Nuremberg TrialVisual

Impressions and Interpretations

“By the judgment of the Nuremberg Tribunal, October 1, 1946, it was established that the highest officials of a government are

answerable before the bar of international courts for committing war crimes, crimes against peace, and—in connection with

either of these—crimes against humanity.” Harry S. Truman

Address at the Laying of the Cornerstone of the New U.S. Courts Building for the District of Columbia June 27, 1950 #147 Truman

Library

Lesson Plan• Jesse V. McClain• Boardman Center Middle School• 8th Grade and up• Composition• 1 or 2 class Sessions• This lesson was designed to provide the students who learn in the

visual mode a means to successfully interpret and experience the Nuremberg Trials on a unique nonstandard plane and to express their thoughts through writing.

• This lesson’s objective is to provide students with authentic visuals in the field of photography and print and enable them to interpret and express their thoughts and feelings in writing and/or orally.

• National Standards Met: 4, 5, 8• Source Reference: www.trumanlibrary.org• PowerPoint Capability Required• Rubric …slide #27

Defendants

The photograph on the right is of many of the defendants or individuals who were on trial at Nuremberg. Take three minutes and write down all the words you can describing what you see. Write without stopping.

Descriptive Words

• Now, categorize your words. i.e. nouns, adjectives, verbs

• Nouns:

• Adjectives

• Verbs

Lunch for a Prisoner

Comparison

• Now, make a comparison of what this lunch for Nuremberg prisoners consisted of and what your lunch consists of on a typical day.

Nuremberg Bench

• This is a photo of the Nuremberg judges. In one sentence, tell me how you would feel if you had to face this group and in a second sentence, how you think the Nazi’s must have felt.

Nuremberg Jail

What is a Jail?

• What makes a jail a jail? What constitutes imprisonment? From this photo, what can you imagine imprisonment for the accused to be like?

Field Marshall Kesselring, one of the accussed, at the Nuremberg War Crimes

Trials

One More Look

• Take another look at this accused individual and speculate what you believe he is experiencing on the witness stand. Write down you thoughts in one good paragraph.

Together In Thought??

Three Accusers

• The three individuals in the photo on the left are all being accused of war crimes. What do you think they are talking about? Why do you think they are allowed to talk together?

Attorney and Accused

On Which Side?

• Can you tell from this photo on which side of the screen the accused sits and which side the attorney sits? Explain in a sentence or several sentences your reasoning.

Press Room

What an Audience!!!!

• This is a picture of the press room at Nuremberg. Why do you think there are so many reporters present?

In the Company of Many

Thoughts???

• Looking at this photo of the Nuremberg infamous makes you feel and think what? Explain your thoughts.

Cartoons???

• This is a piece of evidence from the Nuremberg Trial. The evidence shows German cartoons. Do you think any of this is humorous? If so or not so, explain your reasoning.

General Jodl

What Do You Think?

• Why would someone on trial for war crimes wear the uniform of a country that lost the war AND no longer exists?

• The photograph on the left shows a guard at the cell of a prisoner. Can you speculate what the other side of this door must be like? Write your thoughts down in a sentence or two?

ESSAY RUBRIC FOR ACADEMIC WRITING

• “A” essays will:• have a strong introduction with an effective attention-getter and clear thesis statement;• have a topic sentence in each body that explains how the supporting point relates to the thesis;• organize the main points so that the essay builds chronologically or logically;• smoothly introduce quotations and/or examples, organizing them effectively in the ¶;• select examples that effectively support the topic sentence and fully explain their significance;• make use of well-selected, significant quotations (as relevant) and specific examples or details;• effectively conclude the essay by showing the significance of the topic;• use advanced and precise vocabulary; use transitions to effectively link paragraphs and sentences;• follow formal essay rules: avoid using slang, trite expressions, and saying “you” and "I";• be virtually free of grammar, punctuation, and usage errors; keep a consistent verb tense.

• “B” essays will:• have a good introduction with a relevant attention-getter and clear thesis statement;• have a topic sentence in each body ¶ that explains how the main point relates to the thesis;• organize the main points so that the essay builds chronologically or logically;• introduce quotations and examples, organizing them effectively in the ¶;• clearly support thesis with examples and explain their significance to the topic;• conclude the essay by showing the significance of the topic;• use grade-level vocabulary and use transitions to link ideas; could use more quotations and details for support;• follow formal essay rules: avoid using slang, trite expressions, and saying “you” and "I";• be mostly free of grammar, punctuation, and usage errors; keep a consistent verb tense.• • “C” essays: • will have an adequate introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion that responds to the topic; • contain quotations and examples that relate to the topic;• need some improvement on overall organization or paragraph organization;• need to improve topic sentences; need transitions between paragraphs/ between examples;• need to explain examples more to show how they relate to the topic sentence/thesis;• need more development of paragraphs in responding to the topics;• need more examples and support, or need more specific examples;• have supporting points that overlap in proof or are not equal in size and scope.• usually avoid slang and saying “you”; may sometimes use inconsistent verb tense;• may present incorrect information when explaining details, events, or situations from the novel;• have some serious usage, grammar, or punctuation errors.

• “D” essays will: • lack a clear thesis, introduction, or conclusion; lack understanding of the topic;• lack attention to the topic/thesis/theme in the paragraphs and/or examples presented;• lack accuracy in explaining examples or details;• lack examples or use of quotations; • lack paragraph development, paragraph organization or overall organization; • need to avoid slang and saying “you”; may sometimes use inconsistent verb tense;• use illogical explanations to try to prove the points; have serious usage, grammar, and/or punctuation.• “D-” or “F” are seriously flawed in terms of addressing the topic and/or assignment.

• WRITING RUBRIC• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------• 5• Accomplished Writing• -Focused on topic• -Logical progression of ideas• -Sentence structure varied• -Mature understanding of writing conventions• -Specific details• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------• 4• Proficient Writing• -Focused on topic and includes few, if any, loosely related ideas• -Transitional devices strengthen organization• -Occasional errors; word choice is adequate• -Commonplace understanding of writing conventions• -Some specific details; support is loosely developed• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------• 3• Basic Writing• -Focused but may contain ideas that are loosely connected to the • topic• -Lacks logical progression of ideas• -General conventions are used• -Partial, limited understanding of writing conventions• -Development of support is uneven• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------• 2• Limited Writing• -Addresses topic but may lose focus by including loosely related • topics• -Includes a beginning, middle, and end, but these elements may be• brief• -Errors in basic conventions, but common words are spelled correctly• -Definite misunderstanding of writing conventions• -Development of support is erratic and nonspecific• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------• 1• Poor Writing• -Addresses topic but may focus by including loosely related ideas• -Has an organizational pattern but may lack completeness or closure• -Frequent and blatant errors in basic conventions; commonly used• words may be misspelled• -Obvious misunderstanding of writing conventions• -Little if any development of the supporting ideas; support may • consist of generalizations or fragmentary lists

Nuremberg Trial Photographs

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