Number the Stars

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What does the word “holocaust” mean generally, and what has the Holocaust come to mean historically? How did the events of the Holocaust impact the lives of millions of people, and why is it important to remember this today?

Teaching Suggestion: Since there will be varying degrees of familiarity with the topic, consider beginning with a Know-Wonder-Learn Chart or small group discussion for each part of the question to gauge prior knowledge. Some students may have a surface understanding of the event but may not know the historical context behind why Jews and other minority groups were targeted.

• This article from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum describes International Holocaust Day, including a timeline and the various commemoration ceremonies.
• This article from the National WWII Museum explains what the Holocaust was, what happened in concentration camps, and who the victims were.

2. How does historical fiction help us understand the experiences of individuals during significant historical periods? How can storytelling and literature provide insights into historical events?

Teaching Suggestion: This question will help students understand how using a historical setting for a novel can help them build empathy. In addition to asking this question, you may want to provide a disclaimer or hold a discussion about how historical fiction is still fiction.

• This article from an author of historical fiction provides an explanation for why a writer would choose to use a historical period as a setting for a novel.
• This SuperSummary page offers information on historical fiction.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Reflect on a time when you witnessed someone being treated unfairly or unkindly. Did you intervene or speak up, or did you remain a bystander? What factors influenced your decision, and how did you feel about it afterward?

Teaching Suggestion: To introduce the novel’s themes of Bravery in Large and Small Actions and The Importance of Resisting Evil, you can discuss the importance of being an “upstander” instead of a bystander. You may want to explain the difference between upstanders, bystanders, and perpetrators before this discussion and provide examples of actions that each group might take in a hypothetical situation. In this prompt, students can discuss what factors might have caused them to be a bystander in the past and brainstorm ways to become an upstander in the future.

• This page from Stomp Out Bullying provides examples of actions that kids and teens can take to stand up to bullying.