Bettmann Archive/Getty Images (Nazis); Anne Frank Fonds - Basel via Getty Images (Anne Frank); Shutterstock.com (photos)

Anne Frank

She was 13 years old when she and her family went into hiding from the Nazis. Though she did not survive, the diary she kept did. Her words would give voice to millions.

By Kristin Lewis

From the April 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: to synthesize ideas expressed in a poem with those in a nonfiction text

Lexiles: 910L, 770L

Featured Skill: Synthesis,

Other Key Skills: mood, cause and effect, key ideas and details, inference, characterization, summarizing, author’s craft, symbolism

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AS YOU READ

Why was Anne Frank’s diary important to her?

Anne Frank

She was 13 years old when she and her family went into hiding from the Nazis. Though she did not survive, the diary she kept did. Her words would give voice to millions.

By Kristin Lewis

It was early morning, and 13-year-old Anne Frank was hurrying down the street with her parents. Warm summer rain was pouring down steadily. Despite the mild temperature, Anne was wearing two vests, three pairs of pants, a dress, a skirt, a jacket, a scarf, two pairs of stockings, a cap, and a coat.

Anne felt hot and uncomfortable wearing so many clothes—but she kept that to herself. This was a life-or-death moment for her and her family, and Anne knew it.

It was July 6, 1942, in Amsterdam, a city in the Netherlands. Because they were Jewish, the Franks were in grave danger. They had made the tough decision to go into hiding, to disappear without a trace.

So despite their terror, Anne and her family had to pretend they were simply out for a stroll. They had to wear all their clothing because carrying suitcases would have seemed suspicious. If anyone discovered what they were doing, they could be arrested and killed.

It was early morning in the summer. Thirteen-year-old Anne Frank was hurrying down the street with her parents. Despite the warm weather, Anne was wearing two vests, three pairs of pants, a dress, a skirt, a jacket, a scarf, two pairs of stockings, a cap, and a coat.

Anne felt hot and uncomfortable. But she kept that to herself. This was a life-or-death moment for her and her family, and Anne knew it.

It was July 6, 1942, in Amsterdam, a city in the Netherlands. The Franks were in danger because they were Jewish. They had decided to go into hiding, to disappear without a trace.

Anne and her family were terrified. But they had to pretend they were just out for a walk. Carrying suitcases would have seemed suspicious. So they had to wear all their clothing. If anyone discovered what they were doing, they could be arrested and killed.

A Terrifying Regime

Though Anne lived more than 75 years ago, in some ways, she may not have been so different from you. Anne dreamed of going to Hollywood. She decorated her room with photos of glamorous movie stars. She worried about her crushes and dreaded math.

But this ordinary girl had been swept up in an extraordinarily evil chapter in human history. Anne lived during the time of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, one of the most horrific regimes the world has ever seen.

Hitler’s rise to power started before Anne was born. After Germany lost World War I, in 1918, its economy fell apart. Jobs became scarce. Anger and bitterness swept the country.

Hitler, a rising German politician, offered a scapegoat: Jewish people. Hitler said that Jewish people were to blame for Germany’s problems—and that they did not deserve to live.

Antisemitism—prejudice against Jewish people—had been ingrained in European culture for centuries. Jewish customs and beliefs were often viewed with suspicion and contempt. Hitler fanned the flames of these age-old prejudices until they exploded into violent hatred.

The Franks had lived peacefully in Germany for generations. With Hitler in power, however, life became dangerous. So in 1933, when Anne was 4, her father, Otto Frank, decided to move the family to Amsterdam. The beautiful Dutch city of winding streets and canals seemed like a good choice. The family had every reason to believe they would be safe there. And for six years, they were.

Otto worked hard to make his business successful. (He owned a company that made pectin, an ingredient in jelly.) Anne and her older sister, Margot, made many friends at school. Hitler and his Nazis seemed like faraway monsters.

Until May 1940, when Nazi forces invaded the Netherlands.

Anne lived more than 75 years ago. However, she may not have been so different from you. Anne dreamed of going to Hollywood. She decorated her room with photos of movie stars. She worried about her crushes and dreaded math.

But this ordinary girl lived during an evil chapter in human history—the time of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. It was one of the most horrific regimes the world has ever seen.

Hitler’s rise to power started before Anne was born. After Germany lost World War I, in 1918, its economy fell apart. Jobs became scarce. People became angry and bitter.

Hitler was a rising German politician. He offered a scapegoat: Jewish people. Hitler said that Jewish people were to blame for Germany’s problems. He said they did not deserve to live.

