Presenter: Name: Jesse Tannetta

Title: Director of Holocaust Content & Pedagogy
Organization/School: Echoes & Reflections

Program Description
As more schools and districts integrate Holocaust education into their curricula, educators in upper elementary grades (grades 3-6) are increasingly tasked with introducing this complex history in developmentally appropriate ways. Teaching younger students about the Holocaust requires careful consideration of their social and emotional needs, with a focus on building foundational concepts such as identity, prejudice, and empathy. Rather than emphasizing the atrocities of the Holocaust, instruction at this level should highlight principles of justice, allyship, and resilience.

There are several core principles of teaching about the Holocaust that is especially prescient for younger learners. These include creating a safe and supportive learning environment, teaching true storytelling, creating and encouraging empathy, using primary and authentic sources, making it gradual, focusing on stories of light in the darkness, and providing time for debriefing and processing.

A safe learning environment is crucial. Teachers should ensure students feel comfortable asking questions and expressing emotions. Before introducing the topic, educators should assess students’ emotional readiness and prior knowledge, addressing misconceptions about Jewish people and antisemitism. Lessons should be structured to prioritize emotional safety, emphasizing stories of helpers and acts of allyship. Role-playing and simulations should be avoided as they can be distressing and do not enhance learning.

Storytelling is a highly effective teaching method. Age-appropriate true stories provide accessible context, particularly when centered on child protagonists who survive. Emotional anchors, such as family and imagination, help children process difficult emotions. Positive developments should be woven throughout narratives to create a sense of security. Stories should focus on survival, fairness, and moral decision-making while avoiding graphic descriptions of trauma. By highlighting justice and injustice, storytelling fosters empathy and connection.

Empathy is central to Holocaust education. Teaching about Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust ensures that Jewish individuals are seen as complex people rather than just victims. If students’ only exposure to Jewish people comes through Holocaust education, they may develop a limited perception. A broader understanding of Jewish life and culture today prevents misconceptions. Encouraging students to consider historical figures’ emotions fosters empathy, but they should not be asked what they would have done in similar situations, as this can cause distress.

Primary sources deepen students’ connection to history. Teachers should select historically accurate, age-appropriate sources such as survivor testimonies, pre- and post-war photographs, diaries, and artifacts. Short testimonies may be more effective than photographs, which could be too distressing. Explaining unfamiliar terms in a way that minimizes confusion and anxiety is essential. A mix of visual, auditory, and hands-on methods ensures effective engagement.

Holocaust education should be introduced gradually, increasing in complexity as students mature. Instruction should begin with stories about individual children who survived, then expand to families and, later, entire communities. Early lessons should prioritize empathy over historical detail, with distressing facts introduced later. Focusing on resilience, allyship, and moral courage allows students to find hope and inspiration. Stories of mutual assistance, creativity, and rescue efforts, such as those of the Righteous Among the Nations, highlight individual responsibility and ethical action. Since younger children are still forming their values, emphasizing moral choices supports their development.

Processing and debriefing after lessons help students reflect. Educators should provide creative ways for students to express their thoughts, such as through art, music, and discussion. Structured reflection frameworks like “I feel…, I think…, I will…” encourage both emotional and cognitive engagement. Some students may need more time to process their feelings, so reflection should continue beyond the lesson. Teachers should remain attentive to emotional responses, offering reassurance and space for questions.

Given the sensitivity of the subject, educators must keep parents, guardians, and administrators informed about their approach. Reviewing state standards and Holocaust education legislation ensures curricular alignment. Communicating lesson plans with families fosters transparency and trust, helping to address concerns and build a supportive learning community. Teaching the Holocaust in upper elementary grades requires thoughtful instruction that prioritizes students’ emotional well-being while laying the foundation for deeper historical understanding. By emphasizing empathy, storytelling, and themes of justice and resilience, educators can provide meaningful Holocaust education for young students.

Learning Objectives
Participants in this program will learn how to introduce Holocaust education to upper elementary students in a developmentally appropriate and emotionally supportive manner. They will explore core principles such as fostering a safe learning environment, using true storytelling, building empathy, incorporating primary sources, and gradually increasing complexity in instruction.

Participants can take back practical strategies to implement in their library, such as selecting age-appropriate Holocaust literature, curating primary sources, and designing reflection activities that encourage thoughtful engagement. They will also gain tools to create discussions that emphasize resilience, allyship, and moral courage while avoiding distressing details or simulations.

Additionally, they may continue to investigate best practices for teaching difficult histories, explore ways to integrate diverse perspectives on Jewish life before and after the Holocaust, and develop partnerships with educators to support meaningful and responsible Holocaust education in their community.

Program Outline
The goal of this program is to balance knowledge building around Holocaust education in the upper elementary classroom and discussion with fellow participants to discover strategies and ideas on how to bring Holocaust resources to their libraries and schools.

The program will begin with an introduction to Echoes & Reflections’ effective guidelines for teaching the Holocaust to upper elementary students. This structure will inform the rest of the session, exploring each of the guidelines and offering advice, resources, and an opportunity to discuss how to integrate these guidelines into the sharing of resources and the creation of a supportive learning environment within the classroom and in the school as a whole.

Throughout the program, participants will engage with primary sources such as photographs, visual history testimony, and stories told through short films created specifically for upper elementary students.

Utilizing research-backed strategies, participants will engage deeply with photographs, learning how to decipher them and challenge students to examine them closely.

Using visual history testimony from Holocaust survivors, participants will learn the efficacy of utilizing testimony and will discover how working with testimony develops social and emotional learning in students, fostering empathy, and can be a particularly powerful tool to help students learn the importance of resilience.

In short films specifically created for younger learners and based on true stories, students connect with the challenges of Holocaust victims while recognizing their humanity. Participants will discover appropriate resources for students and effective ways to ensure guardrails to protect students from the atrocities of this particular subject in history.

In each phase of the program, participants will have an opportunity to share their knowledge, ideas, and experiences with other participants and an expert facilitator. This would include sharing what is seen in a photograph, how to interpret a testimony using voice intonation and body language, or discussing how to incorporate a story into the classroom.

As keepers of knowledge and distributors of resources, this session will encourage librarians to take an active role in sharing teaching strategies and appropriate resources for students and educators alike.
Enhancing Understanding: Effective and Responsible Pedagogy when Teaching the Holocaust in the Elementary Classroom

Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8

Session Strand: Teaching & Learning

Description: As more schools and districts are teaching about the Holocaust across grade levels, educators in the upper elementary grades are being asked to introduce the Holocaust in their classroom curriculum. It is possible to bring this history to younger students with thoughtful care and intention. Addressing the Holocaust and its various lessons with students in grades 3-6 requires attention to the developmental, social and emotional needs and capacities of this particular age group. This session will provide sound pedagogical principles and effective guidelines to introduce younger students to learning concepts of prejudice and antisemitism, respect for differences, standing up for others in need, and exploring what it means to be resilient. This early instruction, when done well, can help to create groundwork for learning the more difficult and specific aspects of the history in later years.