Materials Needed

• Access to a copy of The Diary of a Young Girl (or online excerpts)
• A blank journal or several sheets of paper
• A small shoebox or container (for the "Time Capsule" activity)
• Internet access for a virtual tour of the Secret Annex
• Colored pencils, markers, or digital design tools (Canva/Google Slides)
• Printed or digital map of Europe (1940-1945)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, Ivy Kate will be able to:

• Explain the historical context of the Holocaust and why Anne Frank’s family went into hiding.
• Identify the emotional and physical challenges of life in the Secret Annex.
• Analyze the transition from the Annex to the concentration camp system and the legacy of Anne's story.
• Evaluate the importance of "bearing witness" through personal writing.

Success Criteria

• I can describe three specific challenges Anne faced while in hiding.
• I can explain the difference between the Secret Annex and the concentration camp system.
• I can create a personal response (writing or art) that connects Anne’s experiences to universal human rights.

1. Introduction: The Hook (15 Minutes)

The "Suitcase" Challenge: Imagine you are told you have to leave your home forever in ten minutes. You can only carry one backpack. You don't know where you are going or how long you'll be gone.

• Activity: Write a list of the 5 most important items you would pack. (Note: Electronics might not have chargers where you are going!)
• Discussion: Anne Frank packed her diary first. Why do you think a 13-year-old would value a notebook over extra food or clothes?
• Objective Link: Today, we are looking at how a girl exactly your age became the world's most famous voice of a dark time in history.

2. Instruction: "I Do" - The Historical Context (20 Minutes)

The World of Anne Frank:

• The Rise of the Shadows: Brief overview of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and the "Anti-Jewish" laws (Stars of David, no bikes, segregated schools).
• The Secret Annex: Explain the geography of the Opekta building. It wasn't just a room; it was a "hidden house" within a business.
• The Transition: Explain that "The Diary" ends abruptly. Discuss the timeline: The arrest (August 4, 1944), Westerbork (transit camp), Auschwitz-Birkenau, and finally Bergen-Belsen.
• Key Terminology: Define Antisemitism, Annex, Gestapo, and Liberation.

3. Guided Practice: "We Do" - Analyzing the Diary (25 Minutes)

Activity: Virtual Exploration & Reading

1. The Virtual Tour: Use the Anne Frank House website to take a 360-degree tour of the Annex. Point out the bookcase door and the height of the rooms.
2. Reading Analysis: Read the entry from July 15, 1944: "It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
3. Interactive Discussion:
   • How does Anne stay positive when she can't even open a window or step outside for two years?
   • In the camps, prisoners were stripped of their names and given numbers. How does keeping a diary help someone keep their identity?

4. Independent Application: "You Do" - The Curator Project (40 Minutes)

Task: Create a "Legacy Box"

Ivy Kate will act as a museum curator. Her goal is to create a small "exhibit" (using the shoebox or a digital presentation) that tells Anne’s story through three specific phases:

• Phase 1: Life Before. Choose one artifact (real or drawn) representing Anne’s life as a normal teenager in Frankfurt/Amsterdam (e.g., a movie star photo, a fountain pen).
• Phase 2: The Annex. Choose one item representing the "silence" of the Annex (e.g., a finger to lips, a piece of old wallpaper).
• Phase 3: The Message. Create a "Letter to the Future." If Anne could see the world today, what one piece of advice would she give to 13-year-olds in 2024?

Deliverable: A 2-minute "Curator Talk" explaining why these three items were chosen.

5. Conclusion: Closure & Recap (10 Minutes)

• Summarize: We’ve traveled from Anne’s bedroom to the Annex, and acknowledged the tragedy of the camps. We’ve seen that while the Nazis could take her life, they couldn't take her words.
• Student Recap: What is one thing you learned today that surprised you about Anne’s personality? (Was she just a victim, or was she a writer with a "wicked" sense of humor?)
• Final Thought: History isn't just dates; it's the stories of people just like us.

Assessment Methods

• Formative (During): Q&A during the virtual tour and participation in the "Suitcase Challenge."
• Summative (End): Evaluation of the "Legacy Box" and the "Curator Talk" based on historical accuracy and empathetic connection.

Differentiation & Adaptations

• For Advanced Learners: Research the "Helpers" (Miep Gies and others). Write a short essay on the risks of being an "upstander" versus a "bystander."
• For Visual Learners: Instead of a written list for the suitcase, draw the items or create a collage of what "freedom" looked like to Anne vs. what it looks like today.
• Sensory Adaptation: Sit in total silence for 3 minutes (as Anne had to do during the day). Discuss how the "sounds of the house" (the clock, the warehouse workers) would feel different in that silence.