Education Team Presentations

Our Education Team

Created and chaired by our Founder Jan Landau, our Education Team (Ed Team) consists of retired educators and 2nd-3rd Generation Holocaust Survivors. When you bring our programming to your students, our Education Team will present to your classroom* at no additional cost.


Every Education Team presentation is adaptable to all ages and designed to align with and enhance your students’ current understanding of the Holocaust. In each presentation, your students will learn historical elements of the Holocaust alongside our team’s personal family stories, photos, and artifacts. Students will be exposed to the lessons of the Holocaust which are most relevant to them today: the dangers of bullying, prejudice, and discrimination, and the importance of standing against injustice.


Our anti-bias Holocaust education aligns with Common Core Standards of Social Studies and English Language Arts and fosters social and emotional learning as a basis for empathy, standing up for justice, and respecting diversity.


You may schedule with our Education Team when you order your Butterfly Kit programming. Click here to visit our ordering page.
Together, we can and will make a lasting difference in your students’ lives. We look forward to visiting your school.


*in-person presentations offered exclusively to educators located within San Diego County. Virtual presentations offered on a case-by-case basis depending upon availability and the times requested.

Please note:
All of our presentations contain historical facts about the Holocaust, personal Survivor family stories, photos, and artifacts. In addition, the most important lessons learned from Survivors are emphasized which are applicable to all of our lives today:

  1. The necessity of perseverance and resilience
  2. The power of hope
  3. The dangers of hatred, bigotry, bullying, prejudice, and indifference
  4. The profound impact of Upstanders for Justice
  5. The importance of gratitude

Prior to the Education Team’s visit, teachers are given a pre-packet containing resources that can help them prepare for the Education Team’s presentation. Included are vocabulary lists that correspond to each presentation, suggested readings and films, and Holocaust education websites.

Literature-Based Visits

  1. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Gils Andreae, a touching tale of Gerald the giraffe, who wants nothing more than to dance. With crooked knees and thin legs, it’s harder for a giraffe than you would think. Gerald is finally able to dance to his own tune when he gets some encouraging words from an unlikely friend. With light-footed rhymes and high-stepping illustrations, this tale is a gentle inspiration for every child with dreams of greatness. The discussion would be about acceptance of differences. (Grades K-1) – Time: approx. 30-45 min.
  2. The Araboolies of Liberty Street by Sam Swope, tells the story of a street that is named for freedom which is anything but free. The message is that even children can make a difference when they see an injustice. (Grades 1-2) – Time: approx. 40-45 min.
  3. Terrible Things by Eve Bunting is an allegory about the Holocaust for multitudes of grades. This short, but meaningful story is an excellent introduction to the Holocaust with an emphasis on being an Upstander not a Bystander. (Grades 2-8) – Time: approx. 30-45 min.
  4. Sneetches by Dr. Seuss, questions why one would want to conform to a group with negative values. It makes children see the importance of being an individual and not a follower. (Grade 3) – Time: approx. 45 min.
  5. The Juice Box Bully by Bob Sornson and Maria Dismondy, helps children to understand why someone might exhibit bullying behavior and that it is important to remain kind to others, even in difficult situations. (Grades 3 & 4) – Time: approx. 45 min.
  6. The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco is about the Holocaust. It tells the story of a young Jewish girl who is hidden by a non-Jewish family during the war. It is a moving portrayal of a family of Upstanders who save the lives of Jews. This is a personal family story of the author’s which makes it even more powerful. (Grade 5) – Time: approx. 50-60 min.

Presentations

  1. Anti-Bullying: For young students, the Anti-bullying lesson identifies what is bullying and what is not bullying behavior. Students are given suggestions and recommendations about how to deal with bullies. (Grades K-3) – Time: approx. 45 min.
  2. Basic Presentation: For students that need a foundation about the Holocaust, they are given a brief who, where, and why of this time in history. This presentation is an introduction to the Holocaust in a very simplified and gentle way. For example, when we define who is a Jew, we show students examples of famous celebrities they may identify with: athletes, scientists, and actors, such as Daveed Diggs, Albert Einstein, Gal Gadot, Julian Edelman and others. The message is that Jewish people come in all colors and backgrounds and all have different interests and passions, just like they do. Again, most importantly, the lessons learned from the Holocaust are emphasized. (Grades 4 & 5) – Time: approx. 45-60 min.
  3. The Elements of the Holocaust: For younger students, as an introduction to the Holocaust, this presentation compares facts about the Holocaust to the parts or element of a book—fiction or non-fiction, the setting, characters/people, etc., emphasizing that the Holocaust was a true terrible event that occurred in history and the lessons we have learned from it, so that a Holocaust will never happen again to anyone. (Grades 4 & 5) – Time: approx. 45-60 min.
  4. Upstander Presentation: The Upstander Presentation identifies who is an Upstander and a Bystander. Students learn about Upstanders in the present day and those who saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust. Students are given suggestions about how they can take a stand to be an Upstander. This presentation works well for students who have a light-to-moderate
    background on the Holocaust. (Grades 4-8) – Time: approx. 45-60 min.
  5. The Holocaust: Why? This presentation addresses the 5 words that created the Holocaust: Prejudice, Discrimination, Stereotyping, Scapegoating and Antisemitism. Attention is brought to these words and how they apply to our lives today through real-life experiences and helps students understand how these words created and allowed the Holocaust to start and endure. This presentation also helps students to realize how negative actions can escalate to horrific consequences. (Grades 6-9) – Time: approx. 45-60 min.
  6. Through Their Eyes (Identity): Students engage in a presentation about identity. The presentation brings attention to who students are, their life choices and interests and how they would be diminished if they were a Jewish teen during the Holocaust. Students read quotes of young people, in a timeline format, describing what life was like before and during the Holocaust and ultimately to liberation. By making a connection to individuals their age, who are experiencing the Holocaust, students will hopefully come to the realization of how fortunate they are to be living in America today. (Grades 8-12) – Time: approx. 45-60 min.
  7. Personal Family Stories: A Second or Third Generation Holocaust Child of a Survivor will share their parent’s or grandparent’s story in person. (Grades 6-12) Time: approx. 45-60
Who We Are
Our Programs
Give