Antisemitism is prejudice against Jewish people. It had been part of European culture for centuries. Jewish customs and beliefs were often viewed with suspicion and contempt. Hitler fanned the flames of these old prejudices until they exploded into violent hatred.

The Franks had lived peacefully in Germany for generations. With Hitler in power, however, life became dangerous. So in 1933, when Anne was 4, the family moved to Amsterdam. They thought they would be safe in the Dutch city. And for six years, they were.

Otto Frank, Anne’s father, worked hard to make his business successful. (His company made pectin, an ingredient in jelly.) Anne and her older sister, Margot, made many friends at school. Hitler and his Nazis seemed like faraway monsters.

But then in May 1940, Nazi forces invaded the Netherlands.

The Invasion

After the invasion, life for Jewish people became a nightmare. The Nazis put laws in place to isolate Jewish people and strip them of their rights. Anne and Margot were expelled from their school. All Jewish people were banned from buses, trains, and cars. They couldn’t go to the movies. They couldn’t be outside past 8 p.m. And they had to wear yellow stars so the Nazis could easily identify them.

Then people started to vanish. Later there would be whispers about concentration camps—horrific places where Nazis were holding Jewish people captive and forcing them to work—and of death camps, where Nazis were systematically murdering Jewish people.

Many refused to believe that even the Nazis could be so evil. But Anne’s parents, especially Otto, had no doubt that staying in Amsterdam would mean certain death for the family.

By 1942, Jewish people in Nazi-occupied countries were not allowed to travel. Even if travel had been permitted, safer countries like the U.S. and England were admitting only a very small number of Jewish people. What’s more, Germany had seized control of so much of Europe that for hundreds of miles, there was no place a Jewish person could go without the risk of being killed.

The Franks were trapped.

So Anne’s father came up with another idea: They would hide.

The main building of Otto’s pectin business contained offices and a warehouse. Behind it was a smaller building—an annex—that could be reached only from inside. It seemed the perfect place for the Franks to hide until the war was over. A small group of Otto’s employees agreed to help, despite the risk. Assisting Jewish people was against the law and punishable by imprisonment—or even execution.

It was to the annex that the Franks, dressed in their many layers of clothing, were fleeing that July morning in 1942.

After the invasion, life for Jewish people in the Netherlands became a nightmare. The Nazis put laws in place to isolate Jewish people and strip them of their rights. Anne and Margot were expelled from school. Jewish people were banned from buses, trains, and cars. They couldn’t go to the movies. They couldn’t be outside past 8 p.m. And they had to wear yellow stars so the Nazis could easily identify them.

Then people started to vanish. Later there would be whispers about concentration camps, horrific places where Nazis held Jewish people captive and forced them to work. There were also rumors of death camps, where Nazis murdered Jewish people.

Many refused to believe that even the Nazis could be so evil. But Anne’s parents, especially Otto, thought that staying in Amsterdam would mean certain death for the family.

By 1942, Jewish people in Nazi-occupied countries were not allowed to travel. Even if they could have traveled, safer countries like the U.S. and England were taking in only a small number of Jewish people. In addition, Germany controlled so much of Europe that for hundreds of miles, there was no place a Jewish person could safely go.

The Franks were trapped.

So Anne’s father came up with another idea: They would hide.

The main building of Otto’s pectin business had offices and a warehouse. Behind it was a smaller building—an annex. It could be reached only from inside the main building. It seemed the perfect place to hide until the war was over. A small group of Otto’s employees agreed to help, despite the risk. Assisting Jewish people was against the law. Anyone who helped them could be jailed—or even killed.

It was to the annex that the Franks, dressed in their many layers of clothing, were fleeing that July morning in 1942.

The Secret Annex

The Frank family spent more than two years hiding in a small part of the building that Otto Frank used for his business.

Living in Fear

Anne had no idea that her father and some of his employees had spent months preparing for her family to go into hiding. They had stocked the annex with food, dishes, bedding, and other necessities. Otto had even brought some of Anne’s photos from her old bedroom.

A week after the Franks arrived, they were joined by Otto’s business partner, Hermann van Pels, along with van Pels’s wife, Auguste, and their 15-year-old son, Peter. A dentist named Fritz Pfeffer came four months later.

In total, eight people hid in the annex. It was a small maze of rooms, stairs, and hallways that might have been comfortable for one small family, but it was cramped for such a large group.

