Zekelman Holocaust Center
Navigating the maze of history and Holocaust education programs can be daunting for parents dedicated to providing a robust educational experience for their children. In my extensive search for resources that meet a high standard of educational depth and authenticity, I discovered the Zekelman Holocaust Center’s offerings. What sets Zekelman apart is its unique blend of personal narrative integration and museum-quality resources that make history palpable and engaging. The center was established to provide educational experiences that emphasize the human aspects of historical events, supported by the latest research and often recognized for its innovative educational approaches. What I particularly love about Zekelman’s resources is how they bring history to life through survivor testimonies and interactive exhibits, making the learning experience immersive and memorable. It’s ideal for homeschooling families who value a deep, empathetic approach to learning history and wish to instill a profound understanding of the Holocaust’s impact. While the content’s emotional weight may not suit all younger learners, it doesn’t diminish the quality or the importance of the materials provided. A pro-tip for parents: engage with the supplementary online resources and virtual tours to enhance your child’s learning and understanding of the historical context.
Grades: Ages 8+
Cost: Free
The in-depth review
Understanding history is not merely about memorizing dates and events; it's about connecting with human experiences to learn lessons that can inform our future. This is especially true for subjects as profound and impactful as the Holocaust. For homeschooling parents, selecting a history curriculum should focus on resources that engage, educate, and inspire empathy and critical thinking. Here’s what to look for in a history curriculum and why the Zekelman Holocaust Center's offerings stand out.
About Zekelman
The Zekelman Holocaust Center, located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, is dedicated to educating on the Holocaust and genocide. Through a diverse array of resources, including exhibits, survivor testimonies, and robust educational programs, the center aims to foster understanding and awareness among educators and students. Its recent redesign and educational programs have earned recognition for their innovative approach to teaching this challenging subject matter.
Who Zekelman is for
Zekelman’s resources are designed for educators who wish to provide a comprehensive, thoughtful, and sensitive exploration of the Holocaust. These resources are particularly useful for homeschooling parents looking to deliver a deep historical understanding, coupled with moral education.
Why I recommend Zekelman for Holocaust Education
The resources at Zekelman are crafted with care to ensure students not only learn about the Holocaust but also connect with the stories of individuals. The use of primary sources, survivor artwork, and interactive exhibits helps students understand the gravity of the Holocaust beyond numbers and statistics. This approach is vital for teaching a subject as sensitive as genocide with the respect and depth it deserves.
How Zekelman works
Zekelman provides varied resources that can be integrated into home education. These include on-demand videos, detailed lesson plans, and guides on using artifacts and survivor art to teach different perspectives of the Holocaust. Their materials support Michigan’s educational mandates but are broad enough to be adapted by homeschoolers nationwide.
What Differentiates Zekelman from other history programs
The Zekelman Holocaust Center distinguishes itself from other programs through its unique and immersive approach to Holocaust education. One key differentiator is its comprehensive integration of real survivor testimonies and artifacts, which not only bring the historical events to life but also foster a deep emotional connection and understanding among students. Unlike many traditional history programs that may rely heavily on textbook learning, Zekelman incorporates interactive elements such as on-demand museum experiences, art and writing competitions inspired by the stories of Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel, and detailed lesson plans that utilize primary sources for a hands-on learning experience. Additionally, its recent redesign focuses more on the victims rather than the perpetrators, an approach aimed at teaching empathy and the human impact of the Holocaust, which is less common in conventional history curricula. This focus includes innovative educational tools such as using artifacts to teach different perspectives of the Holocaust, thereby enhancing critical thinking skills. Moreover, Zekelman's resources are tailored to meet specific educational mandates, such as Michigan's Holocaust and genocide education requirement, ensuring that they not only educate but also comply with state educational standards, making them both a practical and impactful choice for educators.
What Zekelman covers
Art & Writing Competition: Engages students through creative expressions tied to the stories of Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel.
ELA Lesson Plans: Includes lessons that integrate English Language Arts with Holocaust education through artifacts and primary source documents.
Family Involvement Guides: Tools for educators to engage families in the learning process and discuss sensitive historical events like the Holocaust at home.
Inside the Glass Case: Offers on-demand museum experiences with videos, survivor testimonies, photos, and lesson plans.
Lessons from a Survivor: Features personal stories and messages of strength and resilience from Holocaust survivors.
Library Archives and Research: Provides access to a wide range of archival materials and research resources related to the Holocaust.
Michigan Holocaust & Genocide Education (MGHE): Resources and connections to state-wide initiatives and educational materials.
Online Course: “I Was Just Following Orders!”: A course exploring the history and implications of the superior orders defense used during the Nuremberg Trials.
Professional Development: Training programs to enhance teachers' ability to educate about the Holocaust and genocide.
