Diary of Anne Frank: Novel Study

The Diary of Anne Frank, written by Anne Frank, is composed of Anne’s diary entries as
a young girl during the time of the Holocaust. It portrays the hardships and experiences of her
life in hiding. Anne Frank and her family went into hiding in 1942. From that moment on, things
were becoming restricted for Jews and they had much less freedom. Soon after, Jews were
beginning to be taken away to concentration camps. Anne writes about her life living in the
“Secret Annex” until their whereabouts were betrayed in 1944. Anne wrote about her
experiences of fear, hope, and romance. Her life before hiding consisted of going to school,
riding her bike, and hanging out with friends until everything changed.

Appropriate Grade Level:

This book study is designed for 8th-11th grade. The Diary of Anne Frank covers some
sensitive and mature topics. This book is probably most appropriate for ages 12+. It contains
many descriptions of tragedy, fear, and romantic interactions. These grade levels are most likely
mature enough to handle these topics and will be able to understand the contents and events
portrayed in this book. Much of the grammar used may be difficult for younger students to
comprehend or understand.
Diary of Anne Frank: While Reading Activities

Journal:
Throughout the book, create journal entries for one of the people listed below. You will write as
the same person for ALL OF YOU ENTRIES! You must write their thoughts on the events
happening as well as the events in the “Secret Annex.” Be descriptive and each entry must be at
least 10 sentences. You must have a total of 15 entries by the end of the book. You may type up
your diary entries on a doc, slideshow, or write them on paper and turn them all in at the end of
the book. If you do it on paper, YOU are responsible for keeping track of them!

You must write your entries according to the book!

-If Anne wrote that your person was crying, you cannot say that they were happy. You
may interpret Anne’s writing in a different way BUT you must EXPLAIN! For example, if Anne
said you were crying but you said you were happy, you could say that you were putting on an act
so she would leave you alone, but it MUST make sense in the context of Anne’s writing.

Requirements:
● Proper Letter Format
● CORRECT DATE AS WRITTEN BY ANNE!
-You must have a date that makes sense and corresponds with Anne’s dates of events.
● Proper Complimentary Closing, (ex. Sincerely, Yours)
● Minimum 10 sentences

Choose ONE person and write from their POV about the events in the book:

● Otto Frank (Anne’s Father)

● Edith Frank (Anne’s Mother)
● Margot Frank (Anne’s Sister)
● Mr. Van Daan
● Mrs. Van Daan
● Peter Van Daan
● Dussel
● Elli Vossen
● “Kitty” (Anne’s Diary)

If you write as Kitty, you could write a response to her letters, or a diary entry of what you
thought about her letters.
Questions:
Answer the following questions for the dates listed below from Anne’s diary entries.

1. On Saturday 11, 1942, Anne wrote, “We have to whisper and tread lightly during the day,
otherwise the people in the warehouse might hear us.” What and how do you think her
daily activities change due to this new restriction?

1b. How would you react to not being able to make noise? Would YOUR daily activities
change? If so, how?

2. From Anne’s descriptions, what was life like inside the “Secret Annex?” Did they have a
routine? Did the families get along? Use textual evidence and page numbers to justify
your answers!

2b. How would life inside the “Secret Annex” be different NOW? Consider the technology and
advancements we have now than they did in Anne’s time. You are writing as if the global events
and the Holocaust were occurring.

3. Throughout Anne’s diary, she describes the events of the Holocaust. How were Anne’s
experiences of the Holocaust affected by her individual situation? Consider what her
diary might have been like if her family didn’t save up and prepare for what was to come.
Use textual evidence and page numbers to defend your answer.

3b. What do you think life for other Jews looked like during the Holocaust? Do you think that
they had it better, or worse than Anne did? What similar and different experiences might they
have gone through? Make sure to mention what differences these families had to change their
situation like if they hadn’t prepared.
Timeline:
Create a timeline of at least 10 major events in this book. You must include a detailed description
of the event and Anne’s thoughts on it. Include a picture depicting the event. You can do this
either on paper or an online platform such as Canva, but your pictures must be HAND DRAWN.
If you do it online, you will have to upload YOUR pictures. This must be neat, organized, and
colorful. If you do it on paper, your handwriting must be legible or you will not receive credit for
that portion.

