Introduction to the Holocaust for Elementary Students

If you are going to be teaching about the Holocaust to your class, you may feel nervous and (more than a little) overwhelmed. Besides needing to learn the history yourself, you also wonder how you are going to convey this challenging material to your sensitive students. As a classroom teacher myself, I understand completely, so I have created this resource to support you.

This presentation provides elementary students with a basic understanding of the Holocaust in an age-appropriate and historically accurate manner. This background information is necessary before engaging with Holocaust literature, or can be used as a stand-alone lesson in Grades 4-8.

To support my own explanations, I have used materials from excellent sources, listed on the last slide of the presentation. I strongly encourage you to explore these websites so that you may deepen your own understanding of the Holocaust and increase your confidence with the subject matter. There are many professional development opportunities available.

This presentation is supported with student handouts: “Guided Notes – What was the Holocaust?” Please see below.

Guided Notes Handouts for Students