Irena Sendler’s 2,500 Babies (Irena’s Children. (2016). Tilar Mazzeo). Rescued from the Warsaw Ghetto). Part One:

 Irena Sendler’s 2,500 Babies (Irena’s Children. (2016). Tilar Mazzeo). Rescued from the Warsaw Ghetto).  Part One: Irena was a Catholic social worker in Poland and began

making forged IDs for her Jewish friends. In 1940, 500,000 Jews were moved into the Warsaw Ghetto in a space the size of Central Park in NYC. She and her friends saved over 3,000 Jews in hiding by forging documents. Posing as a nurse, she told the Nazis she was stopping diseases from spreading outside the ghetto. She smuggled children and orphans from the ghetto through an old courthouse and a Catholic Church. The children would emerge as Polish Catholic children with forged IDs. She kept meticulous records to be able to unify the children with their parents after the war. Most parents did not survive. Zegota was part of the Polish underground: Council of Aid to Jews in occupied Poland. With other social workers joining her, they sometimes rescued 25 children at a time. Families, convents, and orphanages took the ghetto children. Babies were smuggled out in toolboxes, gunny sacks, coffins, and under potatoes in carts. An ambulance driver and his dog helped Irena smuggle out healthy children. If the child whimpered, she touched the dog’s paw. He would bark and set off a chain reaction among the Nazi dogs; to avoid more chaos, the dogs’ soldiers let the ambulance pass. In October 1943, she was betrayed, arrested, and beaten. The Resistance bribed a guard and she was rescued; then listed as being shot by the Gestapo. Irena spent the rest of the war in hiding. Only 1% of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto survived. She was reunited in Israel with some of the children she saved and was given the distinction of Righteous Gentile (1965).    

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Diana

 Mission Statement: I must write about the Holocaust to teach human beings, so never again will people in our towns and villages fear for their lives. My WWII & Holocaust books are historical fiction mysteries which engage readers. My newsletter Vignettes of the WWII, Holocaust, & Post-War Era is available at diana@dianadissetteauthor.com. A Reader Resource Guide (35 pages, no wiki) is available on the newsletter. The Nuremberg series, Lexile Measure 840L, helps students to read between the lines in history while using critical thinking skills. Montana Cat Tales for Life-Long Learners, LLC publishes children’s picture books for ages 4-8, on earth science; emotions and feelings; family dynamics; and social-emotional learning (SEL). These books work to help children understand themselves, their place in the world through animal characters and human companions, and to find their authentic voice. They provide Learning to Learn Skills for Early Readers, sight-words, and phonics for academic enrichment. I am committed to being an effective member of the global digital community.

The 5 SEL Competencies: Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Self-Management, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making. CASEL.org

I Have Digital Literary Skills: I can locate information: I use digital technology to effectively search for relevant and reliable information sources. I can evaluate sources: I analyze sources of digital information for credibility, bias, and influence. I can interpret meaning: I determine meaning from various digital sources that represent multiple perspectives. I can express my ideas: I create digital content to express myself and voice my ideas. I can communicate with others: I safely and responsibly collaborate with and learn from others online, including those who think differently than I do. I can navigate technological ecosystems: I’m aware that my online actions influence my digital landscape, I leave a trail, and impact my privacy.   getdigitalskills.com  ISTE.org

Commitments of a Digital Citizen: I am inclusive: I engage with others online with respect and empathy. I am informed: I evaluate the accuracy, perspective, and validity of online information. I am engaged: I use technology for civic engagement and to be a force for good. I am balanced: I prioritize my time and activities online and offline. I am alert: I know how to be safe online and create safe spaces for others.  digcitcommit.org  ISTE.org   

The 7 Competencies for Technology in Education: Empowered Learner: I use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them, and demonstrating my learning. Global Collaborator: I strive to broaden my perspective, understand others, and work effectively in teams using digital tools. Digital Citizen: I understand the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world. Creative Communicator: I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats, and digital media. Knowledge Constructor: I critically select, evaluate, and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflects my learning and builds my knowledge. Computational Thinker: I identify authentic problems, work with data, and use a step-by-step process to automate solutions. Innovative Designer: I solve problems by creating new and imaginative solutions using a variety of digital tools. ISTE.org  

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