Teachers will hear from author Daphne Geismar and teacher Colleen Sousa about a collaborative project, at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, in which students develop a deeply personal understanding of the Holocaust by interacting with primary source material from Geismar’s book Invisible Years. By following one of the narrators into hiding, finding a personal story from a modern human rights conflict that they select, and asking good questions for interviews and research, students recognize patterns between contemporary atrocities, discover the dehumanizing effect of abuse of power, and understand why this history is relevant to their lives today. This project is ideal for Social Studies or ELA classes. Teachers will learn how to use the project, in whole or in part, to give new life to their Holocaust unit. Daphne and Colleen will share engaging content, exercises to develop effective research questions and skills, and strategies for class discussions that encourage creative and critical thinking. For more on the project click here.