5 Classroom Activities to Connect Holocaust Education to Today’s World

Teaching the Holocaust can feel overwhelming, but meaningful activities help students not only understand the historical events but also reflect on their relevance today. These activities aim to:

• Provide a basic understanding of the Holocaust
  

• Explore the complexity of human behavior and choices
  

• Highlight the lives of real people who experienced the Holocaust
  

• Encourage reflection and empathy
  

• Keep learning interactive and engaging
  

Here are five classroom activities that meet those goals:

1. Identity Cards

Give students the identity of a real victim or survivor of the Holocaust. As they learn about the person’s life, they will begin to see history through a human lens. 

This can be implemented by presenting each student a unique ID card (the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has downloadable ones) at the beginning of the lesson. These people can range from Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Romani, homosexuals, and more.

This makes the history deeply personal, transforming numbers into names and faces.

Kennkarte of Harry “Israel” Cohen, with J. Dated March 9, 1939. (Museum of Jewish Heritage)

2. Study Artifacts

Objects can tell powerful stories. Share artifacts like Zlatka Pitluk’s handmade heart from Auschwitz, or discuss the belongings people grabbed in their final moments, like a spoon, a shoe, a family photo. 

You can recreate this experience in the classroom by setting up “artifact stations” with everyday objects that represent something real. 

At each station, provide short background stories and discussion prompts to help students reflect on the humanity and resilience behind these items.

3. In Their Point of View (Propaganda Analysis)

Show examples of Nazi propaganda and ask students to consider how different groups might have interpreted them—such as a Jewish person, a Nazi official, or a German citizen. 

This activity should be guided carefully to ensure it doesn’t excuse harmful actions. 

Instead, it opens conversations about how propaganda influences perception and choices, both historically and in today’s world.

Discussion questions:

• How did propaganda shape the way typical German citizens viewed Jews?

• Why was propaganda so prominent within the Nazi regime?

4. Visit a Museum or Monument

Whenever possible, take students to a Holocaust museum or monument. Experiencing history in a physical space often leaves a lasting impact. 

In Canada, some options include:

• Montreal Holocaust Museum (Montreal, QC)
  

• Holocaust Education Centre (Vancouver, BC)
  

• Toronto Holocaust Museum (Toronto, ON)

• CSYV Holocaust Memorial at Earl Bales Park (Toronto, ON)
  

• National Holocaust Monument (Ottawa, ON)
  

If travel isn’t possible, many museums now offer virtual tours and online exhibitions, making this experience accessible from the classroom.

5. Hear from a Survivor or Descendant

First-hand stories bring history alive in a way textbooks cannot. Invite a Holocaust survivor or their descendant to share their story. At ProjectBaldor, we provide presentations that connect survivor stories to present-day lessons about antisemitism, resilience, and remembrance.

Holocaust education is not only about learning what happened, but also about understanding human choices, the dangers of hate, and the responsibility to stand up against injustice today. These activities give students ways to connect the past to their own lives in personal and powerful ways.

Want more tools for addressing antisemitism in your classroom? Download our free guide here!