Standards Correlations

R.1, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.3, SL.1, L.4, L.6

Learning Objective

Students will use text evidence to draw and support a conclusion.

Key Skills

text evidence, text features, vocabulary, sequence of events, problem and solution, cause and effect, critical thinking, drawing conclusions, narrative writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose: The text describes a Jewish family’s plight in Nazi-occupied Denmark during World War II.

 

Structure: The text includes narrative and informational passages.

 

Language: The article contains some domain-specific vocabulary, which is defined in the vocabulary box.

 

Knowledge Demands: Some knowledge of the key events in World War II will help comprehension.

Levels

Lexile: 600L-700L 

Guided Reading Level: S 

DRA Level: 40

Lesson Plan: Escape from Darkness

Essential Questions

  • What is prejudice? Why is it harmful? How can we fight it?
  • How can people help one another in times of great distress?

Literature Connection

  • Graphic nonfiction: Survivors of the Holocaust by Kath Shackleton
  • Historical fiction: Call Across the Sea by Kathy Kacer
  • Novel: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

1. Preparing to Read 

Preview Text Features (10 minutes)

Guide students to locate the article in their magazines or at Action Online. Preview the text features by asking the following questions:

  • Read the article’s title and subtitle. What do you know about World War II? Answers will vary. Students may mention that the war took place between 1939 and 1945, that it was fought between two groups of nations known as the Allies and the Axis,  and that 6 million Jewish people were killed by Nazi Germany during the war.
  • Study the map. In 1943, was most of Europe controlled by Nazi Germany or by an Allied country (a country against Germany)? Which country controlled Denmark? According to the map, most of Europe, including Denmark, was controlled by Germany.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the words (synagogue, citizens, prejudice, empire, surrendered, smuggle) aloud and discuss their definitions.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow.

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

  • Set a purpose for reading by telling students that the article “Escape From Darkness” tells the story of Leo Goldberger, a 13-year-old survivor of the Holocaust.
  • Point out the Pause and Think boxes. Tell students they can check their understanding of what they’ve read by answering these questions.
  • Tell students that as they finish each section, they should think about how the text features on the page (e.g., photos, captions, and section headings) relate to what they’ve just read.
  • Point out the activity at the end of the article and tell students they’ll complete it after reading. Encourage them to keep the Think About It! question at the bottom in mind as they read.

 2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

Read the article. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (15 minutes)

  • Why did Leo and his family have to escape Denmark, and where did they go? (problem and solution) Leo and his family had to escape Denmark because it had become dangerous for Jewish people like them after the rise of the Nazis. They had learned that Jewish people would be sent to concentration camps, so they needed to go into hiding. They took a boat to Sweden, where they would be safer.
  • Review the section “Terrible Rumors.” At first, why didn’t leaders of Denmark’s Jewish community believe the rumors about concentration camps and death camps? (cause and effect) The stories seemed too awful to be true. It was hard for the community leaders to believe that anyone would do the terrible things that the Nazis were said to be doing.
  • Read the sections “A Warning” and “Silent Terror.” What problem did Leo and his family face when they were told to go into hiding? How was the problem solved? (problem and solution) Leo and his family didn’t know how or where to hide. That problem was solved with the help of non-Jewish Danes like Fanny Arnskov, who arranged for many Jewish people to be smuggled to Sweden by boat.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  • How do you think the sudden change in Denmark’s leadership affected Leo and his family? How might they have felt during those days? (critical thinking) Sample answer: The Goldbergers were probably very shocked and scared when Denmark changed from being a safe place to a dangerous one for Jewish people. They might have felt worried and unsure about what would happen next. They were also probably sad about losing the normal and peaceful life they used to have.
  • Think about the section of “A Bright Spot” that discusses the actions of the Danish people during the war. What does it tell you about the power of community in times of crisis? Do you think such cooperation is possible in today’s world? Why or why not? (drawing conclusions) Answers will vary. Encourage students to connect historical events to current times, perhaps drawing a parallel with the tragic events going on in the Israel-Palestine conflict today.

3. Skill Building and Writing

  • Have students work in pairs to complete the Spotlight Skill Workout: Text Evidence activity. As a class, discuss students’ answers and the Think About It! question.
  • Have students work independently to complete our Sequence of Events Skill Builder, available in higher- and lower-level versions. (Click here to view all your Skill Builders for this article.)
  • Writing prompt: Imagine that you’re a Danish teenager in the early 1940s seeing the changes in your country after the Nazis’ takeover. Write a journal entry expressing your feelings about the way Jewish families like the Goldbergers are being treated in Denmark. Describe how you and your community are responding to these changes, as well as anything more you think you might be able to do to help your Jewish  neighbors.

Learn-Anywhere Activity

An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom

Project the task below on your whiteboard or share it with students in your LMS.

Compare Two Holocaust Stories

After reading “Escape From Darkness,” read the article “The Boy Who Fought Hitler” from Action’s April 2022 issue. Then use our Compare and Contrast graphic organizer to note things the stories have in common and things that make them different. If you need help, think about:

  • where the two boys, Leo and Ben, grew up
  • each boy’s religion
  • whether the boys faced prejudice before the war
  • how the boys stayed safe during the war
  • where the boys lived after the war

Language-Acquisition Springboard

Discuss the suffix -ful to improve students’ comprehension and fluency.

After reading the article, direct students’ attention back to the first two section headings, “A Peaceful Place” and “Hateful Ideas.” Ask students what the words peaceful and hateful have in common. They’ll likely note that the two words end with the same three letters: ful.

Let students know that -ful is a suffix, a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to make a new word. The suffix -ful can mean a few things: full of (as in joyful), characterized by (as in careful), or tending to (as in forgetful). These meanings are kind of similar; if students come across a word that includes this suffix, they can often figure out its meaning by remembering that the suffix means “full of.” A word ending in -ful can also be a noun that means “as much as can be held by . . .” (as in spoonful).

To reinforce students’ understanding, have them complete each sentence below with a word that includes the suffix -ful.

  • A sweater that’s full of colors is a______ sweater. (colorful)
  • Lia was ______, or full of fear, when the stray dog growled at her. (fearful)
  • My mom says I’m very ______, because I’m always helping her with chores. (helpful)
  • I had only a ______ of cereal, because that’s all I could grab in my hand as I was leaving. (handful)
  • I want to get a more ______ motor for my boat, because more power will allow me to go faster. (powerful)
  • My sister said I wouldn’t feel any pain when I got my ears pierced, but I actually found it kind of ______. (painful)
Looking for more ELL support? Download our full lesson plan and scroll to p. 5 to find questions that will help your ELLs respond to the text at the level that’s right for them.

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