Requirements:
● Title, (Ex. Diary of Anne Frank: Timeline)
● Your name on the back
● At least one picture for EACH event
● The date(s) of the diary entry
● A detailed description of the event
● Anne’s thoughts on the event
● Colorful and neat
● Includes at least 5 colors (Not including picture)
● Proper spelling, grammar and punctuation

Timeline Rubric:

0 points 1 point 2 points 3 points 4 points

Writing Student failed Students Student Student Student

to complete fulfilled little fulfilled very included most included all 10
the writing to none of the few of the requirements events and
portion. requirements requirements for the writing requirements
for the writing for the writing portion and for the writing
portion and portion and had minimal to portion as well
had many had many no spelling, as proper
spelling, spelling, grammar, or spelling,
grammar, and grammar, and punctuation grammar, and
punctuation punctuation errors. The punctuation.
errors. The errors. The description of The
description description of the event was description of
completely the event was not clear the event
failed to weak and did and/or correctly
explain the not depict it contradicted matches the
event and/or well and/or the book. story and does
had no contradicted not contradict.
connection or the book The writing is
accuracy to the greatly. clear and
book. concise and
depicts Anne’s
 thoughts.

Picture Student failed Student Student Student Student

to include a included an included one included one included one
picture. image that was or more or more or more
not hand pictures which pictures which pictures which
drawn. failed to partially clearly
accurately portrayed the represented
portray the events listed. and portrayed
events. The The image was the event. The
image was hand drawn image was
hand drawn but uncolored hand drawn
but uncolored and/or not and colored.
and not neat. neatly drawn. The photo was
neatly drawn .

Organizatio Student failed Student listed Student listed Student neatly Student neatly
n to list timeline some timeline out all timeline listed out all listed out all
events in order. events, but in events. The timeline timeline
Document is incorrect order. events are not events, but not events, in
messy and Document is in order and/or in order order, either
uncolored. not neat and listed messily. according to digitally or on
Handwriting is includes little Document the entries in paper. The
mostly to no color only includes the book document is
illegible and. (not including 1-2 colors (not and/or the colorful and
picture). including document only neat and
Handwriting is picture) and has 1-3 colors handwriting is
somewhat handwriting is (not including legible.
legible. mostly legible. picture)
Handwriting is
legible.

Total Possible Points :

12 points
Character Chart:
On November 10th, 1942, Dussel was introduced into the Annex. After reading through March
10, 1943, complete this character chart of all of the people in the “Secret Annex.” Make sure to
provide a detailed description and analysis of their actions as described by Anne. If a physical
description is provided, include it. You must list your page numbers from where your
information is found.

Rationale: Create a deeper understanding of all the people in the “Secret Annex” as well as put
in place who is who and what roles they have.
Part of the first one is done for you.

Person: Description and Analysis:

Anne Frank Relation: Daughter of Otto and Edith Frank, Sister of

Margot Frank

Otto Frank Relation:

Edith Frank Relation:

Margot Frank Relation:

Mr. Van Daan Relation:

Mrs. Van Daan Relation:

Peter Van Daan Relation:

Dussel Relation:

Elli Vossen Relation:

Character Development:
Throughout the book, you can see Anne grow and change as a person in her point-of-view of
life.
Fill out the T-chart down below and write Anne’s main focuses and cares as well as her
personality change. Compare and contrast her thoughts and behaviors from the start of the book
through January 28th, 1944. Make sure to list page numbers to support your descriptions of her
personality. Write at least 10 descriptions in each column.

Rationale: Understand and recognize character growth and what events may have caused that
change.

