The Spirit That Moves Us, Volume I: A Literature-Based Resource Guide, Teaching About Diversity, Prejudice, Human Rights, and the Holocaust, for Grades K-4 (The print edition of this volume is out of print, but a printable PDF file may be downloaded from www.hhrc.uma.edu/guides.htm.)

The Spirit That Moves Us, Volume II: A Literature-Based Resource Guide, Teaching About the Holocaust and Human Rights, for Grades 5-8 Rachel Quenk, in association with the Holocauset Human Rights Center of Maine Paperback, $19.95, ISBN 978-0-88448-187-5 8.5 x 11, 170 pages Education / Diversity; Grades 5-8

"Books, activities, discussion questions, and more are integrated across the curriculum in this superb resource for teaching about social issues."
—Portals

"The books contain a wealth of valuable information. I can understand why teachers—and parents—would welcome such books as resources. I doubt they'd find a better collection of suggested readings, lesson plans, or additional resources on such important themes."
—Bruce Black, The Jewish Publication Society

"I have submitted Spirit to our district's adoption list, and I expect to have this valuable teaching tool in all of our elementary schools. . . ."
—Eileen Shapiro, Program Planner for Holocaust Studies, Palm Beach County School District, FL

". . . this is an outstanding, detailed, readable resource. The great value of Quenk's approach is that she uses books to humanize the history and also to connect the Holocaust with concepts of diversity, prejudice, identity, and community in students' personal lives."
—Booklist

"This useful and well-conceived guide can be used as an entire semester's curriculum, or individual lessons can be incorporated into the existing language arts curriculum."
—MultiCultural Review

Teach about diversity, prejudice, human rights, and the Holocaust through children's literature.

These two resource guides for teachers use selected children's literature and a wide range of classroom activities to:

• Teach children the concepts of diversity, culture, community, the effects of prejudice, and human rights.>
• Share a vision of a world where people are embraced for their similarities and appreciated for their differences.
• Create an understanding of the harm caused by prejudice and develop an ability to confront prejudice individually and as part of a community.
• Develop an ability to think critically about human behavior.
• Instill a desire to act morally.

Rather than focusing on one discrete event in history, each guide offers age-appropriate strategies and lesson plans for teaching students about the fundamental causes of human rights violations and developing their awareness of ongoing social issues. Lesson plans include exercises that explore underlying concepts while teaching students about geography, history, social studies, math, art, music, and science. Each guide can be used as a curriculum itself, or individual lesson plans can be used as they fit in with an existing curriculum. Complete, annotated bibliographies include both print and non-print resources, and appendices include articles for teachers and helpful information on locating further resources.

Laura Petovello is an attorney and community organizer with long experience working for the human rights of children and people with disabilities. Rachel Quenk is the children's librarian at the Thomas Library, Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

TEACHERS TAKE NOTE click here