Anne Frank letter writing competition

Ellen and Nicola entered this competition. Here are their entries. Good luck girls.

NICOLA

Dear whoever finds this,

My name is Anne Frank and I am nearly 16. My family was hiding in an old Amsterdam warehouse during the second World War because we are Jewish. Now that I have been arrested, all I can do is pray for other Jews that they will not reach this fate which has fallen upon me.
An epidemic of typhus has spread throughout this concentration camp, but I am no longer scared for myself, but for Margot, who fell ill this morning. I hope, hope, hope she hasn't caught typhus.
My heart breaks when I think what might have happened to dear Peter.
Tears fill my eyes when I think of Mumsie. Although I could never confide in her, there was a small spot at the bottom of my heart for her. To think that we never even made up!
Even Mr Dussel and the van Daans. What became of them?
What will become of me and Margot?
Maybe some day, with the help of you, this letter can be published for all to see.
Oh Pim! If you are still alive, please publish my diary, for I don't think I will ever escape and be proud to be Jewish again.
No. I will never be free again.

Yours,
Anne M Frank.

ELLEN

Dear Anne Frank
My name is Ellen. I am 11 years old and live in New Zealand. War still haunts this planet but luckily not in my country. I have read your diary and am astonished by your living conditions and what happened to you. The year is 2007, 60 years after your diary was first published by your father. So many people have read your diary. I wonder what might have happened if you hadn’t been found by the Nazis. You might want to know what happened in the war. Hitler lost because he shot himself (or so it was said). Your concentration camp was freed a month after you passed away. At least now you are with your mother, father, Margot and Peter Van Pels. I have an older sister too so I know what it like!!! .I can’t stop thinking how young you were when you died far far too young. I bet the suffering and pain was agonising especially when Margot wasn’t with you anymore. You are no longer suffering and are free of fear. I am not Jewish but I am Christian so we believe in the same god. I have three cats at home (Arnold, T.C and Tiger) and I know how they can cheer you up any time!!!

Thank you for reading my letter

Your sincerely
Ellen

NICOLA

Dear Anne,

My name is Nicola and I am writing to describe to you our world today. (2007.) A lot of things have changed since your time. The second world war ended in 1945. Although it was meant to be a war to end all wars, there have been a few smaller wars since then, in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and other various parts of the world.
These days, a huge threat to the world is terrorism. Islamic militants have carried out random acts of terrorism in different places such as London, Bali (Indonesia) and parts of Africa. Some of these bombings have been suicide bombings, where the bombers have been prepared to kill themselves too. An example of this happened a few years ago when some planes were hijacked and the pilots flew into the Twin Towers – two extremely tall, strong towers in New York. Hundreds of people were killed.
Planes are much bigger now. Our normal, everyday ones usually seat a few hundred people. We call them jumbo jets.
One issue of our world today is global warming. We use so many products that aren't environmentally friendly these days, that the earth is heating up. Ice from the Arctic and Antarctica is gradually melting or breaking off and drifting away. This will cause the sea level to rise, and low-lying places could get covered by sea. Fortunately, people have noticed, and some people are doing something about it.
Another issue is poverty. In many poor countries, children go without many of the things we take for granted. Some do not get enough food or even clean water to drink. To help, World Vision (a charity organisation) sets up a 40 hour or 20 hour famine each year. Young people across the country go without food for 20/40 hours and ask their neighbours, friends and relations to sponsor them some money. It raises a lot of money for the children.
I live in New Zealand, and am very lucky to do so. New Zealand is a peaceful country. On April 25th, New Zealanders remember our soldiers that died in the World Wars. We call this day Anzac Day.
I go to Bucklands Beach Intermediate School, and for reading, we read your diary. I admire your bravery during the time you were hiding in the Secret Annexe. It must have been really scary! While we were reading your diary, we each got a task to do about what we had read, then we reported back to our reading group in a literature circle, where we discussed the story. One of my jobs as a correspondent was to write a letter from one character to another. I chose to put myself in your shoes, and write a letter from you to whoever found it. I pretended that you were writing it in the concentration camp, when you knew that you would never be free again. My teacher thought the letter was well written, so I have enclosed it for you to read.

Yours Sincerely,
Nicola

The Diary of Anne Frank Reflection

Ellen and Nicola discuss their reflections of The Diary of Anne Frank in this podcast.

Click here to get your own player.

From the Corresponder

Dear World,

Hello, my name is Anne Frank and I live in Holland. But I have been transported to Auschwitz and I don’t think I’ll survive.

