Making Holocaust and Genocide Education Relevant Through Inquiry and Classroom Application

FAIN: ES-288093-22

Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA 16802-1503)
Boaz Chaim Dvir (Project Director: February 2022 to present)
Logan Rutten (Co Project Director: August 2022 to present)

A two-week combined-format institute to help 30 teachers of grades 6-12 lead classroom discussions about the Holocaust, genocide, and human rights.

This two-week NEH Institute will immerse grades 6-12 teachers in studying the Holocaust, other genocides, and human rights with an eye toward leading responsible classroom investigations of these topics. Participants will convene for a weeklong summer residency in State College, PA, where a dedicated team will guide them in exploring multiple perspectives on genocide and human rights including geography, human agency, international law, and more. Institute faculty will assist participants as they intertwine intensive content study with reflection, inquiry, and planning for application. The June 2023 residency includes a field trip to the National Museum of American Jewish History, an immersive reality tour of the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza, and other community assets in Philadelphia, PA. During and after the residency, participants will be supported to build inquiry-based, trauma-informed classroom applications through virtual sessions distributed across Fall 2023.