Activities in partnership with IWitness Canada
- 11+ and 14+ options
- Survivor testimonies
- Interactive, multimedia activities
- Toronto IWalks
The Azrieli Foundation and USC Shoah Foundation have partnered together to produce dynamic educational materials for use in Canadian schools in English and French. The activities incorporate audiovisual clips, memoir excerpts, supplementary historical context information and engaging interactive elements, such as reflective questions and creative tasks.
The education activities are available on IWitness Canada, an educational website which fosters empathy, understanding and respect through the compelling primary source narratives in USC Shoah Foundation’s archive of audiovisual testimonies. The activities on IWitness Canada, produced in collaboration with the Azrieli Foundation, feature some of our survivor-authors and range in length, theme, and age recommendation.
There are several different activities to choose from. First, “Lessons”, which range from 15-minute “Mini Lesson” skill builders to multi-day lesson plans. Next, “Mini Quests”, which include offline and online activities that provide options for flexible classroom implementation. Lastly, “Information Quests”, which are close readings of audiovisual testimony centered around a specific theme.
Additionally, the IWalk mobile application from USC Shoah Foundation is designed to connect specific locations with personal testimonies of Holocaust survivors and witnesses. The application is free for download on iOS and Android devices. The collection of Toronto IWalks features the stories of two of our survivor-authors, Anita Ekstein and Andy Reti. Tour the Harbord Village or Kensington Market neighbourhoods and learn about the lives of the survivors using this interactive application.
Learning Goals
- Gain knowledge of and reflect on the experience of several Holocaust survivors.
- Develop historical empathy by engaging with survivor testimonies
- Use their media skills as they navigate the iWitness platform
Required Resources
List of activities:
- Liberation through the Eyes of a Hidden Child (1 class period, 11+)
- Ghetto and Camp Experience: Pinchas Gutter’s Story (2–3 class periods, 14+)
- A Lost Childhood: The Story of Rachel Shtibel (1 class period, 14+)
- Anita Ekstein: The Impact of the Holocaust on a Little Girl (1 class period, 14+)
- Why Do You Hate Me Because I am Different? – Margrit Rosenberg Stenge (1 class period, 14+)
- Life After the Holocaust: Andy Réti (1 class period, 14+)
- Refugees: Displacement and Resettlement (featuring Bronia Beker) (2-3 class periods, 11+)
- A New Life in Toronto: The Story of Anita Ekstein
- Starting Over: The Story of Andy Reti
Students will complete the activity through the online IWitness Canada educational platform. For instructions on how to register as a teacher and assign an activity to your students, follow these quick tips from the USC Shoah Foundation.