The full account of my stay in the secret Annexe can be found in my diary. I hid it in the Annexe and I hope that someone will read it and publish it to the world. I want it to be read because then people will know what it’s like and never start a war again.

I want to thank all my helpers in the secret Annexe for hiding myself and my family, the Van Daans and Mr Dussel. They have risked so much for us, yet they still got caught because of us. Oh God, please let them live. They are good people and they have done no wrong.

If I survive, I will travel around the world and tell everyone how terrible the ‘holocaust’, as some people called it in our prison camp, because I know that after WWII I can’t live a normal life anymore.

Yours truly,
Anne Frank

written by Andrew
Literature Circle round 5 pp267-end

From the Summariser

In this section of the book, many things happen.
Anne has realized she does not really want to have an intimate relationship with Peter. But, she does not want to drop Peter completely, because she wants a friend and doesn’t want to hurt Peter.
The food in the annexe is running out. This has caused much distress in the annexe and people are arguing.
There is some good news though. The end of the war is coming into sight. But, even more bad news was right around the corner.
Anne and her family get discovered and Nazis take them away. Someone had tipped them off. She and her family become separated and sent to concentration camps Just before the war ends. Unfortunately, Anne dies. Otto Frank is the only survivor in her direct family to survive. When he gets released He begins spreading the message his daughter shared in her diary.
Now people still remember Anne and spread her message.

written by Leon
Literature Circles round 5 pp269-340

From the Character Tracer

Character of Margot:
She is -
Understanding -- She keeps her word with Anne and doesn’t tease her about her love with Peter.
Trustworthy -- She keeps the secret Anne told her and doesn’t tell anyone.
Intelligent – She studies very hard and takes a lot of subjects at school.
Happy – She hardly ever got angry and tries to keep happy.
Caring – She understands the pressure that everyone is under.
Innocent – Margot always tries to stay out of all the arguments that go on in the annexe.

written by Peter
Literature Circle round 4 - pp207-268

From the Travel Tracer

compiled in Comic Life by Andrew
Literature Circle round 5 - pp268-end

From the Character Tracer

Mrs van Daan was selfish, bossy, dishonest, stubborn, bold, daring, rude, mean, lazy, disagreeable, demanding, witty, determined

Mrs van Daan was stubborn on page 272 when she was moody and wouldn’t take no for an answer.


Mrs van Daan was bold when she was disagreeing with Mr van Daan and Mr van Daan always gets his way! p297

written by Ellen
Literature Circle round 5 pp269-end

From the Summariser

Anne has nightmares of her old friend Hanneli and keeps seeing how she is suffering in the concentration camp.
Anne also starts thinking of Peter van Daan. She spends a lot of time with him. She keeps going into his room and talking to him. She tries to bump into him and see him as much as possible and spends almost an hour talking to him when she gets the chance. She also starts remembering her old friend, Peter Schiff. When she thinks of the two Peters she starts feeling confused and sad.
Margot has been starting to appreciate Anne more and treats her more like an adult and not a little girl like she used to.
Anne starts wanting to get back with the outside world. She longs to be free and be alone. She really needs something, but she doesn’t exactly know what she needs.

written by Peter
Literature Circle round 3 - pp141-206

From the Corresponder

Dear Dussel,
I know what it feels like to be trapped into a place for
years not able to go out. It is very hard to control your
behaviour. Sometimes your actions make us feel annoyed
and when we complain you shout at us and blame us for
everything that goes wrong.

Your unkind words and some-times your jokes deeply offend us.

Could you please think more about your behaviour and words and it will allow us
not to have so a arguments in the annexe?

Yours Sincerely
Peter

written by Peter
Literature Circle round 4 - pp207-268

From the Creative Connector

written by Andrew
Literature Circles round 3 - pp141-206

From the Illustrator

drawn by Nicola
Literature Circles round 4 - pp207-268

From the Summariser

Anne has been thinking about her love with Peter and spends a lot of time with him. She goes into Peter’s room alot and when she sees him, she talks to him for up to an hour.
As well as this, Anne wrote an entry in her diary telling us about the life of her fountain pen and how it was destroyed when she accidentally dropped it into the stove and the whole pen was reduced to ashes except for a piece of the clip.

written by Peter
Literature Circle round 3 -pp141-206

From the Corresponder

Dear whoever finds this,

My name is Anne Frank and I am nearly 16. My family was hiding in an old Amsterdam warehouse during the second world war because we are Jewish. Now that I have been arrested, all I can do is pray for other Jews that they will not reach this fate which has fallen upon me.

