9/11/2001: Lesson Plan Grades 5–6

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A Day for Reflection
A 9/11 Memorial (PDF): Thousands of Americans will participate in the memorial observances to be held on 9/11/02, at the World Trade Center site. Millions more will watch the events on TV. Offer your students a preview of the memorials by using this schedule-reading activity together in class. Students should review the detailed schedule of New York City's official memorial events, then use it to answer the questions.

TV Commentary: On 9/11/02, have students watch some of the memorial coverage on TV. Assign teams of students to particular segments of the day (for example, one group can cover the pipe and drum parades; another can pay special attention to the reading of victims' names). Later, have students put together their own TV news broadcast, reporting on the anniversary events. Students should summarize what happened and can interview teachers, parents, and school employees about their feelings during this time of remembering.

Kids Make a Difference
"Kid Power" Letter: Using the stories in this section, invite students to write a persuasive essay arguing the point that "Kids can make a difference." Students should use some of the examples of 9/11-related kid activism in this section to support their argument. When students have edited their essays, consider sending them to the editorial page of your local newspaper for possible publication.

A Nation Recovers
WTC Site: What Would You Do? (PDF): Deciding exactly what to do with the World Trade Center site will not be easy; the issue is fraught with strong opinions and emotions. With this activity, you can have your students weigh in with their own ideas. Students will consider all of the proposed elements, then rank them in order of importance. Finally, students will put the most-essential elements together in a sketch of the future site. This activity will help students learn the process that goes into making community-wide decisions.

What's Next for America?
Should Pilots Carry Guns? In this section's airline safety story, the controversy over guns in the cockpit is introduced. Have students organize the details of the story into two columns: details that support guns for pilots and details that argue against arming pilots. Students should brainstorm additional arguments for both sides, then form teams and conduct an oral classroom debate on this hot topic. Be sure to give both sides timed opportunities for presenting an opening statement, rebutting the opposing side, and giving a closing argument. They should also come up with their own ideas for protecting the nation's airways.

A Time for Tolerance
Take the Pledge: Don't miss this opportunity to pledge to stop hate and boost tolerance in America's classrooms. Click on "Take the Pledge to Stop Hate," then organize a school-wide pledge event.

TV News to Provide Daylong Coverage of 9/11 Events
One year after the events of 9/11, major TV networks prepared a variety of programs to retell the story of what took place.

Teens Speak Out
New York City students share their eyewitness accounts of the attack on the World Trade Center.

Election 2008: How Hollywood Does It
Fred Thompson makes his bid for President official on September 5, 2007.

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