The Arizona State Board of Education, in October 2020, adopted revisions to the Minimum Course of Study and Competency Goals for Arizona schools.  These changes require teaching about the Holocaust and other genocides at least twice between the seventh and twelfth grades.

In 2024, HB 2779 amended ARS 15-701.02 to read: the state board of education shall include a requirement that students be taught about the Holocaust and other genocides for at least three school days, or the equivalent, on at least two separate occasions during any of grades seven through twelve. 

Although this instruction is required as part of the 2018 History and Social Science Standards, this legislation further stresses the importance of these topics and events.

• HB 2779
• Arizona History and Social Science Standards

The Taskforce on "The Holocaust and Other Genocides" is a collaborative effort among Arizona's three public universities, several community colleges, high-school educators, and representatives of civic organizations who are committed to teaching about these atrocities in order to prevent future suffering.  The Arizona State Board of Education, in October 2020, adopted revisions to the Minimum Course of Study and Competency Goals for Arizona schools.  These changes require teaching about the Holocaust and other genocides at least twice between the seventh and twelfth grades. The Taskforce has prepared a special toolkit to enable educators in middle schools and high schools to teach the causes, progression, and significance of these historical events.  By teaching about the Holocaust and other genocides, Arizona's public schools will ensure that its youth will become responsible, informed, and empathetic adult citizens who can use their knowledge to prevent injustices and human suffering.  This toolkit will be periodically updated and enhanced.

All materials in Toolkit 3.0 are exemplary and not comprehensive. Materials cover the Holocaust as well as several other genocides. The taskforce decided to limit other genocide examples to four case studies where genocidal violence and ethnic cleansing occurred: Armenia (the first modern genocidal atrocity), former Yugoslavia (Europe: a recent ethnocide with genocidal moments), Rwanda (Africa: the fastest-moving genocidal killing in the 20th century), and Native Americans (long legacy of displacements, massacres, and genocidal killings in the Americas). Resources shared on this site are intended for professional use by educators and should be reviewed for age appropriateness, content sensitivity, and alignment with district guidelines. Users are responsible for adapting materials to meet best practices and the specific needs of their students and classrooms.

• Rationale of the Taskforce

• Taskforce Members

• The Taskforce welcomes comments from teachers and educators.  We want to know what works and what could be better.  Send your comments to: [email protected] 

Before presenting a lesson plan or giving resources to students, teachers should first understand best practices when teaching these difficult topics. "Because you have to" is not the appropriate rationale to use when asked, "Why are you teaching the Holocaust?" While it is true that teaching the Holocaust and other genocides is embedded in the Arizona State Social Science Standards as well as legislatively required, teachers must understand not only the rationale of the state, the Department of Education, and their own district/charter who are choosing materials, but they must have a deep understanding of their own rationales. Use the materials below to start your journey.

• Teaching the Holocaust Grades 7-12 Self-Paced Online Course (Register through APLD - search: Holocaust)

• Holocaust and Genocide Policy in Arizona Slide Deck (Arizona Department of Education)

• Guidelines for Teaching About the Holocaust: Consider these guidelines when developing your rationale and using the Rubric (USHMM)

• Guidelines for Teaching Difficult Histories: Holocaust and Genocide (Created by members of the Taskforce)

• Glossary of Terms Related to the Holocaust (USHMM and Echoes and Reflections)

• Rationale and Learning Objectives: Fundamentals of Teaching the Holocaust (USHMM)

• Rubric for Evaluating Resources to Use in the Classroom: This rubric is for assessing resources you are considering or are assigned to use in your classroom. (USHMM)

Once teachers have their rationale, learning objectives, and have vetted their materials using the Rubric for Evaluation Sources, they can now begin teaching the Holocaust and other genocides in their classroom. There are a plethora of premade units, lessons, and activities to support teaching the Holocaust and other Genocides - it can be overwhelming! If you are new to teaching the Holocaust and other genocides, we suggest that you start with the following resources.

• Foundational Lesson Plans (USHMM) 
  • Definition of the Holocaust Activity
  • Introduction to the Holocaust One-Day Lesson Plan (Spanish Available)
  • Overview of the Holocaust Two to Four-Day Lesson Plan (Spanish Available)
  • Connecting the Path to Nazi Genocide to the Timeline Activity Lesson Plan
•  Teaching Holocaust and Human Behavior Unit (Facing History and Ourselves)
  • Use this 23-lesson unit to lead middle or high school students through a study of the Holocaust that asks what this history can teach us about the power and impact of choices.
  • About This Unit and Lesson Plans
• Comprehensive Units, Lessons, and Materials (Echoes and Reflections)
  • Introduction to the Holocaust One-Day Lesson Plan
  • Introduction to the Holocaust Two-Day  Lesson Plan
  • Unit XII: Teaching About Genocide
  • Student-Directed Activities (Aligned to Echoes and Reflections unit or can be supplementary)

Looking for more in-depth lessons that are aligned to the Arizona State Social Science Standards? Head over to the Arizona Digital Educator Library (ADEL), where teachers can find grade-specific Holocaust and other genocides lesson plans. 