An epidemic of typhus has spread throughout this concentration camp, but I am no longer scared for myself, but for Margot, my sister, who fell ill this morning. I hope, hope, HOPE she hasn't caught typhus.

My heart breaks when I think of what might have happened to dear Peter.
Tears fill my eyes when I think of Mumsie. Although I could never confide in her, there was a small spot at the bottom of my heart for her. To think that I never made up with her!
Even Mr Dussel and the van Daans - what became of them?
What will become of me and Margot?

Maybe some day, with the help of you, this letter can be published for all to see.
Oh Pim! If you are still alive, please publish my diary, for I don't think I will ever escape and be proud to be Jewish again.

No. I will never be free again.

Yours, Anne M Frank.

written by Nicola
Literature Circles round 5 pp269-end

From the Travel Tracer

compiled by Leon
Literature Circles round 3 pp140-206

From the Corresponder

Dear Mrs van Daan

I’d like to call attention to the fact that I talk without thinking.

You know that it is hard living in a confined space, without luxuries or any of the things that I grew up with. Because of this, I tend to talk without thinking. We all have our flaws.

You can help me control these outbursts by ignoring them, making it easier for me to not answer back. I was not brought up wrong, nor am I selfish.

I’d appreciate it if you would consider this.

Yours, Anne

written by Cheyenne
Literature Circles round 3 pp140-206

From the Illustrator

Illustration by Alexander
Literature Circles round 3 pp140-206

From the Word Wizard

These are interesting words I found from The Diary of Anne Frank pages 140-206



*intrude- come in or join in without being wanted.

*ponders- think deeply and seriously.

*despondent- sad or gloomy.

*superficial- on the surface.

*exterior- the outside of something.

*flirt- behave lovingly towards somebody to amuse yourself.

*facade- the front of a building.

*fragrant- having a pleasant smell.

*tedious- annoyingly slow or long.

*priority- being earlier or more important than something else.

*affectionate- loving.

*peculiar- strange or unusual.

written by Andrew
Literature Circle round 3 pp140-206

From the Travel Tracer

compiled in Comic Life by Peter
Literature Circles round 3 pp140-206

From the Creative Connector

As I’ve been reading Anne Frank’s diary, I’ve noticed how she must be feeling as she lives in the Secret Annexe.
She has to be very quiet during the day, and I bet she wishes she could just spend at least one day of freedom. This is how people in third world countries would feel. Some of them would be in hiding too, isolated, and not knowing what is going on in the war. Luckily for Anne, Mr Kugler, Jan, Miep and Bep come to visit the Secret Annexe often to tell news of the war. However, Anne would still be feeling very cut-off from the rest of the world.

Some similarities between Anne and I are that we both have older siblings, we both like to read, and we both keep a diary. Anne writes in hers more, but she has less things to do. Neither of us like the sound of gunshots, and it would drive me up the wall (Anne as well) if I had to be quiet all day like Anne does!

written by Nicola
Literature Circles round 3 pp141-206

From the Summariser

Anne Frank, her family, the Van Daan family and Mr Dussel are hiding during the war in what they call the ‘Secret Annex’. All of the annex families have their own personalities and characteristics eg. Mrs Vaan Daan is very moody and selfish. Anne gets upset about everything. On an average day in the ‘secret annex’ (after lunch) Mrs Vaan Daan is vacuuming their one and only rug while Margot tucks some books under her arm and heads off to the attic to study. Anne just tidies up the bathroom and herself.

written by Ellen
Literature Circle round 2 - pages 71-140

From the Travel Tracer

The Diary of Anne Frank 6, originally uploaded by lenvas.

compiled by Ellen
Literature Circles round 3 - pp141-210

From the Correspondent

Dear Mr Dussel,

We let you come live in our annexe. I don’t think you should be so rude to me. Even though you are older than me, you are much too inconsiderate to me.
When I asked to use your table very politely, I do not think you should have refused so quickly. I did not ask to use your table all the time just a little while every day.
Even when you started to become very angry and shouted at me I did not argue back and I just stood politely. Even after that, father had to come talk to you to persuade you to let me use your table. It was a very reasonable request.
I think I should be able to speak my mind in the future even if you think I am too rude!

Yours sincerely,
Anne Frank





written by Leon
Literature Circles round 2 pp71-140

From the Word Wizard

The Diary of Anne Frank 5, originally uploaded by lenvas.

compiled by Alexander
Literature Circles round 2 - pp71-140

From the Illustrator

The Diary of Anne Frank 3, originally uploaded by lenvas.

made in Comic Life by Leon
Literature Circles round 2 pp71-140

From the Travel Tracer

The Diary of Anne Frank, originally uploaded by lenvas.

made in Comic Life by Andrew
Literature Circles round 1 - pp1-70

From the Creative Connector

Anne feeling very depressed and deserted would be kind of what it would be like in the concentration camps how the prisoners are feeling. They have absolutely no freedom outside in the open.