Before: After:

Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting Anne’s behaviors and mood/personality

changes. Do you think she has changed for the better? If so, why?
Final Assessment:

Create a newspaper article as if you were interviewing Anne Frank. Create at least 15 interview
questions you would like to ask. Think about questions you had while reading. These cannot be
yes or no questions! They must cause you to think about how she and the others would respond.
There could also be more than one person at the interview (Ex. Anne and Otto), but you must at
least interview Anne. Your article must be at least 5 paragraphs and somewhat resemble a
newspaper (I don't want you to just type it up and be done! Be creative!)! Include a picture of the
interviewee(s). It does not have to be hand-drawn and you may print it out if you are doing it on
paper. Consider WHEN you're interviewing Anne! Is it after the Holocaust (if she survived)?
Is it during her hiding?

List your page numbers on a separate page to support your responses. You may use outside
resources if needed for your research, but they must be reliable and you must cite them in MLA
format on a separate page with your page numbers.

Also, make sure that you interview a person that has been mentioned enough in the book for you
to make an educated guess on what they would respond! Make your responses accurate to the
book (ex. If someone supported something in the book, you can NOT say that they disagreed
with it in your interview).

Be neat and organized! If you do it on paper, your handwriting must be LEGIBLE!

DO NOT MAKE YOUR WHOLE ARTICLE DIALOGUE! Some of your article will have
to be reporting on events happening.

Requirements:
● Newspaper format
● Title and Subheadings
● Photo of Interviewee(s)
● 15+ Interview Questions
● Proper Quotations
● 5 paragraphs
Final Assessment Rubric:

0 1 2 3 4

Interview Student failed Student failed Student Student Student

to do this to complete completed few created <10 created 15+
portion. the majority of questions deep thinking deep thinking
questions and which only questions with questions and
the questions caused slight a somewhat a reasonable
made were thinking at the reasonable response for
simple and surface. response for each one.
didn’t cause a Responses are each. Responses
stretch in confusing and Responses are match the
thinking. slightly somewhat ideas based in
Responses are inaccurate contradictory the book and
either not according to to the book, aren’t
included or the story. but make sense contradictory.
very overall.
contradictory
to the book
and don’t
make sense.

Article Student failed Student Student Student Student

Information to do this completes a completes a completed a completed an
portion. completely mostly somewhat accurate, well
inaccurate inaccurate accurate article written article
article and has article and using using
little to no doesn’t refer information information
reference to much to the from the book from the book
the book or book or and possible and possible
outside outside outside outside
sources. sources. sources. sources. The
Information Student Student article reports
does not make doesn’t include partially on some of the
sense and a report on considers the events
student reports many events. time period occurring
on no events The writing is they are during the time
and fails to unclear and writing in and of the
mention what doesn’t make reports on interview. The
time period sense. those events. writing is clear
they are doing The writing is and easy to
the interview. unclear and comprehend.
Writing is doesn’t flow
unclear and well. Article
messily written fails to be
and difficult to completely
comprehend. accurate
according to
 the book and
history.

Grammar and Student did not Student had Student had Student had Student had no
Spelling do the project. several (30+) multiple very few grammar,
grammar, grammar, grammar, spelling or
spelling or spelling, or spelling, or punctuation
punctuation punctuation punctuation mistakes.
mistakes. mistakes. mistakes.

Organization Student failed The article is The article is The article is The article is
to do the unorganized unorganized semi-organize well organized
project. and does not and does not d and and resembles
flow well. flow well. somewhat a newspaper.
Document Document is resembles a There is a title,
looks messy messy and newspaper. subheadings (if
and some things There is a title needed) and
unfinished. don’t make and proper
Quotations are sense or are subheadings (if quotation.
not done unfinished. needed). Document is
properly and Handwriting is Quotations are neat and
much of the somewhat formatted handwriting is
ordering illegible if properly. legible if done
doesn’t make done on paper. Document is on paper. A
sense. mostly neat picture is
and included.
handwriting is
legible if done
on paper. A
picture is
included.