No Place for Hate® Activity Library
The Holocaust and the Escalation of Hate
Michele Cohen-Rodriguez, a Jewish Holocaust survivor.
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GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School
Overview
From biased attitudes and actions to bias-motivated violence and genocide, understanding how bias and hate escalate is a critical aspect of anti-bias learning. Through the lens of the Holocaust as a case study and the testimony of two survivors of the Holocaust, students will explore and understand the concept of the escalation of hate. The Pyramid of Hate will serve as a tool to help students understand the ways hate accelerates in the past and present and how it can compel us to question, challenge and disrupt hate, bias and oppression.
In this activity, students will:
- Gain a basic understanding of the Holocaust.
- Reflect on survivor testimony.
- Understand the escalation of hate and be able to connect the levels of the Pyramid of Hate to events during the Holocaust as well as current day examples.
- Identify ways to act as an ally to support targets of bias, speak out against hate and take action to address social injustices.