Communicating the Scale of Events

How many is 6 million dead?
i. About 1 ½ times the population of Sydney
ii. The equivalent of the Sydney Olympic Stadium (which holds 110 000 people) filled and emptied 54 times; i.e. more than once a week for a whole year
iii. The equivalent of VFL Park, Melbourne filled and emptied 60 times (100 000 capacity)
iv. The equivalent of 6000 high schools of 1000 students each

Find out the capacity of the stadium closest to where you live. How often would it need to be filled and emptied to approximate the number of Jews murdered in the Holocaust?

Note to teachers: For excellent graphic representations of the scale of events, use Gilbert, M. (1992) The Holocaust: Maps and Photographs, New Jersey, Anti-Defamation League Braun Center for Holocaust Studies

Book Review Assignment

1. To read a book, from those listed in the bibliography avaiable from this website (Email Resource.Centre@bje.nsw.edu.au ) OR from a list recommended on another website.

2. To present a review of the book, in written form, which will consider the following topics:
2.1 Author and title of book reviewed
2.2 Titles of any other books by the same author
2.3 Brief outline of the story (about 200 words)
2.4 Which aspect of the period was being described in this book?
2.5 What were your emotions while and after you read this book?
2.6 To what extent did the setting, as distinct from the story, portray the writer's own attitudes?
2.7 How do you feel about the author?

3. Select two or three passages, of about ½ page each, to read to the class as examples of good writing.