The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is pleased to present the second Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Exemplary Lessons Initiative. This program is funded by a grant from the Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Foundation.

Middle and high school educators are invited to submit lessons that illustrate or add to student understanding of one of the following topics: ghettos, concentration camps and killing centers, antisemitism, or postwar trials. A panel of master teachers from USHMM teacher education programs will choose up to five best lessons. These lessons will be distributed nationally and posted on the Museum’s Web site; some will be videotaped for subsequent use on the Web site.
Entries will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Historical accuracy
• Engagement of students
• Innovative approach
• Demand for critical thinking by students
• Broad applicability and practicality for most classrooms
• Use of USHMM materials
• Consistency with USHMM “Methodological Considerations” (In Teaching about the Holocaust: A Resource Book for Educators, USHMM, p.3; available at www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators)

Lesson plans that demonstrate the opportunity for meaningful connections with contemporary issues are encouraged. Use of technology and/or interactive lessons that lend themselves to videotaping is also encouraged.

Lessons may be for one to three class periods. Each lesson should follow the template at www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/prodev/beli/2003/. Include a cover sheet with your name, telephone number, e-mail address, school name, school address, and school telephone number, as well as a brief outline of your lesson indicating its position in the overall course. The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2005.

The Initiative first solicited exemplary lessons in 2003. The five top lessons, along with the criteria used for judging, can be reviewed at the Web site mentioned above.

Entries may be submitted in print or electronic form using 12-point font. Completed entries should be sent to Warren Marcus, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024-2126, or submitted to wmarcus@ushmm.org as an attached Word document.

Teachers whose lessons are chosen will receive a certificate of achievement and a cash award.

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