Rubric – Holocaust Literature for Classroom Use: A guide to help teachers select appropriate literature for teaching about the Holocaust.
Spotlights on Operation Finale: Focuses on the capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann through personal stories and artifacts.
Standing Up to Bias & Discrimination (Unit Plan): A unit plan designed to explore prevention of genocide and bias using the Pyramid of Hate.
Survivor Art: An IDM: Examines Holocaust survivor art to explore the pain and expression of survivors through art.
Teacher Advisory Groups: Teachers collaborate to develop programs and resources that meet curricular goals and standards.
Teacher Guides to Using Primary Sources: Guides designed to help educators effectively use primary sources in Holocaust education.
Teaching Perspectives Using Artifacts: An IDM: Uses various artifacts from the museum’s collection to teach different perspectives of the Holocaust.
Updates and Additions
Recently, the Zekelman Holocaust Center has undergone a significant redesign aimed at refocusing attention more on the victims and less on the perpetrators. This shift is crucial in educating students to empathize with the victims’ experiences rather than merely learning about the Holocaust as a historical event.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Zekelman
What Parents Like about Zekelman
Comprehensive Resources: Offers a wide variety of materials, including educational videos, survivor testimonies, lesson plans, and interactive exhibits that enhance understanding of the Holocaust.
Focus on Victim Perspective: Recent redesigns emphasize the victims' experiences, aiming to foster empathy and a deeper understanding of the Holocaust, rather than merely presenting historical facts.
Interactive and Engaging: The use of artifacts and survivor art encourages critical thinking and helps students engage with the subject matter on a personal level.
Support for Educators: Provides professional development opportunities to help teachers effectively deliver content on the Holocaust and genocide.
Multi-Disciplinary Approach: Integrates various perspectives (history, science, literature) which are particularly effective in an educational setting that values holistic learning.
Adaptable for Various Educational Settings: Though tailored for Michigan educators, the resources are broad enough to be useful to homeschoolers and educators in other regions.
Culturally Sensitive Content: The materials are designed to handle sensitive topics with care, suitable for teaching younger students about traumatic historical events.
What parents dislike
Comprehensive Resources: Offers a wide variety of materials, including educational videos, survivor testimonies, lesson plans, and interactive exhibits that enhance understanding of the Holocaust.
Focus on Victim Perspective: Recent redesigns emphasize the victims' experiences, aiming to foster empathy and a deeper understanding of the Holocaust, rather than merely presenting historical facts.
Interactive and Engaging: The use of artifacts and survivor art encourages critical thinking and helps students engage with the subject matter on a personal level.
Support for Educators: Provides professional development opportunities to help teachers effectively deliver content on the Holocaust and genocide.
Multi-Disciplinary Approach: Integrates various perspectives (history, science, literature) which are particularly effective in an educational setting that values holistic learning.
Adaptable for Various Educational Settings: Though tailored for Michigan educators, the resources are broad enough to be useful to homeschoolers and educators in other regions.
Culturally Sensitive Content: The materials are designed to handle sensitive topics with care, suitable for teaching younger students about traumatic historical events.
Tips from Parents on how to get the most out of Zekelman
Many parents recommend using Zekelman’s resources as a springboard for deeper discussion about ethics, morality, and human rights. Engaging children in discussions after viewing the exhibits or lessons can enhance understanding and retention.
Select Reviews from Parents and Teachers
Why Trust Me
With over 20 years of teaching experience in various educational settings around the world, including areas of conflict, I bring a unique perspective to evaluating educational materials. My background in American studies and experience in facilitating Arab-Jewish dialogues further inform my understanding of teaching sensitive historical topics effectively. This topic concerns me personally as several of my ancestors perished in the Nazi concentration camps and I’m committed to using history as a tool to present atrocities in the present day.
How I Vetted
To ensure a thorough review, I examined numerous online reviews and consulted with historians and political scientists who are also homeschooling their children. This comprehensive approach ensures that my recommendations are well-founded and reliable.
What I Looked For and How Zekelman Stacks Up
This resource is ideal for families who are committed to a deep and comprehensive understanding of world history, particularly those who value the integration of ethical discussions into academic learning. It suits parents who prefer a curriculum that challenges students to think critically and empathetically.
Comprehensive
Offers a broad range of resources, including survivor testimonies, interactive exhibits, detailed lesson plans, and on-demand museum experiences. This ensures thorough coverage of the Holocaust from various angles, such as historical, personal, and socio-political perspectives.
Secular
Maintains a secular approach, focusing on historical facts and personal narratives without promoting any religious viewpoint, making it suitable for diverse educational settings.
Accurate
With a reliance on documented evidence, survivor accounts, and scholarly research, the materials provided are historically accurate, offering a factual and detailed study of the Holocaust.
