THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT REMEMBERING THE CHILDREN OF THE

THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT REMEMBERING THE CHILDREN OF THE HOLOCAUST

TEREZIN CONCENTRATION CAMP • The world was told that Hitler ”had built a city for the Jews” to protect them the war. Notable musicians, writers, artists, and leaders were sent there for “safer” keeping. This scam worked for a very long time, to the great harm of the nearly two hundred thousand men, women and children who passed through its gates as a way station to the east and probable death. • Of the vast majority of Czech Jews who were taken to Terezin (or Theresienstadt), 97, 297 died among whom were 15, 000 children. Only 132 of those children were known to have survived.

I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY • A book, compiled of poems and pictures drawn by the young inmates of Terezin. • Through these poems and drawings, we see the daily misery of these uprooted children, as well as their courage and optimism, their hopes and fears.

AS YOU ARE READING • Ask yourself the following questions: • Who do you think wrote this poem? • What experiences do you think generated this poem? • To what is the poem referring? • How does this poem make you feel? • When in the poem are you seeing examples of courage and optimism, their hopes and fears? (have a direct quote(s) from the poem) Write your answers on the back of the poem, or on a separate sheet of paper

THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT • Create a butterfly that is a representative of the author of your poem. • On the back of the butterfly: Write the name of child author • Somewhere on the front of the butterfly: Include a quote from the poem that you find meaningful • Be prepared to explain their choice of enhancement of each of their butterflies.

EXAMPLES