Meanwhile, business in the warehouse went on as usual; other than the helpers, employees had no idea that eight people were hiding just a few feet away. Anne and the others in the annex spoke in whispers and tiptoed around—they didn’t dare flush the toilet too often or open a window, even on the most sweltering days. The smallest noise—a cough, a chuckle, a dropped dish—could give them away. The SS, the Nazi’s ruthless military unit, would give a cash reward to anyone who turned in a Jewish person.

A week after the Franks arrived, they were joined by Otto’s business partner, Hermann van Pels; van Pels’s wife, Auguste; and their 15-year-old son, Peter. A dentist named Fritz Pfeffer joined them four months later.

In total, eight people hid in the annex. It was a small maze of rooms, stairs, and hallways. One small family might have been comfortable there. But it was cramped for such a large group.

Meanwhile, business in the warehouse went on as usual. Other than the helpers, employees had no idea that eight people were hiding just a few feet away. Anne and the others in the annex spoke in whispers and tiptoed around. They didn’t flush the toilet too often or open a window. The smallest noise—a cough, a chuckle, a dropped dish—could give them away. The SS was the Nazi’s ruthless military unit. Its officers would give a cash reward to anyone who turned in a Jewish person.

Fragile Hope

Living in such close quarters was a challenge, especially for the energetic Anne, who yearned to run outside and feel the sun on her face. Her one comfort was her diary, her most prized possession. It was only in the pages of her diary that she could freely vent her feelings and frustrations.

“I’m longing—so longing—for everything,” Anne wrote in one entry. “To talk, for freedom, for friends, to be alone. And I do so long . . . to cry!”

And yet life went on. The residents of the annex fell into a routine. Every morning, they had breakfast at 9. During the day, Margot, Peter, and Anne did schoolwork. Lunch was served at 1:15, when the employees in the warehouse went home to eat. In the evenings, Anne and the others ate dinner gathered around the radio, eagerly listening to the daily news broadcasts from Great Britain.

When the helpers snuck into the annex with food and other provisions, they brought grim news of the outside world. World War II was raging across Europe. Many of the Jewish families the Franks knew had been taken away by the Nazis. People were starving. Bombs were falling mere blocks away. Anne could often hear rapid-fire shooting on the street outside the annex.

Yet there was hope as well. The Allies—led by Britain, the U.S., and the Soviet Union—were fighting Hitler. (The Soviet Union was a group of republics controlled by Russia from 1921 to 1991.) The residents of the annex told each other it was only a matter of time before the Allies drove the Nazis out of the Netherlands, before they could leave the annex and be free.

But weeks of waiting turned into months. And months turned into years.

Living in such close quarters was a challenge. Anne yearned to run outside and feel the sun on her face. Her one comfort was her diary, her most prized possession. On its pages, she could vent her feelings and frustrations.

“I’m longing—so longing—for everything,” Anne wrote in one entry. “To talk, freedom, for friends, to be alone. And I do so long . . . to cry!”

And yet life went on. The residents of the annex fell into a routine. Every morning, they had breakfast at 9. During the day, Margot, Peter, and Anne did schoolwork. Lunch was served at 1:15, when the employees in the warehouse went home to eat. In the evenings, Anne and the others ate dinner gathered around the radio. They eagerly listened to the daily news broadcasts from Great Britain.

Helpers snuck into the annex with food and other provisions. They also brought grim news of the outside world. World War II was raging across Europe. Many of the Jewish families the Franks knew had been taken away by the Nazis. People were starving. Bombs were falling mere blocks away. Anne could often hear shooting on the street outside the annex.

Yet there was hope as well. The Allies—led by Britain, the U.S., and the Soviet Union—were fighting Hitler. (The Soviet Union was a group of republics controlled by Russia from 1921 to 1991.) The residents of the annex told each other the Allies would soon win. Then they could leave the annex and be free.

But weeks of waiting turned into months. And months turned into years.

“My Courage Is Reborn”

Anne would live in the annex for more than two years. During that time, she recorded in sharp and frequently funny detail everything that went on—the modest dinners cobbled together from rotting potatoes, her fights with Auguste van Pels, the challenge of finding enough privacy to take a sponge bath. (The annex did not have a bathtub.)

In her beautiful, looping cursive, Anne wrote that she wanted her life to have meaning. She vowed to become a famous writer, with her first book to be based on her now overflowing diary. She went back to old entries, revising and rewriting.

“I can shake off everything if I write,” Anne wrote in April 1944. “My sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”

Then came catastrophe.