Decolonized
While the concept of decolonization is typically applied to post-colonial studies, attempts are made to present a balanced view by focusing on individual stories and acknowledging the complexities of historical narratives. This approach helps students understand the impact of dominant narratives and the importance of recognizing diverse perspectives.
Inclusive
The inclusion of various groups affected by the Holocaust, beyond the Jewish community, such as Romani people, disabled individuals, and other victimized groups, underscores a commitment to inclusive education.
Anti-Racist
The resources explicitly address and counteract racism by educating about the Holocaust's roots in racial ideology, thus serving an anti-racist educational purpose. This is integral to understanding the mechanisms of discrimination and genocide.
Mastery-Based
The structured educational materials, including specific unit plans and rubrics for assessing Holocaust literature, support mastery-based learning. These resources allow educators to ensure that students achieve a deep understanding of the subject matter.
Aligned with School Standards for History
The materials are specifically designed to meet Michigan’s Holocaust and genocide education standards and are adaptable to national history educational standards, ensuring relevance and applicability in educational curricula.
Fun and Engaging for Kids
Given the serious subject matter, efforts are made to engage students in an age-appropriate manner through methods like art and writing competitions, interactive learning modules, and creative expression projects, which help make learning about the Holocaust accessible and engaging.
The Bottom Line
Who is Zekelman an ideal fit for?
This resource is ideal for families who are committed to a deep and comprehensive understanding of world history, particularly those who value the integration of ethical discussions into academic learning. It suits parents who prefer a curriculum that challenges students to think critically and empathetically.
Who is Zekelman not a fit for?
Families looking for a high-level overview without a deep dive into the complexities of the Holocaust might find these resources too detailed and intense.
Alternatives and supplements to Zekelman
For a comprehensive world history curriculum: Curiosity Chronicles offers a comprehensive world history curriculum that is engaging and presented in a story-like format, which can be more suitable for younger or sensitive learners by providing a gentler introduction to complex historical events without overwhelming details
For another great tool to teach about the Holocaust: US Holocaust Memorial Museum provides a wide range of interactive and multimedia resources that can engage students who thrive with digital learning tools. It offers virtual tours, online exhibitions, and detailed educational resources that can help bring the study of the Holocaust to life in a more interactive manner.
For YouTube channel: For learners who benefit from visual and auditory stimulation, Crash Course World History offers engaging, fast-paced videos that cover a broad range of historical topics, including the Holocaust. These videos are designed to capture and retain the attention of learners who prefer a dynamic and visually rich educational experience.
For a free History curriculum: For students who are self-directed or educators operating with limited resources, this free history curriculum offers extensive, research-based instructional materials. The resources encourage critical thinking and inquiry-based learning, which are crucial for students who excel in autonomous learning environments.
Zekelman vs USHMM for teaching about the Holocaust
The main differences between the teaching resources provided by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and the Zekelman Holocaust Center hinge on their scope, digital integration, and educational approaches. USHMM offers a vast array of digital resources, including an extensive online encyclopedia, virtual exhibitions, and a more extensive collection of personal testimonies and historical documents available online, which are accessible globally and cater to a digital-first educational environment. This makes USHMM particularly adept at providing resources that can be integrated into various educational settings and for self-paced learning. In contrast, the Zekelman Holocaust Center focuses more on localized, interactive experiences and includes a strong component of museum-based learning that emphasizes physical artifacts and survivor art. Zekelman's resources are particularly designed to enhance the physical museum visit experience and are deeply integrated with Michigan’s educational standards, making them especially relevant for educators and students in that region. Additionally, Zekelman's educational materials often include unique artistic and narrative-driven approaches to Holocaust education, which can be more engaging in a classroom setting.
Value for the Money
Given the depth and quality of the resources, including access to unique survivor testimonies and artifacts, Zekelman offers significant value. It is a worthwhile investment in a child’s comprehensive education about one of the most critical events in modern history.
Ways to Get Zekelman Teaching Resources
Resources from the Zekelman Holocaust Center can be accessed through their website, with options for virtual tours and online courses. Educators can also participate in professional development programs to enhance their teaching strategies.
Affilate Disclaimer
This review is an unbiased evaluation based on extensive research and personal expertise in the field of education. I may earn a commission from purchases made through links in this review, which helps support our continued effort to provide valuable educational content.
Sources
The Zekelman Holocaust Center | Farmington Hills MI
Holocaust Memorial Center, Farmington Hills
One Hope From Changes at This Holocaust Museum: Fewer Nazi Selfies - The New York Times
More History Resources to Explore
Discover how Classics for Kids transforms classical music into an engaging learning adventure for homeschoolers, fostering musical literacy and enjoyment.