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Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust | KS3 7-Lesson Scheme | Holocaust Education & Significance

Overview

This KS3 9-lesson scheme of work explores an often-overlooked aspect of Holocaust education: the many forms of Jewish resistance. Designed for use in secondary History, RE, or Citizenship, this enquiry-led unit goes beyond the traditional narrative of victimhood to examine stories of courage, resilience, and historical significance.

Through a range of historical case studies, students will explore diverse forms of resistance—armed uprisings, partisan warfare, cultural preservation, spiritual defiance, and more. Each lesson is structured to develop critical thinking, empathy, and ethical reflection, giving pupils a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the Holocaust.

This resource is ideal for Holocaust Memorial Day, genocide education, and broader units on 20th-century history or human rights**.

This unit empowers pupils to understand that Jewish people were not passive victims, but active agents who resisted in courageous, creative, and diverse ways. It reframes Holocaust learning through a lens of dignity, complexity, and historical significance.

Lesson Titles
What was the Holocaust?

How can Holocaust resistance be significant?

How did resistance occur in the ghettos?

How did Jewish people resist in concentration camps?

How did partisans resist the Holocaust?

How did Anne Frank resist the Holocaust?

How significant was Jewish resistance to the Holocaust?

What’s Included
9 fully resourced, ready-to-teach Holocaust lessons for KS3

Comprehensive scheme of learning (SoL) with:

Lesson objectives and key enquiry questions

Prior knowledge links and knowledge progression

Key vocabulary and terminology

Common misconceptions addressed

Printable worksheets, primary sources, and extension activities

AfL strategies embedded throughout: quizzes, discussion tasks, peer/self-assessment

Opportunities for group work, debate, and reflective writing

Teacher background notes to ensure confident, contextualised delivery

Curriculum & Pedagogical Features
Focus on the second-order concept of historical significance, using Christine Counsell’s 5 R’s (Remarkable, Remembered, Resonant, Resulting in change, and Revealing)

Strong emphasis on enquiry-based learning and disciplinary thinking

Builds on prior knowledge from KS3 Holocaust studies or WW2 context

Structured to support long-term learning, literacy, and conceptual clarity

Ideal For
KS3 History, RE, and Citizenship teachers

Teaching about Jewish resistance during the Holocaust

Holocaust Memorial Day assemblies or themed weeks

Supporting work on genocide, human rights, and ethical dilemmas

Teachers looking for Ofsted-ready, knowledge-rich resources