High School Lesson Plans

The following lesson plans were developed by educators for use in middle school classrooms. Each lesson adheres to current New Mexico education standards and contains supplemental materials.

Introduction to the Holocaust

This PowerPoint presentation will help you guide students through the causes, events, and aftermath of the Holocaust.
* Introduction to the Holocaust (PowerPoint Presentation)

Nuremberg Trials

Based in part on archival material held by the museum as well as additional primary sources, this lesson takes students through the history of the Nuremberg Trials. Students will be able to explain how the Nuremberg Trials were created and describe the roles individuals played in delivering justice after World War II.
* Nuremberg Trials (Lesson Plan)
* Nuremberg Trials (PowerPoint Presentation)

Japanese Incarceration and New Mexico’s Concentration Camps

Students will examine the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, with particular attention to New Mexico, to deepen their understanding of the lasting legacy of “othering.”
* Japanese Incarceration and New Mexico’s Concentration Camps (Lesson Plan)

Primary Source Study – Documents of Displacement

This lesson makes use of NMHIM’s incredible collections to explore themes of immigration, identity, and survival. Students will get experience analyzing primary source documents, such as passports, baptismal certificates, and photographs, creating connections between personal stories of migration and broader historical themes of displacement and resilience.
* Blake Family (Lesson Plan)
* Blake Family (PowerPoint Presentation)
* Blake Family Background History (Document)
* Primary Source Analysis (Worksheet)
* Primary Source Analysis (Rubric)

Creating a WWII Scrapbook

Using museum archival material, students will analyze scrapbooks as primary sources. They will construct their own WWII scrapbook utilizing a variety of primary and secondary sources to depict the life and experiences of an individual during World War II.
* Creating a WWII Scrapbook (Lesson Plan)

Lesson Plan to Accompany A Gypsy in Auschwitz

In this unit you will find a group of lessons to help you guide your students through Otto Rosenburg’s memoir, A Gypsy in Auschwitz. Students will learn about the history of Roma people in Germany, and about the Nazi genocide of Roma communities throughout Europe.
* A Gypsy in Auschwitz (Teacher Introduction)
* Background for A Gypsy in Auschwitz (PowerPoint Presentation)
* A Gypsy in Auschwitz – Lesson 1 (Lesson Plan)
* Textbook vs. Memoir – Lesson 2 (Lesson Plan)
* Childhood Interrupted – Lesson 3 (Lesson Plan)
* Dehumanization & Language – Lesson 4 (Lesson Plan)
* Choices & Moral Courage – Lesson 5 (Lesson Plan)
* Survival & Resilience – Lesson 6 (Lesson Plan)
* A Gypsy in Auschwitz Assessment – Lesson 7 (Lesson Plan)

Third Party Resources (open in new tabs):

Using Stories and Voices

One Survivor Remembers – Gerda Weissmann’s account of surviving the Holocaust
(40 minute film produced in 1995 by HBO and USHMM)

Using Presentations

US Immigration Policy and Experiences of Jewish Refugees – Sample Lessons
(lesson curated and presented from the NMHIM Educational Leadership Team and NM PBS)

Using Books and Literature

Teaching Materials Using Books and Literature (USHMM)

Thank you to our partners in this program: