Holocaust Book Cubs #3

HOLOCAUST BOOK CLUBS #3: DUE TUESDAY, MAY 7 ALL: PREPARE FOR POST IT CHATS AND WRITE TWO HIGH ORDER THINKING QUESTIONS

DANIEL’S STORY—READ CHAPTERS 7-12 VOCABULARY: CAMARADERIE, NURTURE, ECSTATIC, PILFER, LIBERATE, SOLIDARITY 1. What role did music play in Erika’s and Daniel’s lives? 2. Why was the resistance movement so important to Daniel and the other young people? 3. Why did Daniel begin to scavenge? 4. How did good news about the war become bad news for Daniel? 5. Do you think Daniel was justified in scavenging wooden objects from the apartment of the dead man? Explain. 6. Is there anything that is as important to you as Erika’s music was to her? Explain. How would you feel if it were taken away from you? Explain. 7. Do you think Daniel’s father made the right decision in accompanying his wife and daughter? Explain. 8. Why do you think some individuals survived Nazi persecution while others did not? 9. Were character traits or chance more significant and important in survival? Explain. 10. When and where did the D Day invasion occur? What was the plan? Which Allied forces were involved? How successful were the Allies?

THE DEVIL’S ARITHMETIC READ CHAPTERS 9-13 VOCABULARY: DESECRATE, ETERNITY, TREMULOUS, DISCERNABLE, PERIPHERY, DISSIPATE, ARBITRARY, ORCHESTRATE. 1. What do you think the badchan meant when he uttered each of the following proverbs:  The snake smiles but shows no teeth?  Better the fox to guard the hens and the wolves to guard the sheep? 2. Do you think the Jews really believed they were being resettled? Explain. Why do you think they continued to believe they had a future despite what was happening to them? 3. What promise did Gitl have Hannah make? Why do you think she asked her to make that promise? 4. After Hannah’s hair was shorn, the author writes, “Everything felt strange, alien as if she were on another planet, as if she were on the moon.” Why is this comparison being made? Explain. 5. Why do you think Hannah felt that thinking ws dangerous in this place? 6. Why was Hannah revolted by the clothes in the pile for Jewish inmates? What did this suggest about the origin of the clothing (where it came from)? 7. Why do you think the Nazi soldiers shaved the heads of all the prisoners and tattooed numbers on their arms? 8. Contrast the ways in which Gitl and Fayge adapted to life in the concentration camp. 9. Which of the two would be more likely to survive? Why? 10. How were Hannah’s feelings about her home and Seder beginning to change? Explain.

THE UPSTAIRS ROOM—CHAPTERS 6-9 VOCABULARY: JUBILANT, HAUGHTY, INDIGNANT, DISMAYED, COAX, LIBERATE. a. Why do you think it is harder for Sini than for Anne to endure the time in hiding? b. How can you tell that the Oostervelds thought of the girls as part of their family? c. How do you think Anne’s attitude and behavior will change now that she appreciates the danger facing her, Sini and the Oostervelds? d. What was Sini’s main concern as she considered the passage of time? e. Do you think Sini’s worries about her appearance were realistic? What did the suggest about her character? f. Why do you think Annie behaved in an uncharacteristically rude manner during Miss Kleinhoote’s visit? g. What wish do you think each of the girls and each member of the Oosterveldt family made for the new year of 1944? h. Why do you think Rachel was so critical of Anne during her short visit? i. Do some research and find out when and where the Allied invasion of Normandy took place and the effect it had upon the war ending in Europe. How might the invasion of Normandy in France have affected the lives of Annie and Sini in Holland? j. Why did the girls start laughing uncontrollably? Explain a time that may have happened to you. k. Imagine you are Rachel. Describe how she may have felt after visiting her sisters and tell why you feel this way.

JOURNEY TO AMERICA: READ ZURICH, NEW FACES AND WAYS THROUGH THE WOODS VOCABULARY: DIGNITARY. GLUTTON, INDREDULOUS, MARTYR, SCORCH, SULTRY, RAVENOUS. a. What would you do if you were in Frau Platt’s situation? Write some alternatives-options she had and the advantages and disadvantages of each one. b. Do some research about Switzerland and its political position during the two world wars. Why did so many refugees flee to this country before and during World War 2? In what ways did its location put the country in danger from Hitler’s armies? c. Do you think the children were right to steal the potatoes? Explain. What else, if anything, could they do to get food? d. Who do you think is the most memorable person the girls meet in camp? Explain. e. If you were Rosemarie, what might you have done when you saw the old man being beaten? f. Was she a coward the way she handled the situation? Explain. g. Why do you think the author included an allusion- reference to St. Joan in the novel? (You may need to find out who St. Joan was). In what ways does Lisa feel like St. Joan? h. Pretend you are an inspector sent from the refugee agency to examine the conditions at the camp. Describe how you might report your findings. i. Why don’t Lisa and Ruth tell their mother the truth about camp? j. Do you think Frau Platt believes that her girls are happy at camp? Explain.