Holocaust Research Project Teen Resistance - Holocaust Literature Activities

Use the Teen Holocaust Resistance Project with any Holocaust story in order to provide historical context! This unique resource focuses on teen and young adult Holocaust resisters who took courageous stands! Use with Night by Elie Wiesel, the Diary of Anne Frank, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, or Book Thief! Implement as a standalone Holocaust research project. Your students will be fascinated by acts of resistance facilitated by their peers.

Designed for secondary students, these activities and final research project will take 3-4 days to complete.

Teen Holocaust resisters featured in this resource include Jewish teens, young German outliers, teenage partisan fighters, and worldwide Holocaust resistance groups. Their determination, acts of resistance, and bravery impacted the world and changed the course of our history.

This research project tells THEIR stories.

Research Topic

For this project, students will first choose and conduct research on a person involved in the Holocaust resistance, a Nazi resistance group or movement, or an example of an uprising that occurred in a Holocaust concentration camp.

Students will easily find a topic to research. They will be provided access to 55 bookmarked Holocaust resistance sites and videos! All websites are bookmarked and accessible from one link! No sign up or accounts are needed.

Using the rich video clips and informative sites, students will learn about concentration camp uprisings, brave acts of resistance, and teens who took a stand by fighting back against Hitler and Nazi Germany – no matter the cost.

Technology Project

After conducting research and taking notes, students will commemorate the heroism, determination, and sacrifice of teen and young adult resisters by creating a research-based virtual Padlet wall. Their Holocaust Resistance Padlet wall will feature relevant images, facts, and multimedia to showcase their research.

Materials Included

• Three Bell Ringers with Read, Respond, Discuss Questions
• Links to informational text articles on the DAPL Water Protectors and the 9/11 passenger uprising that occurred on Flight 93
• Pre-Search song activity featuring songs with themes relating to survival and overcoming adversity with questions and answer key
• Access to a Holocaust Research Symbaloo with over 56 bookmarked websites and documentary clips
• Digital note-taking handout with guiding questions to provide structure during the research process
• MLA Source Citation Reference Sheet (9th Edition)
• Link to a Padlet Video How-To Tutorial
• Editable Project Sheet with guidelines and research links
• Two Padlet Holocaust Resistance project examples to use as a model
• Editable Holocaust Research Project Rubric

The project examples will further motivate students prior to beginning their research!

The two padlets for this project include the following:

✅ Sophie Scholl and the White Rose Resistance Movement

✅ The Sobibor Death Camp Uprising

This project was designed for Google Drive and Google Classroom. Access and share directions are included for Google Drive, Google Classroom, Microsoft Office, and OneDrive.

This resource will provide you with a pacing guide, teacher notes, and suggestions for implementation. This project is designed for the convenience of you, the teacher, with an emphasis on structure in order for your students to be successful!

Subject Areas and Implementation

This Holocaust resistance research and technology project can be implemented to supplement a World History Unit on World War II and the Holocaust.

Secondary English teachers can use The Resisters as an introduction to Holocaust literature or as a concluding short-term research project implemented after reading Elie Wiesel’s Night, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, The Book Thief, Devil's Arithmetic, or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Common Core Standards Alignment

Teachers can use this resource as a short-term research project in order to meet Common Core English Research Standards and Social Studies Standards - Literacy in Social Studies.

See what other educators and parents like you are saying about this resource!

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"My students were very engaged! Some even commented on how much they learned and that it was "fun". The directions are extremely easy to follow. I had some difficulties with downloads and the author answered my questions and helped me in minutes. This is so well put together- ten stars!"

Judy B.

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“I used this at the very start of the Pandemic and the sudden transition to online schooling. I was at a loss for how to do a research project with my 7th graders. This resource was incredible! It was engaging, the instructions were really clear, and it was perfectly scaffolded to help them use good sources and integrate sources together.”

ELAted in the Middle (TPT Seller)

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"I am using this product in class right now to wrap up my unit on the Holocaust. I really wanted my students to understand the scope and magnitude of resistance people displayed to fight back against the Nazis and to honor their efforts, so this resource was just what I wanted.

I also like the focus on teen resisters so my students can see the difference people like them can and do make in the world every day."

Karen O.

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“My daughter, whom I homeschool, loved using this padlet activity. We printed out her final full color version to include in her binder for her annual evaluation, and it really stood out!! And she enjoyed explaining everything she had learned about her chosen resister (Hannah Szenes) to the evaluator. We used it as a culminating activity after reading the Diary of Anne Frank and doing the relevant Oak Meadow curriculum work. It can be hard for WWII materials to get the right balance between grim and uplifting, but this resource walked that fine line very well. I am so glad we found something that highlighted the concept of resisting and standing up for one's beliefs, even when resistance may appear to be quote unquote "futile." Much needed for us! Also, using padlet let my daughter explore some creative design elements that tied in thematically, which was a nice touch. The structure of the assignments appealed to a fairly easily bored student who tends to balk at traditional writing assignments (despite being an avid reader and outside-of-school writer). Overall, a solid resource, highly recommended. Thanks very much!!!”

Amy E. B

Are you looking for additional ways to implement relevant research-based activities into your curriculum?

You can find my research resources and projects at the link below:

Ready-Made Research Resources and High-Interest Projects for Teens and Tweens

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