Anne would live in the annex for more than two years. During that time, she wrote in a sharp and funny way about everything that went on—the modest dinners cobbled together from rotting potatoes, her fights with Auguste van Pels, the challenge of finding enough privacy to take a sponge bath. (The annex did not have a bathtub.)

Anne also wrote that she wanted her life to have meaning. She vowed to become a famous writer. She said she would base her first book on her diary. She went back to old entries, revising and rewriting.

“I can shake off everything if I write,” Anne wrote in April 1944. “My sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”

Then came catastrophe.

Betrayed

Anne Frank Fonds - Basel via Getty Images

Miep Gies, one of the helpers

In August 1944, Dutch police, led by an SS officer, forced their way into the annex and dragged everyone away at gunpoint. Someone had betrayed the Franks.

After the officers were gone, two helpers, Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl, crept into the annex, their hearts heavy. The officers had ransacked the place and stolen anything they thought held value.

But in fact, they had left behind something of enormous value. Strewn across the floor of the attic were the pages of Anne’s diary.

The women gathered them up. Miep told herself that she would keep them safe, locked away in her desk, and return them to Anne after the war, when the nightmare was finally over.

In August 1944, Dutch police, led by an SS officer, forced their way into the annex. They dragged everyone away at gunpoint. Someone had betrayed the Franks.

After the officers were gone, two helpers, Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl, crept into the annex, their hearts heavy. The officers had ransacked the place and stolen anything they thought held value.

But they had left behind something of enormous value. Strewn across the floor of the attic were the pages of Anne’s diary.

The women gathered them up. Miep planned to keep them safe and return them to Anne after the war, when the nightmare was finally over.

Something Precious

The fighting in Europe would come to an end nine months later, in May 1945, when the Nazis were at last defeated. By then, the Nazis had murdered an estimated 6 million Jewish people. This genocide came to be known as the Holocaust.

Otto Frank was rescued from a death camp called Auschwitz, in Poland. He was gravely ill and emaciated from months of hard labor and starvation. He had no idea where his family was.

During his monthslong journey back to a battle-scarred Amsterdam, Otto learned that his wife, Edith, had been killed at Auschwitz. But the whereabouts of Margot and Anne were unknown. Otto held out hope that they had survived.

Otto was staying with Miep Gies and her husband in Amsterdam when he finally received a letter containing news of his daughters: Anne and Margot had both died at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, in northern Germany. The girls had died of the disease typhus just weeks before the camp was liberated by the British army.

Otto handed the letter to Miep. After reading it, she stood up and opened the drawer of her desk. She had something to give him, something precious: Anne’s diary. Miep told Otto that out of respect for Anne, she had not read a word of it. Now Anne’s words belonged to him.

The fighting in Europe ended nine months later, in May 1945, when the Nazis were at last defeated. By then, the Nazis had murdered an estimated 6 million Jewish people. This genocide came to be known as the Holocaust.

Otto Frank was rescued from a death camp called Auschwitz, in Poland. He was gravely ill and very thin from months of hard labor and starvation. He had no idea where his family was.

During his monthslong journey back to Amsterdam, Otto learned that his wife, Edith, had been killed at Auschwitz. But the whereabouts of Margot and Anne were unknown. Otto hoped that they had survived.

Otto was staying with Miep Gies and her husband in Amsterdam when he finally received a letter about his daughters. Anne and Margot had both died at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, in northern Germany. The girls had died of the disease typhus just weeks before the camp was liberated by the British army.

Otto handed the letter to Miep. After reading it, she stood up and opened the drawer of her desk. She had something precious to give him: Anne’s diary. Miep told Otto that out of respect for Anne, she had not read a word of it. Now Anne’s words belonged to him.

Sharing Her Words

Anne Frank Fonds - Basel via Getty Images

Anne in May 1942

Otto decided to honor Anne’s wish and share her words with the world. First published in 1947, The Diary of a Young Girl has since been translated into some 70 languages. It is one of the most read books in the world.

“If God lets me live . . . I shall not remain insignificant,” Anne wrote in April 1944, a few months before the officers stormed the annex. “I shall work in the world and for mankind.”

And that is exactly what she has done. Her diary has given voice to those silenced by the Holocaust. She has inspired millions of people with her courage and honesty, and with her refusal to give up hope during one of history’s darkest times.

In this way, Anne’s wish came true. Through her diary, Anne Frank will never be forgotten.

Otto honored Anne’s wish and shared her words with the world. The Diary of a Young Girl was first published in 1947. Since then, it has been translated into some 70 languages. It is one of the most read books in the world.

