background
Next, place students into pairs to gather
information about the Holocaust and to present that
information to the class or to write a group
report that will be turned in to the teacher.
Place students into groups, divide the class in
half, giving each half one phase of the Holocaust.
Students will write down the information that they
find in their fact gathering on a worksheet.
After they have completed the worksheet they will
take all of the facts from each phase and combine
into one or several detailed paragraphs. As a
result, each person should have ONE detailed
paragraph, or a total of TWO detailed paragraphs
for the group.
Have each group present their information in a
different way. Here are some suggestions for ways
in which students can present the information they
have gathered:
| Provide overhead transparencies for students
to show bulleted points as they speak.
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| Allow students to present their information
using PowerPoint, if available.
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| Allow students to type their information
into a web editor, and to display it on the
school web site.
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| Provide markers and flip charts for students
to use.
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| Allow students to import pictures from
multimedia encyclopedias or download from the
internet and discuss them.
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3. Begin reading the diary or the play version
of The Diary of Anne Frank. While reading the play
or the drama, complete one or more of the activities listed in this
unit. |
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Additional
Activities:
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Timeline
1. Create a time line of events from Anne's
birth to the publication of her diary. Include
events she speaks of and war events. Continue the
timeline of the diary through to its publication in
1947. Have students find at least 20 events to
place on their timelines. Allow them to use the
following events and dates, and to add to this.
Fill in the timeline
form provided.
Writing Activities
2. Discuss the relationships between the
teenagers and their parents. What were some of the
sources of conflict between Anne and her parents?
Have students imagine how they would react if they
were in the same situation.
*3. Pretend that you are either Anne or
Peter (or any of the characters from the play or
the diary). Write a letter to Jopie, Anne's friend
in the play, or to anyone that Anne mentions in her
diary or any of the characters in the play. In the
letter, tell your friend about what life in hiding
is like. Before you start writing, list several
topics you want to include. The topics might be how
you spend your day, how your relationships with
people have changed, and so forth. Remember, you
are writing a friendly letter and not a business
letter.
* Before assigning this activity, give a
mini-lesson on friendly letter writing. Click here
for a friendly letter template.
+4. Imagine that it is the anniversary of
Anne Frank's death. Write a letter to the editor of
your local paper in which you explain why you feel
it is good that the play based on her diary is read
and performed regularly today.
First, make an outline of the points you want to
include. Explain what the theme of the play is and
why it is still an important one to consider.
Write a first draft of your business letter.
Then read it carefully. Make any needed revisions.
Remember, this letter may be delivered to the
editor of the newspaper so make sure it is error
free.
Finally, write a final draft of your letter,
being careful to follow the correct form for a
business letter. When you finish, reread your
letter to make sure the spelling and punctuation
are correct.
+ Before assigning this activity, give a
mini-lesson on business letter writing. Click here
for a business letter template.
Virtual Tour
5. The
Anne Frank House - Take a virtual tour of the
Anne Frank House which is located in the center of
Amsterdam where you can find the hiding place where
Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during World War
II. The original diary is on display as part of the
Anne Frank House's permanent exhibition. Visiting
the Anne Frank House has been a moving experience
for millions of people from all over the world.
This is by far the best interactive and
informative web sites on Anne Frank that is on the
internet.
| Where is the Anne Frank House - View a map
of its location. Map of the
Netherlands
and
Amsterdam.
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| The
Anne Frank House - A brief page devoted to
the place of hiding for Anne Frank and her
companions. Included are hours and dates when
the House is open to visitors.
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| The
Diary - View the original diary.
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Scavenger Hunt
6. The Diary of Anne Frank online
scavenger hunt! Students will tour
The Anne Frank
House web site, and revisit other web sites
listed in this unit to find the answers to
questions on Anne Frank's life, her diary, and the
Holocaust. Click
here to begin the hunt for insight into the
world of Anne Frank and Jews during World War II.
Reader's Logs
7. As students read The Diary of Anne
Frank, have them create reader's
logs. After each reading session, have them
write reactions to what they read in their log.
Have students make daily entries in their logs
while reading the novel or the play. After
completing the novel or the play, have students
write a summarizing log entry about all they have
learned about the intolerance of the Nazis, about a
person's courage in the face of despair, and about
the difficulties of living in such a crowded and
confined space. |
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