The Holocaust Learning Trunk Project is sponsored by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, the Georgia Department of Education, and The Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Inc.
About the Project
The project provides learning trunks to middle schools throughout the entire state of Georgia. Each trunk contains a full complement of educational materials about the Holocaust. These trunks and the materials within are meant to be an interdisciplinary supplement to curriculum already in place and assist educators in fulfilling the State's Standards of Excellence by teaching the lessons of the Holocaust.
The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust and the Georgia Department of Education are working in concert to ensure the Holocaust Learning Trunk Project will cultivate positive character development and foster students' understanding of the importance of good citizenship.
Core Objectives
- emphasize that hate is taught, not an innate trait by birth and it is a person’s choices that determine their role(s)
- emphasize stories of rescue to demonstrate the significance of personal responsibility
- emphasize personal testimony and not statistics
- emphasize that all Jews were victims but not all victims were Jews
- emphasize examples of non-violent resistance to demonstrate that even though most victims were not victims as a result of their choices but rather the choices of perpetrators, many victims made the choice to not let the Nazis take away their spirit and humanity
How it Works
Trunks are available for check-out to all middle school educators in the state of Georgia either through a local RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) or district media specialist. Educators interested in using a trunk in his or her classroom can request a trunk online. Trunks remain at a school for a maxium of three weeks unless other arrangements have been made. By utilizing the materials in a trunk, educators are able to teach the lessons of the Holocaust to all students in Georgia. Once an educator has finished his or her unit, the trunk returns to the respective Holocaust Learning Trunk Project district contact. Each educator is required to complete and submit an online evaluation. This feedback ensure the success of the project and allows the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust to continue to improve the contents, teaching materials, and other resources.
About the Trunks
The exterior of each trunk is decorated by schools/organizations in metro Atlanta to answer the question "What are the lessons of the Holocaust?" or to commemorate Rescuers, Liberators, or Upstanders. Trunk decorating allows students to express the lessons of the Holocaust through medium of art. Each trunk has a story. No two trunk designs are alike and that is what makes this project so unique. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to become involved in such an instrumental project. Participants are needed for 2012 Trunk Decorating. For more information please visit the Trunk Decorating page of this website.
After a trunk is decorated, it is brought back to the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, packed full of materials, and delivered to its respective district. Some trunks will be launched in a special presentation at a school with a Holocaust speaker. For the Fall 2012 Trunk Presentation Schedule please click here.
There are currently two version of trunks currculating in districts throughout the state: pilot program trunks and second edition trunks.
Pilot Program Trunks
The project began with a a set of 33 trunks program during the 2011-2012 academic year, in partnership with The Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Inc. and the Georgia Department of Education. These trunks were distributed among all 16 RESA (Regional Educational Service Agencies) in the state of Georgia and are available to middle school teachers in all districts. To view the scope of this distribution and the availability of these trunk, please click here.
Second Edition Trunks
A second set of trunks was launched in the 2012-2013 academic year to school districts in the state of Georgia based on need. These trunks are available to middle school teachers in corresponding districts. To view the scope of this distribution and the availability of these trunk, please click here.
Future Trunks
Each fall the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust will distribute a minimum of 20 trunks to school districts throughout the state until each middle school has a trunk.
Attic of the Secret Annex.