“If God lets me live . . . I shall not remain insignificant,” Anne wrote in April 1944, a few months before the officers stormed the annex. “I shall work in the world and for mankind.”

In this way, Anne’s wish came true. Through her diary, Anne Frank will never be forgotten.

It Is Raining on the House of Anne Frank

By Linda Pastan

It is raining on the house

of Anne Frank

and on the tourists

herded together under the shadow

of their umbrellas,

on the perfectly silent

tourists who would rather be

somewhere else

but who wait here on stairs

so steep they must rise

to some occasion

high in the empty loft,

in the quaint toilet,

in the skeleton

of a kitchen

or on the map—

each of its arrows

a barb of wire—

with all the dates, the expulsions,

the forbidding shapes

of continents.

And across Amsterdam it is raining

on the Van Gogh Museum

where we will hurry next

to see how someone else

could find the pure

center of light

within the dark circle

of his demons.

It is raining on the house

of Anne Frank

and on the tourists

herded together under the shadow

of their umbrellas,

on the perfectly silent

tourists who would rather be

somewhere else

but who wait here on stairs

so steep they must rise

to some occasion

high in the empty loft,

in the quaint toilet,

in the skeleton

of a kitchen

or on the map—

each of its arrows

a barb of wire—

with all the dates, the expulsions,

the forbidding shapes

of continents.

And across Amsterdam it is raining

on the Van Gogh Museum

where we will hurry next

to see how someone else

could find the pure

center of light

within the dark circle

of his demons.

_{Reprinted from Carnival Evening: New and Selected Poems 1968-1998 by Linda Pastan. Copyright ©1999 by Linda Pastan. Used with permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.}

Writing Prompt

Based on the article and the poem, what is it about Anne Frank that inspires others? Answer this question in a well-organized essay. Support your ideas with text evidence.

Writing Prompt

Based on the article and the poem, what is it about Anne Frank that inspires others? Answer this question in a well-organized essay. Support your ideas with text evidence.

^{This article was originally published in the April 2023 issue.}

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Activities (10)

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Answer Key (1)

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Activities (10)

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Answer Key (1)

1. Preparing to Read

2. Reading and Discussing

3. Skill Building and Writing

4. Connected Reading

Essential Questions: What is the value of hope? Why is it important to study the past? How can we triumph over hate?

Essential Questions: What is the value of hope? Why is it important to study the past? How can we triumph over hate?

1. PREPARING TO READ (20 MINUTES)

Watch a Video (10 minutes)

Watch the Behind the Scenes video, in which author Kristin Lewis talks about her research and writing process and establishes context and key vocabulary related to World War II and the Holocaust. Have students respond to the Video Discussion Questions (available in your Resources tab) in small groups or as a class.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Project the Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice slideshow. Review the definitions and complete the practice activity as a class. Highlighted words (all in the article): betrayed, contempt, genocide, liberated, ransacked, regimes, scapegoat. Optionally, print or share the interactive link directly to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity before class. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud are embedded in the interactive slides.

Watch a Video (10 minutes)

Watch the Behind the Scenes video, in which author Kristin Lewis talks about her research and writing process and establishes context and key vocabulary related to World War II and the Holocaust. Have students respond to the Video Discussion Questions (available in your Resources tab) in small groups or as a class.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Project the Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice slideshow. Review the definitions and complete the practice activity as a class. Highlighted words (all in the article): betrayed, contempt, genocide, liberated, ransacked, regimes, scapegoat. Optionally, print or share the interactive link directly to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity before class. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud are embedded in the interactive slides.

2. READING AND DISCUSSING (75 MINUTES)

“Anne Frank”

Have a volunteer read the As You Read box that appears on page 21 of the magazine or at the top of the digital story page.

Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to the read-aloud while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following close-reading questions.

Close-Reading Questions (20 minutes)

What is the mood of the first section? Which words, images, and details create this mood? (mood) The mood is tense, uncomfortable, and ominous. The detail that Anne was “hurrying” creates anxiety. That Anne was sweating from wearing layers and layers of clothing in the summer heat creates a sense of discomfort. The feeling of danger intensifies when Lewis writes, “If anyone discovered what they were doing, they could be arrested and killed.”

According to the article, what factors contributed to Adolf Hitler’s rise to power? (cause and effect) According to the article, Germany’s defeat in World War I and the resulting economic collapse in Germany contributed to Hitler’s rise to power, as well as the antisemitism that had long existed in Europe. Hitler took advantage of the anger and bitterness Germans were feeling after the war and offered a scapegoat: Jewish people.

