Remembering How 9/11 Shaped American History

For your students, 9/11 is part of history, not a current event. The world your students live in today continues to be affected by the events of that day and its aftermath. netTrekker can help you with resources that are appropriate to your particular teaching situation.
Early Elementary
The events of September 11 may not be part of your social studies lessons, but students might ask questions about it, after hearing older siblings or adults talking about it.
- The Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility 9/11 Anniversary Teaching Guide offers suggestions for positive ways to handle these questions from very young students.
- Scroll down the page to the Classroom Activities for Grades K–2 for ideas, including some grade-appropriate books that can be used to reassure young students
Middle School
Students will probably have some knowledge of the events and aftermath of 9/11.
- The Tribute WTC Visitor Center can help expand students’ understanding of the range of human responses to the tragedy.
- In September 11th: Personal Stories of Transformation, students will learn how individuals can contribute to the cause of peace and positive change in response to terrible events
High School
Students will likely know quite a lot about the events of 9/11 from studying it in earlier years. Now you can extend that knowledge by encouraging the use of both primary resources and critical thinking skills as they analyze and compare news coverage from around the world on 9/11 and the week that followed.
- Internet Archive: Understanding 9/11: A Television News Archive offers minute-by-minute news coverage from 19 television sources, presented parallel to each other for comparison.