Dr. David Childs, Ph.D.
Northern Kentucky University
What happened on that day?
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001 the al-Qaeda terrorist network successfully executed attacks against the United States using four commercial airplanes. The airplanes were used as missiles to commit suicide bombings on several key buildings in the US. The most damage was done in New York as they completely destroyed the twin towers at the World Trade center. The attacks killed 2,996 people, injured over 6,000 others, and caused at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage. The death toll increased even after the initial attacks, as additional people died of cancer and respiratory diseases related to the debris from the destroyed buildings in the months and years following the attacks.
Where were you during 911?
For some, they were wrapping up the third period of seventh grade science class. Others were starting out their morning working at the office when they received “the call.” Still others were starting a routine day on their college campus. But for others, they have no recollection of the events, because they were not even born yet.
Lived Experience or Recent History
These events are for some people a lived experience in recent history and for others a historical event that they read about in history textbooks or learn of the events on an online resource. Many people across the US did not live through the events we know today as 911. Lauren Camera has written an article to this effect in USA Today entitled How to Teach 9/11 to Students With No Memory of It. Because we are in a time period where there are more and more people that do not have a vivid memory or lived experience of that time period, there will be more and more people who honestly do not know what happened unless they are taught information about 911. One of the important aspects of the field of history is that it reminds society of significant past events (Good and bad), events that had such an impact on people’s lives at the time that it would be a travesty for people to forget. September 11 is one of those events in history, that as long as the world exists, we should always remember.
Conclusion
For many, it is obvious why we should remember and continue to make it a part of the collective memory of the United States (Much like the American Civil War or World War II). But a number of today’s young people may sincerely not understand why it is so important. That is why a good social studies education is so essential today, indeed the job of the classroom teacher is evermore critical. In many cases, the first time students will hear about September 11 is from their social studies teacher. Below I have provided lesson plans and resources that teachers can use to teach students about 911 and even get the conversation started.
Lesson Plans and Teacher Resources
Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans- 911 Memorial Museum
Middle School Lesson Plans- 911 Museum
9/11 Lesson Plans- National Education Association (NEA)
9/11 Lesson Plans- Scholastic
9/11 Classroom Activities- Newsweek
9/11 Lesson Plans- Teacher Planet
9/11 Lessons- Education World
9/11 Lessons- Tomorrow Together
9/11 Lesson- Teach Hub.com
9/11 Anniversary Teaching Guide- Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility
Footage/News Clips
Remembering 9/11: Watch Today Show’s live broadcast of Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001
9/11 FOIA Videos: Street-Level Footage, Aerial Shots (Viewer Warning)
Second Plane Hits South Tower
Remembering 9/11 | Archive Footage We Will Never Forget
Articles
Photos: Remembering those lost on 9/11
The Names on the Memorial
How to Teach 9/11 to Students With No Memory of It
The 9/11 Anniversary in the Classroom- PBS News Hour
While America Slept: The True Story of 9/11
References
September 11 Attacks- The History Channel
September 11 Attacks- Encyclopedia Britannica
History of the 9/11 Attacks
Discussion Questions
1. Where were you on September 11, 2001 when the terrorist attacks occurred?
2. Why do you think important events are often so quickly forgotten?
3. View some of the resources provided above (Articles, footage, news reports, images). What thoughts and emotions come to mind as you examine the material?
4. What are creative ways teachers might begin discussion about 911? For those currently teaching in the classroom, what are lessons or activities you have tried that have been effective in teaching about September 11?
I was 5 years old and in kindergarten the day of the 9/11 attacks. At the time, I was too young to comprehend what was happening or the severity of the events, but I do remember the teachers being very distraught and upset. While I was alive and have few memories of the attacks, today’s children just simply don’t understand the impact that these attacks had on the United States.In my placement last week, on 9/11, the morning announcements had a moment of silence in memory of those attacks. My third graders were very confused and had no idea what we were doing. Once my teacher explained, and told them of 9/11 they still seemed like they didn’t understand and one even responded with “well my grandpa is in the army”. It’s truly eye-opening how 9/11 impacted so many, yet it is not nearly discussed enough as it should be in schools.
I was only 3 years old when the 9/11 events happened. I obviously dont remember it, but my parents to this day still vividly remember where they were and what they were doing when it happened. They have always taught me and my siblings about what happened on 9/11 teaching me the importance of remembering this event. I was in a school for 9/11 last week and I saw how little they talk about this day. As a future teacher, I will be teaching my students about 9/11 as well as the importance of remembering this day, because this was a tragic day not just for some but our whole country.