While taking the first step into teaching this complex history can be challenging, the journey doesn’t end there. Deepening your understanding of the Holocaust and other genocides is essential—not only to expand historical knowledge, but also to strengthen instructional strategies and become a resource for both peers and students. Below, you'll find curated materials to support your continued professional growth.

• U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Opportunities for Educators: Videos, Recorded Conferences, Fellowship Programs, Summer Institutes (USHMM)

• Education Resources on Genocide and Mass Atrocities: Introduction, Path to Genocide Exhibition, Case Studies, Survivor and Eyewitness Testimonies, Early Warning, Justice and Accountability (USHMM)

• The Zekelman Holocaust Center ELA Educator Resources: Pedagogical Principles, Discussion Guides, HC Genocide and Peace Models, Literature Rubric, Template for Education Plan (The HC)

• 8 Classroom Resources on Genocide: Historical and Contemporary Resources including Lesson Sets, Programs, Case Studies, Videos, Sources (Facing History and Ourselves)

• Resources for Education Professionals (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance)

• PHA Educate Page: Conference, Speakers Bureau, Resources, Educator Recognition (Phoenix Holocaust Association)

• 10 Resources for Teaching about Genocide: Testimony Clips, Connection Videos, Mini Quest Activity, Video Essay Activity, Historical Narrative Activity, Information Quest (USC Shoah Foundation)

• Armenian Genocide Museum: Explore the Story, Source Galleries, Downloads (Armenian Museum of America)

• History Through a Native Lens | Timeline (Native Philanthropy and Candid)

• The Robert Sutz, We Remember Holocaust Art Oral History Project (YouTube)

• AZ Public Media Holocaust Testimonies of Survivors Living in Southern AZ (AZPM)

• Holocaust Survivor Interviews (Phoenix Public Library)

• Visual History Archive: Testimonies of life before, during, and after the subject’s firsthand experience with genocide (USC Shoah Foundation)

• Ariozna Jewish Historical Society Holocaust Education Library: Making an Emotional Connection to the Holocaust, Our Stories, Surviving Humanity - Reframing America, Survivor's Stories (AZJHS)

• Survivor Reflections and Testimonies: Oral Histories, Written Reflections and Testimonies, Eyewitness Videos, Survivor Essays (USHMM)

• We Are Living Links | Descendants of Holocaust survivors provide speakers, educator resources, and community engagement (WeAreLivingLinks)

The following lists were compiled and vetted by the Task Force using the USHMM Rubric for Evaluating Resources.

• Suggested Reading List to Assist and Prepare Teachers 
• Reading List for Students Grade 7-12 
• Reading List for All Reading Levels: Teaching the Holocaust and other genocides should not be occurring before grade 7, but teaching the culture and background is encouraged; these texts are ideal for differentiation.
• Books by Arizona Survivors and Descendants of Survivors 

• Select Films and Documentaries on the Holocaust and Genocide (Created by the Task Force)

• Holocaust Videos for Classroom Use (USHMM)

• Holocaust (European History) Videos (Encyclopedia Britannica)

• The Hidden Children: Reflections of Arizona Holocaust Survivors - Teacher's Guide (Phoenix Holocaust Association)

• Inheriting the Holocaust: Children of Survivors in Arizona - Teacher’s Guide (Phoenix Holocaust Association)

• Resilience: Reflections of Arizona Holocaust Survivors  - Teacher Guide (Phoenix Holocaust Association)

• Untrustworthy Neighbors (Bosnia) (Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center)

• The Bosnian Genocide by Volker Benkert | Slides (Arizona State University and Arizona Department of Education)

• Bystanders, Resistance, Rescue, and Aftermath by Volker Benkert | Slides (Arizona State University and Arizona Department of Education)

• Native America and Genocide by Alex Alvarez | Slides (Northern Arizona University and Arizona Department of Education)

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Guidelines for Teaching the Holocaust and Genocides for Arizona Teachers Webinar (USHMM and Arizona Department of Education)

• 6 Million Voices: Live-Guided, Virtual Tours of Auschwitz and Other Nazi Concentration Camps (East Valley JCC Affliate Program)

• Tucson Jewish Museum and Holocaust Center Curriculum Tour (YouTube)

• The Holocaust: History and Memory | Virtual Field Trip and Lesson Plan (USHMM)

• The Hope Chest: A complete set of teaching resources designed to immerse students in Holocaust survivor Oskar Knoblauch’s memoir, A Boy’s Story, A Man’s Memory: Surviving the Holocaust 1933–1945; teachers can "check out," use in their classroom, and return to Scottsdale Center for the Arts

• Teaching Trunks: Virtual and Physical Trucks on a Variety of Themes for Grades 3-12 (Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center)

• The Phoenix Holocaust Association is now accepting reservations for classroom tours. Email [email protected].