The Number on Great-Grandpa's Arm - Teach with Testimony

The Number on Great-Grandpa's Arm is a short 18-minute HBO documentary film that features a conversation between a young boy and his great-grandfather, an Auschwitz survivor. Their exchange is woven with historical footage and hand-painted animation to tell a heartbreaking story of Jewish life in Eastern Europe that shares memories and lessons of the Holocaust with a new generation.

This lesson allows educators and families to introduce the topic of the Holocaust to young children in an age-appropriate manner. This powerful resource allows children of all ages to learn about the importance of empathy and understanding, especially relevant in our current times.

The USC Shoah Foundation has created a teaching guide on IWitness for the film to provide families and educators with resources to further the conversation from the film. IWitness provides testimony clips of Holocaust survivors and their descendants, including Jack Feldman, the great grandpa featured in the film, to provide context, encourage student reflection, and help analyze recollections and reflections from survivors and descendants. Additionally, interactive pre- and post-viewing activities have been developed to help educators and families further their understanding of the messages in the film.