The novel Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is part of the Grade 5 Language Arts curriculum. The award-winning historical fiction book tells the tale of a Jewish family escaping persecution in Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II. 

To complement their reading, the fifth graders visited the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City. The exhibit Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark underscored the themes and narratives covered in Number the Stars and gave students an opportunity to engage more deeply with the historical events represented in the book.

Through the exhibit’s immersive story-based experience, students learned about the history of the Jews in Denmark during World War II and the Danes who joined the movement to resist the Nazis. 

At the museum, fifth graders observed themes of separation, bravery, and resilience, while reflecting on the dangers of prejudice and silence. Like the students who visited the exhibit last year, this year’s cohort thoughtfully discussed the importance of being compassionate and courageous upstanders. Additional takeaways from the visit were the importance of inclusion, and kindness in our world to combat discrimination. “Even in the darkest times, people can still work together and overcome the dark,” one student remarked. Another was deeply moved by the Jewish saying that is often paraphrased to "if you save a life, you save the world."