Stage II - Working with Thematic Photo Collections from the Holocaust
Duration: 1.5 – 2.5 hours
This educational material introduces the students to central historical themes of the Holocaust through the lens of photography. After the students have acquired the analytical tools to decipher a single photograph (Stage I), they will work in small groups to discuss the meaning and importance of photography to gain historical understanding. They will also reflect on how the same events were depicted in different ways according to different perspectives, and the centrality of photography during this period of history.
A. Group Work and Presentation
Divide the students into six groups and assign each group one gallery (one set of photographs.)
Invite the groups to study the photos (self-directed learning process). The students will analyze the photos by using the historical information provided in the captions.
Each group has a set of questions that leads them through the learning process. For each gallery, groups must select the picture that best represents their main theme.
B. Moderated Discussion and Reflection:
After all groups have learned about their galleries, the teacher will gather the whole class and present the six pictures they chose. Using the following questions, students will explain the theme of their galleries:
- How is the main gallery theme reflected in the photo?
- What were the photographers' aims?
- For what purposes was the photo used?
- What do you think is missing from the photograph based on the documents you have read?
In this activity, the teacher will serve as a moderator to extract insights from the comparisons between photos taken from different galleries. From the comparison of the photographs, the teacher can highlight common themes that appear. Among the topics discussed are: the importance of documentation, the similarities and differences between private and official photography, and the creation of narratives through photographs. Learn more about these topics...
In addition, the teacher can take the students on a virtual tour of the Yad Vashem exhibition Flashes of Memory. After logging into the ClassE platform, you will find a link to the Exhibition.
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