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Teaching the Holocaust and other Genocides

Uyghurs

Activity Overview
After reading the narrative about the Uyghur Genocide (intensifying circa 2014 and continuing to the present), students will complete a series of activities, including the examination of primary source documents, maps of the country, photographs and videos, and how the “genocide” matches the 10 stages of genocide, academic tool and a policy model which was created by Gregory Stanton.
Grade Level
9-12
ELA Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies:
RH1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the time and place of publication, origin, authorship, etc.
RH2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop within a text.
RH3: Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.
RH4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, economic, or geographic aspects of history/social studies.
RH5: Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally, visually, and graphically).
RH6: Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
RH7: Integrate and evaluate visual and technical information (e.g., in research data, charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
RH8: Analyze the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
RH9: Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
WHST5: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question by the end of grade 8), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
WHST6: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source by applying discipline-specific criteria used in the social sciences or sciences; and quote or paraphrase the data/accounts and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
WHST7: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Social Studies Framework 
10.5 UNRESOLVED GLOBAL CONFLICT (1914–1945): World War I and World War II led to geopolitical changes, human and environmental devastation, and attempts to bring stability and peace.
10.5e Human atrocities and mass murders occurred in this time period.
10.10 HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS: Since the Holocaust, human rights violations have generated worldwide attention and concern. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights has provided a set of principles to guide efforts to protect threatened groups and has served as a lens through which historical occurrences of oppression can be evaluated.
10.10b Governments, groups, and individuals have responded in various ways to the human atrocities committed in the 20th and 21st centuries.
10.10c Historical and contemporary violations of human rights can be evaluated, using the principles and articles established within the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
SEL Benchmarks
2A. Recognize and build empathy for the feelings and perspectives of others.
2B. Recognize and affirm individual identities as well as individual and group similarities and differences, including those rooted in culture, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ability, etc.
3A: Consider individual and collective social, emotional, and physical safety and well-being, as well as social context in making decisions.
Objectives
Students will summarize the key events, principal actors, and chronological arc of the Chinese government’s mass detention and repression of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities in Xinjiang (intensifying circa 2014 and continuing to the present) in a concise paragraph or visual organizer, demonstrating accurate use of period‑appropriate historical vocabulary.
Using a curated set of documents, satellite imagery, leaked government directives (“Xinjiang Papers”), survivor testimonies, and NGO/UN reports, students will identify at least three pieces of evidence that illuminate the experiences of Uyghur victims, Chinese state perpetrators, and international bystanders, and explain how each source deepens our understanding of the alleged genocide/crimes against humanity.
Students will align specific policies, actions, and rhetoric from the Xinjiang campaign to each of Gregory Stanton’s ten stages of genocide, citing factual examples for every stage with a minimum accuracy of 80 %.
After completing the learning activities, students will craft a brief position statement (written, video, or presentation) proposing one contemporary policy or action to help prevent future genocides, explicitly linking their recommendation to lessons learned from the Uyghur case and Stanton’s framework.

Essential Question

How do we identify genocide?

Materials
  • Document on the Uyghur Genocide (Link to Uyghur Genocide Case Study
  • Whiteboard and markers 
  • Projector (for presentations/videos) 
  • Computer or tablets (optional for research) 
  • Copies of key excerpts from the document (optional) 
Activity

1. Introduction (10 minutes) 
Introduce students to the concept of genocide and its significance in global human rights discussions. 

  • Start with a brief discussion on the concept of genocide. 
  • Ask the students: "What do you think genocide means? What are some historical examples?" 
  • Write key points on the whiteboard. 
  • Explain the definition of genocide from the UN Genocide Convention, which includes: 
  1. Killing members of the group 
  2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm 
  3. Deliberately inflicting conditions to bring about the group’s destruction 
  4. Preventing birth within the group 
  5. Forcibly transferring children to another group. 

2. Overview of the Uyghur Situation (15 minutes) 
Provide background on the Uyghur people and the allegations of genocide. 

  • Present a summary of the historical context of the Uyghurs and the Xinjiang region (use map if available). 
  • The Uyghur people are an ethnic Turkic group primarily Muslim, and they have a long history in Xinjiang. 
  • Discuss how Xinjiang became part of the People's Republic of China and the ongoing tensions between the Uyghur population and the Chinese government. 
  • Use the provided material to explain how the Chinese government has allegedly carried out actions such as forced sterilizations, internment camps, forced labor, and religious persecution against the Uyghur population. 
  • Highlight the concept of cultural erasure and religious persecution. 

3. Reading and Discussion (15 minutes) 
Examine the specific actions taken by the Chinese government and evaluate if they fit the criteria        for genocide. 

  • Have students read key excerpts from the document that detail the actions of the Chinese government toward the Uyghur people. (Link to Uyghur Genocide Case Study
  • Split the students into small groups and assign each group one of the five categories of genocide to analyze, using the reading to determine whether those actions fit the criteria. 
  • After 5-7 minutes, have each group share their findings with the class, providing evidence from the document. 

4. Critical Evaluation of Genocide (10 minutes) 
Evaluate whether China’s actions meet the criteria for genocide based on evidence and international        law. 

  • Lead a class discussion about whether or not the Chinese government’s actions against the Uyghurs fit the UN's definition of genocide. 
  • Ask the class: "Do the actions described in the article meet the criteria for genocide? Why or why not?" 
  • Encourage students to support their responses with specific evidence from the document. 

5. International Response and Consequences (10 minutes) 
Understand the international community's reaction to the Uyghur genocide and its implications for            global human rights. 

  • Discuss the international response to the Uyghur genocide. 
  • Talk about the sanctions, declarations by governments, and responses from human rights organizations. 
  • Discuss why some countries have not taken a stance due to economic ties with China and the challenges of addressing human rights violations in powerful countries. 
  • Ask students to reflect: 
  • "Why is it difficult for the international community to respond to genocides like this one? What role do economic and political interests play in such responses?" 

6. Conclusion and Reflection (5 minutes) 
Wrap up the lesson with a reflective question that encourages students to think critically about the ongoing nature of this issue. 

  • Ask students: 
  • "What do you think should be the next steps for the international community in addressing the ongoing situation in Xinjiang?" 
  • Allow a few students to share their thoughts. 
  • For homework or further research, students can investigate other examples of ethnic or cultural persecution and compare them with the Uyghur situation. 

Assessment: 

  • Participation in group discussion and activities 
  • Quality of analysis in the group work (identifying genocide categories) 
  • Reflection in the conclusion (written or verbal) 

Extensions: 

  • Debate: Host a debate on whether economic sanctions against China should be imposed in response to the Uyghur genocide. 
  • Project: Students could research and present on other ongoing genocides or human rights violations around the world. 
  • Letter Writing: Students could draft a letter to an international body (e.g., UN, WHO) expressing their concerns about the situation and calling for action.