How did Anne’s diary help her cope with what was happening? (key ideas and details, inference) Anne’s diary gave her a way to express and process her thoughts and emotions. You can infer that it also gave her a way to escape what was happening around her—a way to retreat into her head and think about things other than the war and her life in the annex.

What kind of person was Anne? To answer, draw on the excerpts from her diary that are included in the article as well as what Kristin Lewis writes about Anne. (inference, characterization) According to Lewis, Anne was in many ways an ordinary kid, with many of the same dreams and worries as others her age. But it seems that Anne was particularly thoughtful, reflective, ambitious, and passionate: She wrote that she wanted to have a meaningful life and vowed, according to Lewis, to become a writer. The excerpts from Anne’s diary reveal her to be a gifted writer. The excerpt in which Anne writes “I shall work in the world and for mankind” shows her to be generous and benevolent and also, as Lewis writes, full of courage, honesty, and hope.

“It Is Raining on the House of Anne Frank”

Direct students’ attention to the inset photos and captions on either side of the poem and read the captions aloud as a class.

Have students listen to the read-aloud of the poem while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

In small groups or as a class, discuss the following questions about the poem. Students may find it helpful to number the lines of the poem so they can more easily refer to the text during discussion.

Poetry Analysis (20 minutes)

Who is the speaker of the poem? What is the speaker doing? (summarizing) The speaker is a tourist visiting two iconic buildings in the city of Amsterdam: the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum.

How do the tourists feel about visiting Anne Frank’s house? Why do you think they feel this way? (inference) In lines 7-11, the speaker says that the tourists “would rather be somewhere else” but feel they “must rise/to some occasion.” In other words, it is difficult for the tourists to be in the Anne Frank House because it is a reminder of a horrific time in human history, but they feel it’s important for them to be there, to remember and honor Anne and all who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Which words and phrases does the poet use to create feelings of darkness, discomfort, and suffering throughout the poem? (author’s craft) “It is raining” (the title, lines 1 and 22); “perfectly silent” (line 6); “herded together under the shadow” (line 4); “skeleton” (line 14); “a barb of wire” (line 18); “forbidding shapes” (line 20); “the dark circle of his demons” (lines 28-29)

Consider the words and phrases you listed in Question 3. Do any of them connect to ideas or images you encountered in Lewis’s article? Explain. (synthesis) Students may offer that “a barb of wire” and “herding” connect to the image of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz on page 24, which shows children standing behind a barbed wire fence in a place where Nazis treated humans like animals. The poem’s description of “forbidding shapes of continents” connects to the map on page 22 titled “Nazi-Occupied Europe, 1942”: The spreading light brown shape, representing the countries controlled or occupied by Nazi Germany, has a threatening appearance. The phrase “perfectly silent” in the poem connects to what Lewis writes about how Anne and the others in the annex had to speak in whispers and tiptoe around, because the smallest noise could give them away (23).

In literature, light is often a symbol of positivity, goodness, and life, while darkness is often a symbol of negativity, evil, and death. Keeping this in mind, what do you think the speaker is saying about Anne and Van Gogh in lines 25-29? (symbolism) Answers will vary. Sample response: Both Anne and Van Gogh were able to hold on to something beautiful and good even in the most terrible and difficult times.

Critical-Thinking Questions (15 minutes)

What did Anne’s diary mean to her? What has it meant to others? To Anne, her diary was a source of support, almost like a friend. It was a place for her to vent her feelings and sort out her thoughts. To Otto Frank, Anne’s diary was no doubt a connection to his daughter and a way to get to know her better after her death. To the many who have read Anne’s diary, it has been a source of inspiration and a way to learn about the Holocaust.

Lewis writes that Anne’s diary has been translated into 70 languages and is one of the most read books in the world. Why do you think this is? Why would so many people from so many places be interested in Anne’s diary? People may read Anne’s diary because it is a historical record and they want to learn about the past, because Anne’s courage and optimism are inspiring, and because Anne was a gifted and engaging writer. Perhaps some feel it is right to honor Anne by reading her words. As humans, we want to understand ourselves and our world. Anne’s diary can help us do that.

According to the Anne Frank Museum, the secret annex was not unique. During World War II, 300,000-330,000 people were in hiding in the Netherlands alone. How can this statistic give us hope? Is there anything in the article—much of which does not shed a positive light on human behavior—that can give us hope or inspiration? That some of Otto’s employees risked their lives to help those in the annex shows that people can rise above fear and act with great compassion for others. The fact that so many people were in hiding reveals that there must have been many people who served as helpers in the same way Otto’s employees did. That so many people have read Anne’s diary suggests that many people care about what happened and want to learn about the Holocaust. Anne’s strong spirit and optimism can also inspire us.

