20 pounds...
A Writing Assignment
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| A photo, taken circa 1937, of Gerda's father, Julius Weissmann, which Gerda kept in her ski boot during her years in Nazi slave-labor camps. Remember, Julius helped save Gerda's life by insisting that she wear her ski boots when the Nazis took her away. She had boots on the forced death march while others were barefoot or wearing sandals in the snow. |
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| A photo, taken circa 1939, of Gerda's mother, Helene Weissmann, which Gerda kept in her ski boot during her years in Nazi slave-labor camps. |
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| A photo, taken circa 1937, of Gerda's brother, Artur Weissmann, which Gerda kept in her boot with the other photos. Artur was the first in Gerda's immediate family to be taken away by the Nazis. Sixty-seven of Gerda's relatives, including her mother, father, and brother, died in the Holocaust. Only Gerda and her Uncle Leo, who had moved to Turkey, survived. |
Imagine you are forced to leave your home. You are allowed only 20 pounds of your most precious possessions. What would you take? What would you be forced to leave behind? How would this make you feel? On what would you base your choices? Would monetary value (how much something cost) mean less or more than emotional/personal value? Why?
If you'd like, you may write your short response (around 100 words) in the comment section. If this assignment is too personal for you to publish on the blog, feel free to word process your "20 pounds" response and either attach it in an email, or print it and hand it in on Monday.
*Lesson plan courtesy of Teaching Tolerance, One Survivor Remembers teacher's guide, pg 21.
If I was forced to leave my home, and was only allowed to bring 20 pounds of my things I would of course bring pictures of my family. I wouldn't want to forget them after they where there for my whole life. I would be forced to leave behind my dogs. I would be extremely upset if I left them behind, there family. I would base my choices on if I could survive without it for a year or not. Emotional value is more important than monetary value because you could always get the expensive item again. With things that have emotional value you could never get them back.
ReplyDeleteIf I was forced out of my house for the same reason people were back in WWII, I would pack a toothbrush, clothes, and a few other things, and then burn my house down. Because if I'm getting kicked out of my house for something I can't control, I'm not letting someone else live in it.
ReplyDeleteHaha nice one
DeleteI would bring things that have emotional value like pictures, and also things I need to survive like clothes and basic needs. I would be forced to leave all my toys and my dog which I would be very upset about.
ReplyDeleteI would bring 20 Lbs. of food because you don't get a lot of good food when you go to those camps
ReplyDeleteI would bring pictures of family members and friends. I would also bring as much food as I could and make it last as long as I can.
ReplyDeleteif I was forced to leave my home and only have 20 pounds of stuff to bring I would take all my emotional stuff than my monetary stuff. like pictures of my family and clothes, pillow, blanket , water and a journal with my happy moments with my friends and family . I would have to leave my dogs and my house everything else I would be very sad.
ReplyDeleteIf I was forced to leave my home I probably wouldn't take a whole lot. I don't have a lot of things at my house that mean a lot to me except for family I suppose. I would just bring basic things like some clothes, some pictures, and maybe a notebook to give me something to do
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteIf I was forced to leave my home, well first, I would be absolutely terrified. If I was also told I was only allowed to bring 20 pounds of my things, I would have no idea what to grab off hand. I think how much something means to you is way more important than how much it costs. Therefore, I would probably take lots and lots of pictures with me! I would also bring boots and lots of socks. I would put on SO many layers of clothes I could barely walk. I would also pack as much food as I could.
If I was forced out of my house and could only bring 20 pounds of stuff with me, I would have to leave a lot behing like my bed, guinea pig, and my 2 cats. That would be terrible. I would bring the essentials, food, water, clothing. I would also bring things like pictures because they are very valuable. I would also bring a deck of cards to entertain myself.
ReplyDeleteIf i was forced to take 20 pounds with me i would bring. I would bring some extra food and bring nice hunting boots.bring nice warm long shirt.bring some to entertain me so i would't die of boredom
ReplyDeleteIf I was forced to leave my home with only 20 pounds of belonging i would take with me lots and lots if picture of my family and friends. Also money and pass-ports and legal documents so that i could leave the country if I wanted to. I would also take with me clothes appropriate for all types of weather because i will need t be prepared for everything where ever I will go. I will also need a backpack with food and water in it, and it will have to be big enough to fit every thing else that I will wan to bring. I would leave thing behind that I could live without like my phone. This would make me really sad because there are things in my home that are important to me and I would have to leave the big things, even if they contain memories. The value might matter all depending on the item it is. Because if it is less value but is an important memory for me or of my family I will probably take it, and if its expensive with little value to me I would leave it.