When I was in 1st grade, my teacher turned the tv on. She never turned the TV on. I was sitting at a table in a red trailer outside my school, where my 1st grade classroom was. It was hot, and I could feel the sweat dripping down the back of my short bob. I turned my attention to the TV. It was in the corner of the room on a TV rack that hung from the wall. I saw a building colipase. There was dust flying across the screen. I thought it was odd that my teacher was playing such a violent movie in my classroom. When I got home that day my parents told me something bad had happened. It wasn’t until I was a freshman and watching the movie United 93 was I aware of what I had witnessed. To me that day was the day my teacher finally turned the TV on. It comes to no surprise to me that this is just another historical event to my future students, because it is a historical event, I have vague memories about. I did not have the fear that people that were old enough to comprehend had. When I make lesson plans regarding 9/11, I need to think about what I would have wanted to know about, had people told me the importance of it. When going through the lesson plans on the 911 memorial website I was particularly moved by students comparing and contrasting the New York Skyline, with and without the twin towers.
I was only one years old when the terrorist attacks occurred so I don’t remember where exactly I was. I think important events are often forgotten about so quickly because people fail to realize that history will one day repeat itself. When I examine images and news reports regarding the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I feel a sense of sorrow. It saddens me to see how hateful the world can be. One creative way teachers could begin a discussion about 9/11 is to simply say 9/11 and ask what thoughts come to mind. This way teachers could see whether 9/11 is still a topic of discussion or not.
When 9/11 occurred I was only a year old so I do not remember anything but my mom has told me a lot about the day. I do, however, remember when I was a freshman in high school and my school held a moment of silence on 9/11. I was sitting in my science class and I remember my teacher Mr. Bootes began to tear up. After the moment of silence he explained to us that his uncle had been one of the people who was killed by the attack on the twin towers. Hearing this from someone I knew made it all more real for me. I have always understood the severity and importance of the day and the attacks that occurred but after that day I have always had stronger feelings about what happened.
I was five years old and in Kindergarten when 9/11 happened. My mom worked nights so I was in the afternoon Kindergarten class, that way she was able to sleep late. By the time I woke up it was already known that we were under attack. I remember sitting in front of the television playing with my barbie dolls while the events were broadcasted live. In the weeks and months following 9/11 I learned more information about 9/11. My parents had to explain it to me because I had two family members who left to fight in the war. At the age of five I was able to comprehend that bad guys took over an airplane that people were flying on to go to or from a vacation and flew them into important places in the United States in order to hurt a lot of people. I was able to understand that my cousins were going to stop the bad guys so that this would not happen again.
Children at young ages are able to comprehend many things if you explain it to them in a way that they will understand. As a teacher, you just have to know your audience so you know how you should talk about the subject. Every year when 9/11 comes around, video clips, news articles, survivors stories, everything you can possibly think of resurfaces on the internet. I was too young to know what went on when it happened, but I have seen and read so much about it sense then that now I do. I do believe 9/11 needs to be talked about in schools, but for the time being I don’t think that it will be the only way kids who weren’t born at the time will hear about it. Every year they will hear their parents and grandparents talk about what they remember from September 11th, 2001. When they are old enough, every year they will see videos, read the news articles, and read survivor stories. As long as there is a majority of this world who remembers 9/11, the kids that we teach will too, even if they were not there.
As many know, 9/11 was a tragic day for many people and our country as a whole. I was just a little baby at the time so I don’t remember the attacks happening but growing up i would always hear from my parents and in my middle school they had videos being played on 9/11 in remembrance of the tragedy. I believe this is something that changed our country as a whole including airport safety and rules/regulations. It is definitely a topic that needs to be talked about and remembered for those who lost their lives and to those who risked theirs to save others.
18 years ago on September 11th I was just three years old, I was in the hospital waiting room with my great grandparents because my mom had just gone into labor with my little brother. I remember everyone was so quiet just watching the tvs and crying. I was just so confused and had no clue what was going on. I remember when I was in elementary, middle and high school we would always have talks about it on September 11th. I think it is a very difficult thing to talk about especially for those who lived through it, but I think we should keep students informed about it. I think for elementary school students it should be more basic information about it, but once they get to middle and high school it should be a more in-depth discussion.
I have no memory of where I was when 911 occurred. My father swears I was at the park when he got “the call.” I do not think teachers today do a good job of teaching 911. It is something that teachers are afraid to talk about. I will say I had an amazing social studies teacher my senior year. He taught through current events for the most part, but when September rolled around we spent a significant amount of time studying 911. We watched documentaries and read many articles related. We were given the history of 911 in an unbiased way; we were strictly given the facts. I have observed a couple of classrooms in the past 2 years around 911, and neither class or school mentioned it once. I think this topic should be discussed before students are in high school. It might not be an in depth lesson for a Kindergarten class, but we can talk about how it is a day of remembrance.
I was alive for 9/11 but I do not remember it, I was almost two when it happened, and my mom told me about where we were when we heard about it. My mom still talks about the moment that all of America stood still and watched as history was changed forever. I am a part of one of the last classes where we were alive during 9/11. It’s crazy to me to think about when I become a teacher and the students will know little to none about 9/11.