Classroom Visits Workshops

Whether it’s buses, substitutes, group size, or distance that prevents your group from visiting the museum, OJMCHE educators are available to travel to your classroom to facilitate workshops.

Classroom Visit FAQ

Is a classroom visit workshop educationally appropriate for my students?
Due to the mature content, Holocaust-related workshops are designed for students in grade 7 and above. Workshops centered on learning about Jewish identity, history, and culture are available for students in all grades 5 and above. Read the workshops descriptions below to learn more about which workshops are appropriate for specific grade levels. If you are unsure which workshop is best for your students, we will help select one based on your learning objectives and student needs.

How many students/classes can you teach during a school visit?
OJMCHE Educators are available to lead multiple workshops per day and/or over the course of multiple days to reach all of your students (depending on the museum’s programming schedule). Please keep in mind that for multi-class programs, OJMCHE educators must have a designated lunchtime and prep period.

Which days of the week do OJMCHE Educators lead workshops?
We are able to provide classroom workshops Monday – Friday, but when possible, we prefer to facilitate workshops Tuesday – Friday.

What does a classroom visit workshop look like?
OJMCHE educators arrive at your school/class approximately 15 – 30 minutes prior to the program to get situated and set up. When the class begins, the classroom educator introduces the OJMCHE Educator and reaffirms classroom norms and expectations. The OJMCHE educator then facilitates the workshop, with support from the classroom educator.

All of our workshops utilize a powerpoint presentation, and some utilize video clips, audio, etc. Our workshops are also student centered and rely on student participation and group work.

How much does a workshop cost?
OJMCHE has adopted a sliding scale for program costs.

• $100/class (Standard Program Cost)
• $50/class (Partial Scholarship)
• Full Scholarship for Title I schools (schools will be asked to provide documentation of Title I status)

*OJMCHE Educator travel and accommodations costs are generously supported by the Nancy Green Memorial Teacher Training Fund in Honor of Regina and Sidney Atlas.

Descriptions of available workshops are below.

Workshops

Workshops available for classroom visit workshops:

• How and Why: Questions about the Holocaust
  When students first learn about the Holocaust, they often have a lot of questions, usually starting with the words “how” and “why.” This workshop presents facts about the Holocaust and gives students a space for raising questions and discussing answers with an experienced OJMCHE educator. Best at any time during the unit and can be adapted or any length of class period. Recommended for grades 7 and above.

• Understanding Judaism through Artifacts
  This hands-on, highly interactive workshop gives students a chance to learn about the rich diversity of Jewish culture. Using small group work and discussion, students will learn about objects used to observe Jewish holidays and rituals. Best at the beginning of a unit and can be adapted for any length of class period. Recommended for grades 5 and above.

• Analyzing Antisemitic Stereotypes and Scapegoating
  Through whole-class and small group discussions, students learn about the origins and evolution of antisemitism. Students analyze specific examples of Nazi-era and contemporary antisemitic propaganda, as well as discuss how stereotypes and scapegoating operate within communities and escalate to acts of discrimination, prejudice, and violence. Best at the beginning of a unit and requires at least a 60 minute class period. Recommended for grades 7 and above.

• Law and Order: Legalizing Discrimination During the Holocaust
  Students examine over 40 discriminatory and dehumanizing anti-Jewish laws implemented by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945. Students consider the impact of discriminatory laws during the Holocaust as well as how legal systems have the power to either perpetuate or prevent discrimination, persecution, and genocide. Best at the beginning or middle of the unit and requires a 60 – 90 minute class period. Recommended for grades 9 and above.

• Life in the Lodz Ghetto
  Henryk Ross, a Jewish photographer, took thousands of pictures during his imprisonment in the Lodz ghetto. His photographs provide extraordinary insight into ghetto-life, and challenge popular narratives of Jews as victims. Through a gallery walk and whole-class discussion, students analyze Ross’s photographs to learn how photography can be used as an act of resistance. Best in the middle of a unit and can be completed in a 45 – 60 minute class period. Recommended for grades 7 and above.

• Resistance and Rescue During the Holocaust
  This workshop begins with students learning about an example of resistance in small groups. Next, students return to a full-class discussion to share out and build on their knowledge by analyzing the power and forms of resistance during the Holocaust. Best in the middle or end of a unit and requires a 60 – 90 minute class period. Recommended for grades 7 and above.

• Interrupting Extremism
  Unfortunately, activity by anti-democratic hate groups in the United States is on the rise. Through a mix of small-group and whole-class discussions, students learn about the Nazi’s antisemitic and anti-democratic attitudes, examine contemporary examples of antisemitism, and strategize how to respond to contemporary low-level extremism. Best at the end of a unit and requires a 60 – 90 minute class period. Recommended for grades 9 and above.