Did You Know?

Observing the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks with Your Students

Most adults in the United States say they will never forget where they were when they heard that President Kennedy was shot. Our younger adult generation will never forget where they were when they learned the horrifying news that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. As the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks approaches, it’s a day for remembrance, reflection and honoring those who lost their lives and loved ones that tragic day. America was forever changed on September 11, 2001, and we will never forget.

For some younger students, however, the memory may not be so vivid. CNN Student News and Edutopia.com both have some excellent suggestions for educational activities and discussion questions you can use to help your students understand the events of that day and their impact on students’ lives as well as the American landscape. If you choose to discuss 9/11 in your classroom, here are a few questions from CNN Student News that you may want to pose to your middle or high school students:

• What do you already know about the 9/11 terrorist attacks? What else would you like to know about what happened that day? What sources would you use to find more information about the events of 9/11?
• If you had the opportunity to interview witnesses to one of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, what questions would you ask? What would you want to know about their experiences and thoughts?
• How did the nation and its leaders come together in the days following September 11?
• What aspects of American life do you think were changed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks?
• How do you think that those who lost their lives in the attacks of 9/11 should be remembered? How do you think that the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 should be observed? How will you observe it?

Share with our blog readers: How are you planning to observe the 10th anniversary of 9/11 with your students?