In order to fully understand The Book Thief, it will be important for students to have a strong base knowledge of World War II, Nazi Germany's development and history, and the many different political and sociocultural tensions in Germany, Europe, and the rest of the world during that era. Encourage students to use internet resources to carry out research, both for longer term projects and to fill in their general knowledge as they go along. Encourage students to be curious, and follow threads of research, as the novel's significance is not limited to what is actually written in the book.
Several of the classroom activities involve technology: there are projects designed to help students...
