Teaching the Holocaust can feel daunting. The THGAAC recommends workshops, programs, and educational resources to help educators strengthen their subject knowledge and teaching practices. Following established teaching guidelines and curriculum standards helps educators approach this history responsibly and avoid Holocaust distortion and denial.

Guidance for All Schools

Use THGAAC-Approved Resources

Texas Senate Bill 1828 calls on the THGAAC to develop or approve materials used in Texas classrooms during Holocaust Remembrance Week. Visit the THGAAC Holocaust Remembrance Week page to explore approved educational resources. Contact education@thgaac.texas.gov for clarification, recommendations, or additional guidance.

Establish Historical Context

Effective Holocaust instruction requires an understanding of antisemitism and Jewish history. Before teaching the Holocaust, educators should introduce students to Jewish identity and Judaism so that they understand Jewish life and traditions beyond the history of persecution.

The THGAAC's Educator Resources on Antisemitism page offers additional educational content approved for use during Holocaust Remembrance Week.

Guidance by Grade Level

Elementary Schools

The THGAAC, like the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, does not recommend explicit Holocaust instruction before sixth grade.

Schools may select their own age-appropriate materials to teach the following themes:

Community
Tolerance and fighting prejudice
Responsible Citizenship and being an upstander
Anti-bullying

Schools should consult THGAAC-approved resources when teaching about the following topics:

Introducing Jewish Identity/Judaism: Introduce students to Jewish life and traditions before they study the Holocaust, helping them understand Jewish identity beyond the history of persecution.
Recognizing and fighting antisemitism
An introduction to the Holocaust

Middle Schools & High Schools

Follow Established Teaching Guidelines

How educators teach the Holocaust is as important as the materials they select. The THGAAC strongly recommends that all educators review the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Guidelines for Teaching About the Holocaust before teaching the subject and revisit them each year before Holocaust Remembrance Week.

Educators should also consult the THGAAC Holocaust Remembrance Week Tip Sheet for Educators and the THGAAC's approved educational resources when selecting instructional materials.

Important Considerations for Teaching the Holocaust

Defining the Holocaust

The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. (Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)

Understanding Other Victims of the Nazi Regime

The Nazi regime also persecuted and murdered millions of people who did not fit its ideological, racial, or political objectives. Victims included Roma, people with disabilities, Polish civilians, Soviet prisoners of war, political opponents, Jehovah's Witnesses, and others.

Educators should acknowledge these victims while distinguishing their experiences from the Holocaust's central purpose: the systematic murder of Europe's Jews. Teaching about other victim groups should deepen students' understanding of Nazi persecution without conflating distinct historical experiences.

To learn more about the other groups that were targeted by the Nazis, go to Nazi Genocides: 1933-1945. To learn about other genocides in history, see below.

Choosing Appropriate Language

Accurate language is essential to teaching the Holocaust responsibly. The Nazis used propaganda, dehumanization, and euphemisms to promote persecution and conceal mass murder. Educators should use precise terminology, explain historical language in context, and avoid wording that minimizes or distorts the experiences of victims.

Review the THGAAC's Red Flag Terms for additional guidance.

Exploring Other Genocides

Studying other genocides can help students examine how hatred, dehumanization, and failures to protect human rights contribute to mass atrocities. Educators should teach each genocide within its own historical context, recognizing both shared patterns and important differences.

Explore the THGAAC's Guidelines for Teaching About Genocide.

Additional Insights:

Please be aware that Holocaust education inevitably engages disturbing themes. Some of the recommended materials include written accounts or imagery that may not be suitable to all students. The THGAAC cautions that educators should closely review materials according to local community and district standards before electing to teach with them.