Life in the Camps: Victims of the Holocaust

With the help of additional primary source analysis, students will create a traditional storyboard that outlines what defined life in Auschwitz, the Labor/Death camp that existed during the Holocaust. Students will analyze and explain what constituted prisoners’ arrival, their daily life, experiences, and ultimately their fate in Auschwitz. This will give a general perspective of life in the camp and what prisoners experienced.

Students should consider the following aspects of life in Auschwitz:

1. The Selection Process
2. Arriving at Auschwitz
3. Living Conditions
4. Labor / Routine
5. Punishments / Infractions
6. Departure

Extended Activity 1

For an extended activity, students will create an additional storyboard that represents the life of a survivor after the Holocaust. Students can refer to the following links to assist them in their research. Students should find a survivor that has contributed to the preservation of the history of the Holocaust and represent the actions they have taken to do so.

Extended Activity 2

Have students research and outline another labor or death camp that had existed throughout the Holocaust. Students should be aware that although similarities exist among life in each camp, camps operated and functioned differently as well. This will expand students’ perspectives on how camps operated, and allow students to look at camps comparatively.

• The Holocaust Explained
• Holocaust Encyclopedia

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that defines what life was like in Auschwitz.

1. Click "Start Assignment".
2. Label the titles of each cell with each aspect of life (Selection Process, Arrival, Living Conditions, Labor/Routine, Punishments/Infractions, and Departure).
3. In the description boxes, write a summary based on your research.
4. Create illustrations using appropriate scenes, characters, items, and photos from the Photos for Class search bar.
5. Save and exit when you're done.