2025 North Carolina Council for the Social Studies Conference

Teaching the Holocaust is a profound responsibility that requires sensitivity, accuracy, and the ability to foster empathy in students. This session offers practical strategies for integrating resources from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the NC Council on the Holocaust into their teaching. By leveraging these materials, educators can create meaningful learning experiences that honor the victims, highlight the resilience of survivors, and confront the historical realities of this pivotal event. Participants will explore age-appropriate resources designed to engage students in critical thinking and address common challenges, such as balancing the emotional impact of the content with student age and maturity levels and combating misinformation or bias. This session will include resources for 6-8 Social Studies, World History, Civics, and American History.

Participants explore the events of the Holocaust through the lens of media, by examining propaganda deployed by the Nazis to discriminate against Jews and other minorities. Educators gain tools to facilitate classroom discussions and support students to analyze media in today’s world. This session would be most appropriate for NC social studies courses in grades 6-11.