ReplyDeleteIf I was forced to leave my home with only 20 pounds of my belongings i would take picture, heavy snowboots, food, and lot's of clothing on me. I would behind is all my stuff in my room if someone is gonna live in my house and i would never come back why would i care about me room!This makes me feel sad because i had many memories of me in my house and of my family and friends. I my stuff contained high value i would leave it because they will take it away from me so it's better if i leave that behind. I i have a low value item i would probably take that precious item with low cost that would matter to me.
ReplyDeleteIf i was forced to leave my home with 20 pounds of belongings i would take my pictures and my most valuable memories, i would also want to take my clothes and passport and birth certificate, i would leave things like my phone and my make-up and stuff. Leaving would make me sad because i would be leaving my home where im familiar with my things and stuff.
ReplyDeleteIf i was forced to leave my home with only 20 pounds of my belonging, I would bring along wiht me, photos of my family because I would never want to forget about them and I would want them with me the whole time, i would take my birth certificate so I know who I am as a person, I would take food, heavy clothing. i would leave behind my phone, computer, iPad, books and all the other stuff that isnt worth keeping. I would only take the personal stuff thats low in value, because if you brought high valued items the Nazis would take them away any way an you could have used the weight to bring preciuos stuff along that matter to me the most. I would be very sad to leave my family, friends, house.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to leave home with only 20 pounds of my things I would bring some clothes to keep me warm and I would bring my most expensive items not because they have any sentimental value but because I could sell them to help me survive. I would be devastated because I would have to leave behind my family and friends... I would also bring tooth paste and a tooth brush because I don't like my teeth dirty. I would most definitely bring pictures of my family and friends so I wouldn't forget the ones I love. emotional/personal value means more than monetary value because you can replace something that you can buy but emotional value can never be replaced.
ReplyDeleteIf I was forced to leave my home with only 20 pounds of my belongings, I would take pictures from old memories and pictures of my family so I could remember them. I would also bring my passport or whatever you would need to possible leave the country. I would also bring warm clothes so if it was really cold I would have the right clothing. I would bring food and water so I wouldn't starve. I would also bring a deck of cards so I could play a game with someone if I had free time and so I would have something to look forward to, for the day. I would also bring money! I would leave behind things that I don't need like my Ipod, phone, computer, and makeup. If I had to do that I would feel really sad because I would have to leave behind all my other big things that were valuable and memorable for me. The value of the item could be a price that's high or low but it still is valuable and important to me and my family. But if it was expensive I would probably leave it behind so nothing happened to it and then someone else in the family that didn't have to go could keep it in remembrance.
ReplyDeleteIf I was only allowed to bring 20 pounds worth of stuff I would take.. a book, because I know that without it I wouldn't be able to "get away" from what was around me. I could also read it to other people. I would also bring winter boots, socks, sweatshirts and sweatpants. I would also bring pictures of my family and friends so that I would never be lonely. I would bring dry food that doesn't expire for a long time and a water bottle. I would be forced to leave my family, my dog, my friends, and my phone behind, and the comfort of home and belonging somewhere. I would be really sad, but I think that I would be more angry at the Nazis for treating humans that way, in the end I would forgive them, but it would still really hurt. I also think that your emotions and things that describe you, are much more important that how much something costs. Why? Because you can always buy something back, but your emotions and the things that describe you, are yours. Someone can't buy your sadness or your happiness, but they can buy the clothes you have or your house. Things are not important in the end of it all.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to bring 20 pounds worth of stuff it would have to be yearbooks of past school years. My sunglasses, contacts, food, clothes, and my giant gorilla I won at Valley Fair
ReplyDeleteif i were forced out of my house i would bring pictures of my family and a joke book to keep me company and make other people laugh.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I'd wear a long sleeve shirt, comfy and warm sweatpants, and a pair of boots. If i had to bring 20 pounds of other stuff, I'd bring shoes that breath easily in case it gets hot. I would also bring a pillow to wherever i would be going. I'd also bring pictures and valuables of me and my family. If something like this happened again, I don't think I'd ever have faith in humanity again. If so, #GoAliens.
ReplyDeleteSince I can only have 20 pounds, I would pack small and personal items so that I could bring more. I would start with maybe special jewlery then pictures and other personal items. Just being able to take this out of all my belongings would make me feel really sad, lost, and empty. How much something costs would mean less to me than personal value because you can always buy new furniture or a piano, but you cant replace photos or certificates.
ReplyDelete