Encountering Evil: Night

Lesson 18
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ELA

Unit 2

8th Grade

Lesson 18 of 28

Objective


Analyze the preface to Night to determine Wiesel’s purpose for writing.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Night by Elie Wiesel  — pp. vii-x (end at “it is still not right”); xiv-xv

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

What was Wiesel’s purpose when he wrote Night? What does he hope that his book will achieve? Provide two pieces of evidence from pages vii-x, and xv to support your answer.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • What possible reasons for writing Night does Wiesel reference on page vii-viii? Summarize each in your own words.

  • On page viii, Wiesel writes that he is "a witness who believes he has a moral obligation to try to prevent the enemy from enjoying one last victory by allowing his crimes to be erased from human memory." Explain what this sentence means, and what it reveals about Wiesel’s purpose in writing this book.

  • What problem did Wiesel face as he began writing this book? Provide evidence from page ix to explain your answer.

  • What fear does Wiesel have about his message? Why does he write, in spite of this fear? Provide evidence from pages ix-x to support your answer.

Discussion Questions

  • Why is it so important for Holocaust victims to share their stories? What impact does hearing these stories have on us as readers?

Exit Ticket

Assess student understanding and monitor progress toward this lesson's objective with an Exit Ticket.

Vocabulary


Text-based

obligation

n.

a commitment; something that must be done because of a rule, law, or promise (p. vii)

magnitude

n.

large size or importance of something (p. xv)

Academic

author's purpose

n.

the author's motivation for writing a text, specifically as it relates to the impact on the reader.

Homework


To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.

  • Speech: “The Perils of Indifference” by Elie Wiesel  — focus on paragraphs 6-18

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Common Core Standards


  • RI.8.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

Supporting Standards

L.8.6
RI.8.1
RI.8.2
RI.8.4
RI.8.10
SL.8.1
SL.8.6
W.8.1
W.8.1.a
W.8.1.b
W.8.4
W.8.9
W.8.9.b
W.8.10
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Lesson 17

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Lesson 19

Lesson Map

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