Poet Maya Angelou once wrote, “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” What does she mean? How does this idea apply to the story of Anne Frank? Angelou means that we cannot change the past or erase painful suffering, but if we learn about the past and are honest with ourselves about what circumstances, beliefs, and behaviors allowed something terrible to happen, we can take steps to prevent the same terrible thing from happening again. This idea applies to the story of Anne Frank in that Anne’s diary gives us a way to learn about a horrible time in the past that was full of “wrenching pain,” as Angelou puts it—and therefore the diary also provides us an opportunity to think about what led to such horrors so we can take steps to prevent history from repeating itself.

“Anne Frank”

Have a volunteer read the As You Read box that appears on page 21 of the magazine or at the top of the digital story page.

Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to the read-aloud while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following close-reading questions.

Close-Reading Questions (20 minutes)

What is the mood of the first section? Which words, images, and details create this mood? (mood) The mood is tense, uncomfortable, and ominous. The detail that Anne was “hurrying” creates anxiety. That Anne was sweating from wearing layers and layers of clothing in the summer heat creates a sense of discomfort. The feeling of danger intensifies when Lewis writes, “If anyone discovered what they were doing, they could be arrested and killed.”

According to the article, what factors contributed to Adolf Hitler’s rise to power? (cause and effect) According to the article, Germany’s defeat in World War I and the resulting economic collapse in Germany contributed to Hitler’s rise to power, as well as the antisemitism that had long existed in Europe. Hitler took advantage of the anger and bitterness Germans were feeling after the war and offered a scapegoat: Jewish people.

How did Anne’s diary help her cope with what was happening? (key ideas and details, inference) Anne’s diary gave her a way to express and process her thoughts and emotions. You can infer that it also gave her a way to escape what was happening around her—a way to retreat into her head and think about things other than the war and her life in the annex.

What kind of person was Anne? To answer, draw on the excerpts from her diary that are included in the article as well as what Kristin Lewis writes about Anne. (inference, characterization) According to Lewis, Anne was in many ways an ordinary kid, with many of the same dreams and worries as others her age. But it seems that Anne was particularly thoughtful, reflective, ambitious, and passionate: She wrote that she wanted to have a meaningful life and vowed, according to Lewis, to become a writer. The excerpts from Anne’s diary reveal her to be a gifted writer. The excerpt in which Anne writes “I shall work in the world and for mankind” shows her to be generous and benevolent and also, as Lewis writes, full of courage, honesty, and hope.

“It Is Raining on the House of Anne Frank”

Direct students’ attention to the inset photos and captions on either side of the poem and read the captions aloud as a class.

Have students listen to the read-aloud of the poem while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

In small groups or as a class, discuss the following questions about the poem. Students may find it helpful to number the lines of the poem so they can more easily refer to the text during discussion.

Poetry Analysis (20 minutes)

Who is the speaker of the poem? What is the speaker doing? (summarizing) The speaker is a tourist visiting two iconic buildings in the city of Amsterdam: the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum.

How do the tourists feel about visiting Anne Frank’s house? Why do you think they feel this way? (inference) In lines 7-11, the speaker says that the tourists “would rather be somewhere else” but feel they “must rise/to some occasion.” In other words, it is difficult for the tourists to be in the Anne Frank House because it is a reminder of a horrific time in human history, but they feel it’s important for them to be there, to remember and honor Anne and all who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Which words and phrases does the poet use to create feelings of darkness, discomfort, and suffering throughout the poem? (author’s craft) “It is raining” (the title, lines 1 and 22); “perfectly silent” (line 6); “herded together under the shadow” (line 4); “skeleton” (line 14); “a barb of wire” (line 18); “forbidding shapes” (line 20); “the dark circle of his demons” (lines 28-29)

Consider the words and phrases you listed in Question 3. Do any of them connect to ideas or images you encountered in Lewis’s article? Explain. (synthesis) Students may offer that “a barb of wire” and “herding” connect to the image of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz on page 24, which shows children standing behind a barbed wire fence in a place where Nazis treated humans like animals. The poem’s description of “forbidding shapes of continents” connects to the map on page 22 titled “Nazi-Occupied Europe, 1942”: The spreading light brown shape, representing the countries controlled or occupied by Nazi Germany, has a threatening appearance. The phrase “perfectly silent” in the poem connects to what Lewis writes about how Anne and the others in the annex had to speak in whispers and tiptoe around, because the smallest noise could give them away (23).

