Social Studies

Samuel Totten

Founder and Director of the Northwest Arkansas Writing Project and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Directions:

For an introduction to the issue of the concept/phenomena of “bystanders” during the Holocaust (or any other genocide for that matter), tell or read the students the story of Kitty Genovese being attacked. (Teachers can obtain an online article about the plight and fate of this young New York woman by Googling: The Killing of Kitty Genovese + Michael Dorman.) Read up to the point where she is crying for help the second time. Then have the students respond in writing in regard to what they think the various individuals actually did who heard her pleas. After having various students share their pieces/thoughts, read the rest of the news story about what actually took pace.