Procedures

• Set Up

  This lesson offers several options for you to use with your students whether you are teaching in class, using a hybrid model, or engaging through distance learning.

  Handout: Reflections on September 11, 2001 (Google Doc).

  By making a copy of this Google Doc, you can adjust the instructions to meet the needs of your class and provide that copy to your students. Your students can also make a copy and complete the assignments digitally in the space provided.

• Brainstorm & Introduction

  Have your students engage in a Think-Pair-Share about their knowledge of September 11, 2001. After discussion, pose this question for individual response: "In what ways did America change or stay the same after September 11th, 2001?"

• Exploration

  Answer the following questions.

  • CLIP 1: Former President Bush Remarks in Shanksville, Pennsylvania (4:39). Former President George W. Bush speaks at a ceremony held in Shanksville, Pennsylvania to mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Near this site, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into an open field, killing all on board.
    • What emotional reactions does President Bush say Americans had in the aftermath of the attacks, and what lessons does he say Americans learned?
    • What did President Bush mean when he said the “intended targets became the instruments of rescue?”
    • President Bush describes present-day security measures as “sources of comfort and reminders of our vulnerability.” What does this mean?
    • From what two ways does President Bush state that violence can affect America today, and what does he say is “our continuing duty?”
  • CLIP 2: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the attack on the Pentagon (2:12). Bush Administration Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld discusses the attack on the Pentagon.
    • Why did Secretary Rumsfeld want to keep the Pentagon open in the wake of the attack that struck the building?
    • How was Secretary Rumsfeld’s personal story representative of both the chaos and personal sacrifice that consumed the day?
  • CLIP 3: Congressional Leaders Hold September 11 Remembrance Ceremony (5:23). Senator Chuck Schumer makes comments at a September 11 remembrance ceremony.
    • Describe Senator Schumer's personal connection to the events of September 11, 2001.
    • How does Senator Schumer's personal experience connect to his comment that the attacks "spared nobody?"
    • What responsibilities does Senator Schumer say that America has now and into the future?
    • What does Senator Schumer say about the "American spirit?"

• Application

  Have your students explore the oral histories at this link. Direct your students to choose one to listen to and prepare a summary of their experiences and the impact of September 11, 2001 on the individual's life. Provide each student an opportunity to share with the class who they listened to, what they learned, and how the chosen oral history relates to the stories presented in the video clips.

• Wrap Up

  Direct your students to respond to this final reflective question: How did the events of September 11, 2001 impact the lives of Americans then and now?