WWII Atrocities
Photo Essay Project
Due: __________
Assignment
Your assignment is to find 6 pictures of WWII atrocities (3 from the Holocaust/European
theater and 3 from the Pacific theater). Each picture must include a subtitle description or
caption. In addition, you must cite the source in MLA format (including citation on each
picture and a full works cited page). Finally, write a full paragraph about what you can
tell about the atrocity. What is your reaction to what is going on in the picture? What
are the people going through? What can you learn about them and their situation? How
desperate are they? Etc. etc. etc.
You can use google or yahoo image search to find your pictures.
In additional add a last paragraph, reflect on the following:
- How was Hitler and/or the Japanese able to do this to people?
- Why did the world react more quickly to what was happening to the Jews?
- Why are the atrocities in the Pacific not as well know as those of the
Holocaust?
Your final project should be 8 pages. The first 6 pages should include a picture with a
caption, a reaction and a citation (see example). The 7th page should be your final
reaction on how someone could do such horrible things and why we focus more on the
European atrocities than the Asian atrocities. Please note that your paragraph must be a
reaction, not a description. The 8th page should be a works cited page with a minimum of
3 sources you used for the project (MLA format – see attached)
Grading Rubric
A
- 6 excellent, original pictures that impart the gravity and devastation of the Holocaust
- 6 citations – one at the bottom of each page. Plus a “Works Cited Page” attached with
minimum 3 sources.
- 6 good captions of decent length, that describe the picture (who the ppl are, what they
went through, etc.)
- 7 excellent reactions in full paragraphs, with excellent spelling and grammar
B
- 6 good, original pictures
- 6 captions of good length, but they may not describe the actual ppl in the pictures, rather
the general situation of the period.
- 7 full paragraph reactions of good length. May contain minor spelling or grammar
errors. These reactions may describe the picture rather than give your reaction to
them.
C
- 6 pictures (May not be original. May not impart the gravity of the Holocaust)
- 6 citations - one at the bottom of each page, but does not have a “works cited page”
attached or has less than 3 sources.
- 6 captions (Too short, very general)
- 7 reaction paragraphs
D
- 6 pictures of low quality (both visually, originality and content)
- Captions – are too short and give no relevant info
- 7 bad reactions (Too short, Too Descriptive, Poor spelling and Grammar)
F
- Fewer than 6 pictures or pictures are of improper or irrelevant content
- Sources are not cited
- Captions may be missing from some or all pictures
- Reactions are unreadable, grammatically or otherwise, and/or make little sense.
Picture Grade __________
Citation Grade __________
Caption Grade __________
Reaction Grade __________
Total/Average__________________
Works Cited
Jones, Thomas, et al. Gun Control and America. Hartford: University of Connecticut
Press, 1996:57-61. Print.
Martinez, Juan. “Gun Control, An Issue for the Constitution.” NRA.com. Volume 65
Issue 16. National Rifle Association, 22 Nov. 2003. Web. 25 Dec. 2011.
<http://www.nra.com/rifle.html>.
Smith, Jim. “This Is My Gun and You Can’t Have It!” Time 5 Nov.
1998: 57-61. Web.
**** Please notice that the bibliography is in alphabetical order by the first word in
the line. Punctuation, indentation, and capitalization should be followed exactly. Source #1
is a book. Source #2 is an internet source. Source #3 is a magazine. Sources types not found
in the above examples can be provided upon request.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
Sample Picture Page #1
Category: Holocaust/European Theater
Caption:
Former prisoners of the "little camp" in Buchenwald stare out from the wooden bunks in
which they slept three to a "bed." Elie Wiesel is pictured in the second row of bunks,
seventh from the left, next to the vertical beam. Abraham Hipler is pictured in the second
row, fourth from the left. The man on the third bunk from the bottom, third from the left,
is Ignacz (Isaac) Berkovicz. [He has also been identified as Abraham Baruch.] Michael
Nikolas Gruner, originally from Hungary, is pictured on the bottom left corner. Perry
Shulman from Klimitov, Poland is on the top bunk, second from the left (looking up).
Buchenwald, Germany, April 16, 1945.
Reaction:
This picture makes me sad. I can’t imagine how desperate these people must be. The are
incredibly crowded in this small room. They must have to share beds. There must be
disease spreading. They look like they haven’t eaten in weeks or even months. I don’t
think I would be able to survive in this environment. The people must have become like
animals. How would I find food? How would I make sure I stayed warm? I would be
desperate for help. I am incredibly lucky to have a home and enough food to eat.
Source:
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_ph.php?ModuleId=10007176&MediaId=4052