Jewish resistance to the Holocaust
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain different types of Jewish resistance and the obstacles resistance faced during the Holocaust.
Key learning points
- Violent and nonviolent methods were used by Jews to resist the Holocaust.
- Jews from a wide range of backgrounds were engaged in resistance.
- Violent resistance included uprisings and partisan actions.
- Nonviolent resistance included acts like smuggling.
- Many obstacles discouraged or limited the effectiveness of Jewish resistance.
Keywords
Partisan - a member of a group that secretly fights against soldiers who are controlling their country
Spontaneous - happening naturally and suddenly and without being planned
Kashariyot - young Jewish women involved in smuggling and carrying messages between Jewish communities
Smuggling - to take something into or out of a place in an illegal or secret way
Common misconception
Resistance always involves the use of violence.
Jews adopted many nonviolent forms of resistance. Actions like smuggling resisted Nazi attempts to starve Jews and continuing education secretly resisted Nazi attempts to destroy Jewish culture.
Teacher tip
Task B could be extended with the use of another picture source for students to analyse. The image shown on slide 24 relating to the kashariyot represents an appropriate increase in challenge that could be used for this purpose.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word best describe someone who was aware of Jewish persecution but did nothing to help?
Q2.In which of the following countries were Jews murdered as part of the Holocaust?
Q3.Who conducted the Vel' d'Hiv Raid?
Q4.Who was Rudolf Höss?
Q5.Where did the majority of Holocaust victims come from?
Q6.Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Write the missing word. involves taking something into or out of a place in an illegal or secret way.
Q2.What type of areas did partisans usually operate in?
Q3.How many escapees from Sobibor extermination camp in 1943 were murdered afterwards by Poles?
Q4.Uprisings in Jewish ghettos are an example of what type of response to the Holocaust?
Q5.Smuggling in Jewish ghettos are an example of what type of response to the Holocaust?
Q6.How did concerns about family affect resistance to the Holocaust in Gad Beck's experience?
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: Jewish resistance to the Holocaust, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: Jewish resistance to the Holocaust, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The Holocaust: what was the Holocaust? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.