The Holocaust: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

This lesson aims to help students to build their skill at inferring and deducing the hidden meanings in texts, whilst also providing students with valuable SMSC messages about the horror of the Holocaust. Students also hone their skills of writing to argue, utilising information that they gain from reading extracts of John Boyne’s ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.’

Informative and engaging, this lesson follows a clear and logical learning journey. Students learn to:
- Define key terms related to reading between the lines of a text;
- Consider the concepts of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ using the poem ‘Vultures.’ Use this knowledge to consider the actions of those involved in the Holocaust;
- Read extracts from The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas;
- Answer a range of questions designed to demonstrate students’ ability to infer and deduce the hidden meanings in texts;
- Write an argumentative letter from Bruno’s Grandma to his father, using a writing to argue help-sheet;
- Peer-assess each others’ learning attempts.

Included in this resource pack: A comprehensive, whole-lesson, visually engaging PowerPoint presentation, which guides the teacher and learners through the lesson, a writing to argue help-sheet, a copy of the poem ‘Vultures,’ extracts from ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ and teacher guidance notes.

All images are cited at the end of the PowerPoint presentation, and are licensed for commercial use.