In literature, light is often a symbol of positivity, goodness, and life, while darkness is often a symbol of negativity, evil, and death. Keeping this in mind, what do you think the speaker is saying about Anne and Van Gogh in lines 25-29? (symbolism) Answers will vary. Sample response: Both Anne and Van Gogh were able to hold on to something beautiful and good even in the most terrible and difficult times.

Critical-Thinking Questions (15 minutes)

What did Anne’s diary mean to her? What has it meant to others? To Anne, her diary was a source of support, almost like a friend. It was a place for her to vent her feelings and sort out her thoughts. To Otto Frank, Anne’s diary was no doubt a connection to his daughter and a way to get to know her better after her death. To the many who have read Anne’s diary, it has been a source of inspiration and a way to learn about the Holocaust.

Lewis writes that Anne’s diary has been translated into 70 languages and is one of the most read books in the world. Why do you think this is? Why would so many people from so many places be interested in Anne’s diary? People may read Anne’s diary because it is a historical record and they want to learn about the past, because Anne’s courage and optimism are inspiring, and because Anne was a gifted and engaging writer. Perhaps some feel it is right to honor Anne by reading her words. As humans, we want to understand ourselves and our world. Anne’s diary can help us do that.

According to the Anne Frank Museum, the secret annex was not unique. During World War II, 300,000-330,000 people were in hiding in the Netherlands alone. How can this statistic give us hope? Is there anything in the article—much of which does not shed a positive light on human behavior—that can give us hope or inspiration? That some of Otto’s employees risked their lives to help those in the annex shows that people can rise above fear and act with great compassion for others. The fact that so many people were in hiding reveals that there must have been many people who served as helpers in the same way Otto’s employees did. That so many people have read Anne’s diary suggests that many people care about what happened and want to learn about the Holocaust. Anne’s strong spirit and optimism can also inspire us.

Poet Maya Angelou once wrote, “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” What does she mean? How does this idea apply to the story of Anne Frank? Angelou means that we cannot change the past or erase painful suffering, but if we learn about the past and are honest with ourselves about what circumstances, beliefs, and behaviors allowed something terrible to happen, we can take steps to prevent the same terrible thing from happening again. This idea applies to the story of Anne Frank in that Anne’s diary gives us a way to learn about a horrible time in the past that was full of “wrenching pain,” as Angelou puts it—and therefore the diary also provides us an opportunity to think about what led to such horrors so we can take steps to prevent history from repeating itself.

3. SKILL BUILDING AND WRITING (30 MINUTES)

Have students complete the Writing Planner: Anne Frank. This activity will help them organize their ideas in preparation for the prompt on page 26 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page.

Have students complete the Writing Planner: Anne Frank. This activity will help them organize their ideas in preparation for the prompt on page 26 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page.

4. CONNECTED READING

Connected readings from the Scope archives:

Special Collection: Stories of World War II and the Holocaust

Connected readings from the Scope archives:

Special Collection: Stories of World War II and the Holocaust

Text-to-Speech

Anne Frank

Anne Frank

She was 13 years old when she and her family went into hiding from the Nazis. Though she did not survive, the diary she kept did. Her words would give voice to millions.

By Kristin Lewis

It Is Raining on the House of Anne Frank

By Linda Pastan

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Reading and Discussing

3. Skill Building and Writing

4. Connected Reading

1. PREPARING TO READ (20 MINUTES)

2. READING AND DISCUSSING (75 MINUTES)

3. SKILL BUILDING AND WRITING (30 MINUTES)

4. CONNECTED READING

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About Us

Subscriber Information

Anne Frank

Anne Frank

She was 13 years old when she and her family went into hiding from the Nazis. Though she did not survive, the diary she kept did. Her words would give voice to millions.

By Kristin Lewis

It Is Raining on the House of Anne Frank

By Linda Pastan

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read 2. Reading and Discussing 3. Skill Building and Writing 4. Connected Reading

1. PREPARING TO READ (20 MINUTES)

2. READING AND DISCUSSING (75 MINUTES)

3. SKILL BUILDING AND WRITING (30 MINUTES)

4. CONNECTED READING

Help/Support

Help/Support

About Us

Subscriber Information

Connect with Us

1. Preparing to Read

2. Reading and Discussing

3. Skill Building and Writing

4. Connected Reading