Webquest for Night

Overview:

A webquest project uses the resources of the Internet to explore and answer questions pertaining to a particular topic. We are going to explore the background of the Holocaust in relation to the memoir Night. This webquest was designed to be used as a pre-reading activity for the book Night and combines the traditional elements of literature with the use of technology in order to meet Student NETS and Michigan Common Core State Standards.

Introduction:

You will soon begin reading the memoir Night by Elie Wiesel. In preparation, it is extremely important that you gain the necessary background information in order to understand certain situations and events. This book is very disturbing as Mr. Wiesel shares his experiences in a Nazi Concentration Camp during World War II.  Throughout the book, you will read about his horrific journey through evil and horror as a young European Jew.

Task:

Part I requires you to explore Web sites on various topics related to the Jewish Holocaust. You will be given a selection of web sites related to these issues from which to choose.

Part II will require you to gather information about the Genocide.  What is?  What are some examples of Genocide? Where is Genocide happening today?  You will need to gather and print at least three sources to be used later in class.

Process:

Explore these sites for information about the themes or concepts that Elie Wiesel discussed in Night.  For this part of the webquest, you will be responsible for handing in your answers to the questions that accompany each topic.

Timeline and Grading
All of the questions for Part I and your requirements for Part II are due at the beginning of class on Monday, March 21. 

For Part I, you will need to complete 20 of the questions correction and you must answer at least two questions from each of the five sections.  Each of the questions is worth one point.

For Part II, you will receive two points each (to total 6) for each of the printouts as long as you follow the criteria discussed.  You will receive up to four (4) points for the summarizing paragraph.

Part I: Background for Night and the Holocaust

Topic I: About the Author

Elie Wiesel Foundation

  1.  Where was Elie born? In what year?

  2.  What happened to him at the age of fifteen?

  3.  Elie received an appointment from President Jimmy Carter. For what was that?

  4.  Where does Elie live now?
  5.  What great honor did he receive in 1986?

Topic II: The Final Solution

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: "Final Solution" Overview

    6.  Nazis coined the term "The Final Solution."  To what does this term refer?  Why did they use this language?

    7. What were some of the stages implemented as part of "The Final Solution?" 

    8. What was the intended purpose of these state-sponsored programs?

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Ghettos
    9.   How were ghettos used just before and during WWII? 
   10. Where were the first ghettos set up? 
   11.  How many ghettos were established?
   12.  Why did the Nazis initially set up ghettos? 
   13.  What happened with the ghettos after the implementation of the "Final Solution" in 1941?

Topic III: Concentration Camps and Auschwitz

United States Holocaust Museum: Auschwitz
Holocaust Research Project: Auschwitz
  14. Where was (and still is) Auschwitz located?
  15. What was Auschwitz?
  16. How many people were killed there?
  17. What were some of the things that first happened to people arrived at the camps?
  18. What was everyday life like there in terms of clothing, food, and the bathrooms?

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Gassing Operations
  19. What were gas chambers?
  20. Why did the Nazis begin using gas chambers instead of mobile killing units and shooting squads after a while?
  21. What did the Nazi SS guards pretend the gas chambers were?
  22. At the height of its operation, how many people were gassed daily at Auschwitz?

Topic IV: Doctor Mengele's Experiments

Dr. Mengele- The Angel of Death
Mengele Experiments- Mini- Documentary
  23. For what is Dr. Mengele famous?  What was his role at Auschwitz?
  24. On whom did Dr. Mengele primarily perform experiments?  How did he rationalize these experiements on these people?
  25. While Dr. Mengele's experiments were unimaginably cruel, some scientific discovery came out of them that we still use today (pressurized airplanes, dental procedures, etc).  Some have argued that Dr. Mengele should be given credit for these discoveries.  Others argue that he should receive no credit since the nature of his experiments was so brutal.  What do you think and why do you feel this way?

 Topic V: Assassination Attempts on "Der Fuhrer"
Article-Eight Most Notable Attempts to Kill Hitler
Valkyrie Movie Trailer

26. What are your thoughts after reading through the article?

27. What trends or similarities about the many attempts?

 Part II: Exploring Genocide

For Part II, you will need to gather information about genocide: what it is, where it is happening, and where it has and continues to occur.

First, you will use Google to search the term and any related words or phrases.  Your goal is to find three different sources, all of much which be a different types of media or type. 

Once you have located a source, you should skip through it to see if it is appropriate (and not too long).  If you think the source is beneficial and appropriate, print it.  Keep track of your types of media in the chart provided to ensure that you do not have more than one of the same type.

Use a highlighter to go through your three printouts to find answers to the following questions.  When you are done highlighting important information, you need to write a 7-10 sentence paragraph summarizing your findings.  Be sure to answer each of the questions below.

• What is genocide?
• What are some examples?
• Is it happening today? Where?
• What are questions you have or things you wonder about genocide?