Anne Frank – The Ultimate Spirit of Courage and Hope
In many ways, Anne Frank was a typical teenager – she went to movies and for ice cream with friends, she got good grades except in math, and she liked boys. And in one other very significant way, she was a typical teenage girl……..she kept a diary. However, the diary Anne kept was anything but typical. You see, Anne kept a diary of her experiences as she and her Jewish family hid from the Nazis during World War II.
Although Anne’s diary paints a dramatic picture of what it was like to live in fear of the Nazis in the 1940s, there is something else about it that makes it inspirational. What makes Anne’s diary so special is the way she wrote it. In her diary, in spite of the cruel hardship she and her family were enduring, Anne maintained a sense of optimism. Even with the evil that surrounded her, she wrote in her diary “despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart”. Because of her incredible words, Anne is remembered as a girl of tremendous courage and hope, an inspiration to all.
This video tells about Anne and shares some of the amazing things she wrote in her diary.
Additional Resources:
- Here is a website that tells all about Anne and her diary.
- Here is another website that tells about Anne, her life, and her writings.
Topics for Discussion:
- How would it have felt to have to live in hiding, in constant fear of being discovered?
- How do you think Anne was able to stay so optimistic despite her horrible circumstances?
Take Action:
- Visit the website for The Anne Frank Center to learn more about this organization and how you can help support it!
- Here is a website that has the book made from the diary of Anne Frank, so you can read it for yourself.
Teacher Features:
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
