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?
This article caught my attention because of the title. I don’t remember 9/11 at all. I remember the memory my dad has told me about what we were doing during the exact time it happened. I never realized that most young people today really don’t truly know the details of 9/11 or what happened, let alone remember it. Becoming a teacher on 9/11 forever I’m sure we will spend our moment of silence and learn about it. However, it is part of history and should be taught as so. Social studies education is important and so crucial to the people of tomorrow. I love that there are already 9/11 lesson plans attached to this article. It makes me think of what I can do to educate my students one day, the proper way.
I remember 9/11 quite clearly. Which is surprising since I was only four-years-old. I remember sitting in my grandparents room watching t.v.. All of a sudden, I saw a building collapsing. Then I saw another. I remember being shocked that this was happening. My grandparents were supposed to be leaving on a trip and they decided to stay home. Schools are beginning to talk about 9/11 more and more as the years go one. Even though most were not alive for 9/11 it is crucial that we as educators are talking about this event and how it impacted so many lives. We can’t keep that past from repeating if we don’t keep talking about it. Students need to understand that the act of terrorism and our fight against it has been ongoing for years.
I thought there was something really interesting about the thoughts in the conclusion. At one point it says that a number of young people may not really understand why 9/11 was so important. I was almost 10 when 9/11 happened (actually two days from turning 10), and it also happened to be my Dad’s 40th birthday. I remember coming home with a card I had drawn for him at school that day, where we had had our first code yellow drill seemingly out of nowhere. None of the teachers told us what had happened, but we all could sense something weird was going on. When I got home, my parents were both watching the news about the attacks in real time, and I remember being nine and not fully comprehending the gravity of the situation. My nine-year-old perspective only allowed me to be really angry that some bad people had ruined my Dad’s birthday, that they had taken that day away from him. That night at dinner, I made a stupid nine-year-old comment abut how I was going to “kick the bad guys’ butts,” and my parents both got deadly serious, explaining to my siblings and I that there was nothing funny about what had happened that day, that a lot of people had died and that the attacks could lead to a lot of really bad things in our country. There was really no way for me to know at the time what it all actually meant, but I knew that day on that something in the entire country changed; something had shifted. Because of this, I feel like it allowed me to understand the emotional and social impacts 9/11 had on our country, in addition to slowly learning over the years what exactly happened that day and why. It allows me to connect with people who say things like “where were you the day that…” Those significant events stick out so vibrantly in our minds.
I was 4 years old when the attacks on 9/11 happened. Although, I don’t remember it the day it happened, it is an event that should not be forgotten. I plan on teaching a lesson about 9/11, in honor of all the innocent victims and their family and friends. I feel that a lesson on 9/11 could be incorporated in as young as a first-grade class. This was a horrible event, but 9/11 cannot be forgotten.
Although I do not personally remember anything from September 11th of 2001, both of my parents have always told me that they can vividly remember where they were and what they were doing on that devastating, tragic day. Growing up, we always spent a significant amount of time discussing 9/11 in school. I remember hearing stories about the lives that were lost and the heroic acts of bravery. Nowadays, I feel like most schools just have a moment of silence and students are not being educated on what actually happened. Although it is a hard conversation to have, students deserve to know about such a pivotal point in our history where so many things changed forever. As future social studies educators, it is our responsibility to gear this conversation in an appropriate way that our students will be able to understand.
I was only three years old when 9/11 occurred, so I don’t actually remember the day but my mom has said before that she was home from work with me that day and we were watching it all over the news. She has always talked about how devastating and sad that it was that something like this occurred and would make a significant impact on all of our lives today. I think it is so important that we remember this day every year for everyone who it has impacted in the world. I do remember talking about it in school every year on 9/11 in social studies class whether it was watching a video or just being reminded of the images and events that happened that day. I also have never thought about how we’re gonna teach children about 9/11 that weren’t alive when it happened. I do believe that it is an extremely important topic that a parent should share with their kids or a teacher should share with their students. It’s important to know about an event that has impacted our world and lives today. We should never stop talking about this day In school because it’s so significant.
Once I saw this title I instantly felt drawn to read this article. I was in preschool when this happened and every year when this date comes around we are reminded of those tragic lives that were lost. I agree that this should be taught and discussed through social studies content except I think it should be a topic that we discuss more than just once a year. Growing up I remember we only talked about this on the actual date of 9/11. I think it’s important that we inform our students, show them video clips, and read articles about this because it was a huge event that happened in our country.
When 9/11 occurred, I was in kindergarten. I remember watching the events unravel, but not exactly understanding what was going on. Throughout my education, I remember watching videos or having discussions about 9/11 but never fully being educated about the attacks. As a future educator, I think it is important for students to have an understanding of the impact that 9/11 has had on our country and how this still impacts our country in present day. It is important for students to understand that this event changed life in the United States.
I was only in Kindergarten on September 11, 2001. I vaguely remember everything that happened to me that day. What I do remember is everything just stopping and my teacher turning the classroom T.V. onto the news and seeing the buildings. The entire class was picked up by their parents soon after. When I got home my parents tried to explain to my sister and I what just happened, but we were only 5 and 6 years old so it was hard for them to do. I think important events like this one are so quickly forgotten because there are so many people who weren’t even born yet. They didn’t live in that time of fear. It’s also not brought up in school as much as it was before. It was a tragic event that changed America; students should still be learning about it today. I think by reading some of the articles to students and showing them the pictures will help them understand what happened and how 9/11 became an important day in our history.
I don’t remember the day of the attacks themselves; I was only 4 years old and was too young to understand. I think important events are so often quickly forgotten because it was a horrific and bad thing that happened. People don’t like to think about the bad things, they want to forget and move on with their lives. The article with the photos brings a strong sense of loss, seeing all the people that are no longer with us. I think the footage where the second plane hits the South Tower can help convey the gravity of the situation, because when the first one hit people just thought it could’ve been an accident. Hearing the panic in the public’s voices really puts it into perspective. A creative way teachers might begin a discussion about 911 would just be showing pictures of ground 0 and asking the students if they know what they’re looking at and what it could be for. I think that is a good way to introduce the students to this topic.