This Day in History: September 11, 2001

We were in the computer lab working on a webquest when the school media assistant came up to me and asked me to step outside.  She had CNN playing in her office and wanted me to see the television because she didn't understand if what she was seeing was real.  When I saw the first smoking tower, I joined in her confusion and then immediately worried that my students were on the Internet and might stumble across the exact same site.  If I wasn't sure what was happening, how on earth cold I explain it to 12 year olds?

Each year since then, this date has given me pause as it has millions of people in the United States and beyond.  The first few years, we revisited it with whatever perspective we could muster in class and talk about how current events were impacted by that one fateful day.

Nine years later - the impact has not lessened as the nation is once again torn apart by plans for an Islamic center and mosque near "ground zero" in NYC cause controversy and debate.

While the anniversary of this event falls on a Saturday and in the middle of opening week activities for many schools in the United States, I am sure that it may have gotten lost in the remembrance.  But the current events aspect is important and one I am hoping is addressed in classrooms.  Some resources for teaching about the event and it's lasting legacy are below:

The September 11th Education Program (A Ning sponsored by the September 11th Education Trust)
Reflecting on September 11 (Constitutional Rights Foundation)
Beyond Blame: Reacting to the Terrorist Attack (Education Development Center)
Who are the Arab Americans? (Teaching Tolerance)
Best Sites to Help Teach about 9/11 (Larry Ferlazzo)

Debate me!

One of my favorite activities to do with my class was to ask them to debate an issue.  History is full of them and it is the perfect opportunity to push students to apply their learning, as well as to listen to other perspectives.

If you are already using debates in class, one way to continue the conversation or to engage students in a weekly topic is to use aMap - short for "argument map" it is an interactive, visual tool for mapping out complex arguments.  See my sample (and respond!) below:




How can you use this tool?

• Embed a weekly debate on a current event or class topic on your class webpage or blog.
• Have students create their own map for arguments you have assigned in class.
• After creating a class argument and supports, post and ask other classes or parents to engage.