Into-Action, a large scale pop-up art exhibition addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, opens up in Los Angeles on January 13th.

How do we understand and honor children's lives taken during the Holocaust? The Butterfly Project, founded in San Diego in 2006 and now reaching 20 states and 16 countries, seeks to involve young people in creating a ceramic butterfly for every child lost to the Holocaust. Over the past year, Facing History has been collaborating with them to deepen the experience of students in this powerful exploration and memorial to children.

Find out more about The Butterfly Project here www.thebutterflyprojectnow.org

So what does it look like to put the focus on youth in your exploration of the Holocaust? The following path uses Facing History resources to deepen student appreciation for the meaning of painting a butterfly. This progression of lessons can be the basis for a middle or high school unit culminating in participation in The Butterfly Project.

“Intersectionality.

Who am I?

Does it really matter?

 That goes from…

            Ethnicity

            Ability

Age

Race

Gender. Sexuality.

And we can go on and on and on.”

This project was the brainchild of 7 educators across five content areas. What better way to end the school year than with a Civil Rights Spoken Word Showcase?