Anne and her family are known nothing that is going in the war. She is feeling that she is very cut off from the outside world. This means the Germans are trying not to let information leak out.


by Alexander
Literature Circles round 2 - pp71-140

From the Discussion Director

Interesting Questions from The Diary of Anne Frank pp1-70.
Our discussion will centre around your opinion and answers to these questions.

*Why does Mrs van Daan dislikes Anne?

*Why does Anne not love her mother?

*Why does Anne like to study so much?

*Why does Anne keep writing in her diary?

*Why does Anne’s family not ran away?

*Why does Mrs van Daan argues so much with Mr van Daan?

*Why does everyone argues so much with everyone
else?

*Do they pay the people who hides them, and if so, where do they get their money?

written by Andrew
Literature Circles round 1 pp1-70

From the Illustrator

The Diary of Anne Frank 2, originally uploaded by lenvas.

written by Jennifer
Literature Circles Round 1 pp1-70

From the Word Wizard

Here are some interesting words and their meanings that I found when I was reading Anne Frank's Diary.
Melancholy, (p 70) means sadness and depression.
Hordes, (p 80) means a large group or crowd.
Derision, (p 81) is to scorn or ridicule.
Passive - isn't this a wonderful word! - not resisting or fighting against something.
Fatalistic. (p 84) A fatalist is a person who accepts whatever happens and thinks that it could not have been prevented
and
tumultuous (p 113) means noisy.

written by Nicola
Literature Circles Round 2 - pp71-144

From the Word Wizard

What Word? Pep, an interesting word, found in "Anne Frank's diary" on page 14. What do you think it means? In this case it means to liven up.

Written by Alexander
Literature Circles Round 1 - pp2-70

From the Corresponder

A letter from Anne to Hello

Dear Hello

I can’t see you (or anybody) for a while. I can’t tell you why, I wish I could tell you but I can’t come out until after the war. We will be going on about the 9th of July. I have decided to slip this letter under your door, as I could never say goodbye. You have to understand how hard life is for me, I can’t talk to any of my Christian friends and almost all of our belongings have been given to our non-Jewish friends. I will be staying with the van Daan’s send your letters to any of my Christian friends and say “a letter for the hidden” with Anne titled on the envelope .I wish you the very best in the war.

Yours Anne
Written by Ellen
Literature Circle Round 1 - pp2-70

From the Character Mapper

Character traits of Anne Frank

Anne is: courageous, resourceful, loyal, caring, imaginative,
independent, intelligent, hard-working, cheerful, friendly, bold, fun-loving, successful, thoughtful, cooperative, curious, determined & polite.


Anne is intelligent (see page 19) because she was reading.

Anne is friendly (see page 3) because Anne invited lots of people to her birthday party.

Anne is curious (see page 20) because Anne asks ‘When? Where?’ and ‘Why?’

written by Nicola
Literature Circles Round 1 - pp1-70

From the Creative Connector

At present, many people in Iraq are in hiding because of the war there. Many must be in the same situation as Anne Frank with their constant fear of being discovered.

Also, there is a chapter in the Bible called "Esther" in which the Jews are also being chased and hunted even though they are innocent. This is the same situation that Anne was in.

written by Jennifer
Literature Circle Round 1 - up to page 70

From the corresponder

This is a letter from Anne to Mr Kugler after the Anne was shown the secet annex.

Dear Mr Kugler,

The secret Annexe is a great hideout and I can’t believe you work here! The only real problem is that the place is too crowded and the doorway is too low (my head is covered in bumps). I don’t Peter’s towel filled with wood shavings is going to help prevent bumps on our head.
The security a bit too tight. I know it’s absolutely necessary, but that’s just how I feel. Poor Margot isn’t allowed to cough, even though she has a terrible cold.

Yours sincerely,
Anne Frank

blog written by Peter
Literature Circle Round 1 - up to p70

The Diary of Anne Frank

One group of our Y7 class using literature circles to read The Diary of Anne Frank.
During the course of this literature circle, students will take on the roles of:

Discussion Director
Summariser
Creative Connector
Word Wizard
Illustrator
Correspondent
Travel Tracer

Follow their thoughts and discoveries here on this blog, and please leave them your feedback.