I teach at a K-8 Catholic school.
This post is about the 8th graders specifically. They have been reading the Diary of Anne Frank. I read that book when I was a child. I picked it up when I was bored one day, not realizing the weight that book carried.
Unfortunately, there were so many visual descriptions that were critical to the story that I just couldn't image. I couldn't see them in my mind. I feel like it took away from the gravity of what I was reading. I couldn't possibly image how a door was hidden! I couldn't see how small the living quarters really were. I read the words but the images were from my life, with a few tweaks.
Back to the 8th graders. Maybe they have a better imagination than I did as a 4th/5th grader. Or maybe because we have never been in that kind of situation (for which I am so thankful), it's not something we can fathom, imagination or not.
This week they are going to the local Catholic high school to see the play Anne Frank. That will give them a better visual representation. I want to support that in my class. I want to show them something that will really make them see how hard it was and the struggles that these families faced. I want them to understand how brave Anne Frank was...this girl who is their age. I want there to be an impact.
So this week and next week, we will be taking the time to explore the Anne Frank museum online. Specifically, we will be looking at some of the photos and pieces of history from her life. And I think most importantly, we will be able to go on a virtual tour of Anne Frank's Secret Annex.
I hope it gives the 8th graders a really good concrete visual of what they are reading.
