Deliberate Acts of Kindness
Subject: Responsibility/Character
Grade Levels: PreK through12
Objectives:
- to recognize and honor the kind acts of Holocaust liberators and rescuers
- to cultivate students' ability to do kind acts
- to realize the importance of those acts to others
Throughout World War II, citizens of Europe rescued Jews and others from Nazi persecution. In Denmark, most of the Jewish community was boated to Sweden. Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg led an effort that saved thousands of Hungarian Jews. Underground efforts led many Jews to safety, and countless individuals protected Jews in hiding. Whether a rescuer helped save the lives of thousands or just one, the good done by the rescuer impacts the world far into the future.
Procedure:
- Share the stories of rescuers and survivors.
- Encourage students to look for ways that they can make a positive difference in someone's life.
- Consider joining the Kindness and Justice
- Challenge, which documents and compiles kind acts of children to show that together they make a great difference in the world.
Resources:
Kindness and Justice Challenge Web site
A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust
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College of Education, University of South Florida © 1997-2013.