The characters in "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" all have names that are either from German or Jewish cultures. Have students practice the spelling of these characters names in an effort to recognize specific characteristics from these origins. The names of the movie characters are Ralf, Elsa, Gretel, Bruno, Shmuel, Pavel, Kotler, Herr Liszt and Maria.
Incorporate spelling into an essay assignment about "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by instructing students to write an expression of their reaction to the message of the book or film as well as on concentration camps themselves. In Germany, some of the camps included Buchenwald, Dachau, Flossenburg, Neuengamme, Ravensbruck and Sachsenhausen. Poland was home to the infamous camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau as well as others including Krakow, Bierznow and Biesiadka. Expressing their emotions through written communication can allow students to deal with the intense emotions that can come with reading or viewing the story of "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas."
Infuse history and spelling by testing students on their ability to properly spell the names of famous figures during World War II. Divide the list of names by country. For example, the list for the United States should include President Franklin Roosevelt, General George Patton, General Douglas MacArthur and General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Figures from Germany include Erwin Rommel and Adolf Hitler. The country of Japan could include the names of Hirohito, Hideki Tojo and Isoruku Yamamoto.
Allow students to express the immense gravity that "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" has as a story about the Holocaust by also having them read Elie Wiesel's poem "Never Shall I Forget." As a Holocaust survivor, Wiesel's famous writings and work for human rights have won him a Nobel Peace Prize. After taking in the fictional work of "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and the reality of Wiesel's words, have students create about the Holocaust which use one key word such as horror, sadness or grief. Write the word vertically on a piece of lined paper, where each letter is on a new line. Each letter of the word will be the beginning of a new word that describes another aspect of the Holocaust. These more abstract projects can demonstrate the emotions associated with the Holocaust.