Holocaust and Genocide
Arizona Holocaust and Genocide Education Resources
At the State Board of Education meeting on Oct 26, 2020 the Board adopted two rules to reinforce and emphasize the importance of instructing students in the history of the Holocaust and other genocides. These rules, R7-2-301 and R7-2-302 require students to receive instruction in the Holocaust and other genocides at least once in either grade seven or grade eight and at least once in high school in their social studies courses. Although this instruction is required as part of the 2018 History and Social Science Standards, these rules will further stress the importance of these topics and events.
This webpage has been set up to provide resources, training, and support for educators in meeting this requirement. It also houses the work of the Task Force on The Holocaust and Other Genocides- a Toolkit for teachers and students.
Arizona Holocaust and Genocide Education Resources Introductory Video
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 the 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 1.0 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).
- Tips for Teachers
- Teacher Training
- Book Resources for Teachers
- Book Resources for Students Grades K-6
- Book Resources for Students Grades 7-12
- Video Resources
- Feature Films
- Phoenix Holocaust Association Speakers Bureau and Resources
- Glossary Terms
- 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]
- Grade K-2 Inquiries and Lesson Plans—tolerance and diversity inquiries
- Grade 3-5 Inquiries and Lesson Plans—4th genocide of N.A., 5th Holocaust
- Grade 6-8 Inquiries and Lesson Plans—Holocaust and other genocides
- HS Inquires and Lesson Plans—Holocaust and other genocides
- List of websites
- The Bosnian Genocide by Volker Benkert | Slides
- Bystanders, Resistance, Resue and Aftermath by Volker Benkert | Slides
- Recorded Echoes and Reflections webinars
- Ways to approach teaching genocides 6-8 and HS
- Literature of the Holocaust and ELA
- Teaching the Hard History of the Genocides webinar
- Videos—How not to focus on the gore
