Free Unit for Night by Elie Wiesel

This are materials that I used to teach Night, by Elie Wiesel, to my 9 Intensified students. Since it is a short book and my 9 Intensified students are very strong readers, the unit is quick. This was also, clearly, one of my very early units and not my most cohesive work. I think the strengths of the unit are the extension activities and some of the literary device handouts. The lessons are detailed below and the handouts are linked to Google Docs.

Unit Title: Night, by Elie Wiesel

Unit Theme(s):

• Tolerance can make a difference in the world

• The only way to not repeat history is to study it and work towards fixing past mistakes

We are reading and studying Night in order to:

• Analyze Elie Wiesel’s objectivity (and discuss the meaning of objectivity) and his writing style;

• Identify causes for genocide, anti-Semitism, and the Holocaust, and to discuss their meaning to our current generation;

• Analyze Night as a non-fiction literary response to extraordinary personal experiences and political events;

• Find themes in common between Night and other works of literature, and with our year-long theme of identity

• Continue to develop skills in reading, writing, thinking, and listening.

Grade Level: 9

Time Frame: 2 ½- 3 weeks

Reading Schedule:

Day 1-Chapter 1 (section 1) (15 pages )

Day 2-Chapters 2-3 (sections 2/3) (17 pages)

Day 3-Chapters 4-5 (sections 4/5) (28 pages)

Day 4- Chapters 6-7 (sections 6/7) (14 pages)

Day 5-Chapters 8-9 (sections 8/9) (8 pages )

Stage 1-Identify Desired Results

Virginia SOLs-Reading

• Explain the relationship between the author’s style and literary effect (tone and theme)

• Identify and analyze an author’s use of diction to convey ideas and content (understatement)

• Describe the use of images and sounds to elicit the reader’s emotions

• Read and analyze a variety of informational materials (manuals, textbooks, business letters, newspapers, brochures, reports (media),…

• Evaluate clarity and accuracy of information

• Synthesize information from sources and apply it in written and oral presentations

Essential Questions

What is genocide?

Why should we reach out and help others?

What is a crime against humanity?

Essential Understandings

• Genocide was not an isolated event during World War II, it is still happening today

• Judging others is unhealthy and leads to devastation

• We cannot just sit back and say “Oh well!.” A lot can be done to help others in the world.

• The only way to not repeat history is to study it and work towards fixing past mistakes

• Events on a national level can have global effects.

Stage 2 –Evidence of Expected Outcomes/Performance Tasks

• Communicate with decision makers about the need to provide humanitarian assistance, protect civilians, stop the violence, and promote solutions to the crises.

• Unit Test

Daily Lessons

Day 1-What is the Holocaust?

• Research: Assign each student a topic from this list and have them write a 1-page paper about the topic with two sources.

• Share out: If time, have kids share out what they learned from their research. Have the students who are listening take notes on this note-taking guide.

Day 2

• Introduction to Night Key Terms: Go through “Intro to Night-Key Terms” PowerPoint-Ask students what they know about the following words: Judaism, Adolf Hitler, Fascism, Anti-Semitism, Final Solution, Genocide, Holocaust, Master Race, Nazi Party. For my kids, this activity was a review of information they already covered in history class. It should also be a review of the research they conducted on Day 1.

• Watch “Survivors of the Holocaust” (30 minutes)

Day 3-Introduce book and style

• Journal: In your journal, reflect briefly on how you felt after watching “Survivors of the Holocaust”

• Style: Briefly introduce