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Armenian Genocide
Overview
The Armenian Genocide (1915-1923) was the Ottoman government’s systematic extermination of its peaceful Christian Armenian subjects from their historic homeland within the territory constituting the present-day Republic of Turkey. As a result of the state-ordered and implemented campaign of genocide, the Ottoman Empire killed 1,500,000 Armenian men, women, and children, exiled the Armenian nation from its historic homeland, and destroyed and deported hundreds of thousands of its other Christian citizens.
The ANCA-WR Educational Committee has developed resources for educators to help you teach this pivotal moment in history and understand the context of genocide at a deeper level far beyond the academic lens.
Lesson Plans
3rd - 6th Grade
UNDER THE LIGHT OF THE MOON AND THE WORK OF NEAR EAST RELIEF
This lesson is a presentation by author Laura Michael Gaboudian as she explains why she created her book Under the Light of the Moon and as well as a history of the work of child actor Jackie Coogan and Near East Relief during the Armenian Genocide.
Students will be able to:
-Explore how Jackie Coogan and Near East Relief made a difference during the Armenian Genocide
-Draw connections to the ways in which they can make a difference in their community
-Draw connections to the ways in which they can make a difference in their community
7th - 12th Grade
MY MOTHER’S VOICE - World War I and the Armenian Genocide
My Mother’s Voice is a moving account of the Armenian Genocide through the poignant story of a teenage Armenian girl faced with unimaginable life-choices and brings an epic chapter in Armenian history to life. Her voice is that of all the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide…a story that must not be forgotten.
Students will be able to:
-Examine multiple source texts to build understanding of the Armenian Genocide
-Explore the human impact of the Armenian Genocide through the story of a survivor
-Draw connections between the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust
-Explore the human impact of the Armenian Genocide through the story of a survivor
-Draw connections between the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust
7th - 12th Grade
Teaching About the Armenian Genocide With The New York Times
In this lesson, students will learn about why the United States changed its long-held policy this month and consider what the change means. In the Going Further section, we provide three teaching ideas that invite students to explore the New York Times archive from 1915 and wrestle with important questions about language and remembrance.
Students will be able to:
Learn about President Biden’s decision to use the term “genocide” to describe the Ottoman Empire’s killing of Armenian civilians during World War I. Then they will explore the Times archive from 1915.