Lesson 1: What Happened on 9/11?

Minnesota Social Studies Standards
History Standard: “The end of the Cold War, shifting geopolitical dynamics, the intensification of the global economy, and rapidly changing technologies have given renewed urgency to debates about the United States’ identity, values and role in the world. (The United States in a New Global Age)”

History Standard: “Globalization, the spread of capitalism and the end of the Cold War have shaped a contemporary world still characterized by rapid technological change, dramatic increases in global population and economic growth coupled with persistent economic and social disparities and cultural conflict. (The New Global Era: 1989- Present)”

Geography Standard: “Processes of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of the earth’s surface.” 

Learning Objective
Students will learn key facts to understand what happened on September 11, 2001.  The learning will be acquired through teacher instruction, short documentary clips, maps, and the 9/11 Memorial website.  

Lesson options
The lesson plan includes several options for work prior to the main class discussion.   Students could complete these assignments in class in small groups or as homework. The plan also includes a short writing reflection which could be used as a summative activity or as an alternative lesson for students who were absent on the class discussion day.  

Pre-September 11 class activities
Assignment option #1
Timeline activity: Students use the interactive timeline from the 9-11 Memorial Museum to learn about the events of the day.  If completed individually, this assignment would take students approximately one hour for students to complete. 

Jigsaw option:  Students could be assigned different events to research.  Possible categories:

  • American Airlines Flight 11 - North Tower

  • United Airlines Flight 175 - South Tower

  • American Airlines Flight 77 - Pentagon

  • United Flight 93 - Shanksville, PA

  • Response of U.S. government - President notified, officials evacuated to bunker, grounding of airspace, President address to nation


Assignment option #2
Ask a family member about their memories of September 11.
Interview and Writing Assignment

Assignment option #3
Have students read a short background piece about the events of September 11.
Words to Know


Lesson Activities for in-class September 11th discussion
Introduction/Warm-up Option #1 (Approximately 15 minutes)

  • As students enter the classroom, they will find on their desks a copy of the lyrics to Bruce Springsteen’s “You’re Missing”.  

  • Allow students a few minutes to read the document, then discuss. Ask students what they think they are reading. (Most students will think they are reading a poem.)  

  • Lyrics that particularly spark comments are “Everything is everything,” and “God’s drifting in heaven, devil’s in the mailbox.”   What do they mean?  (Everything is everything:  Life goes on, routines continue.  Everything symbolizes daily life, but every thing also means the person that is lost.  The missing person is “every thing” (all important)  to the writer. 

  • After the discussion, tell students that they are reading song lyrics.  After 9-11, Bruce Springsteen wrote an entire album of songs called “The Rising.” 

  • Show the video of Springsteen performing the song; begin at :29 and end at 4:01

Teacher instruction
Guide students through video clips, maps and data so they can understand what occurred on September 11, 2001.


Wrap-Up
As much time as desired

Options: 

  • If the lesson is being taught on September 11: Play the live video (where is the video?) of family members reading the names of their loved ones who were killed at Ground Zero.

  • If the lesson is being taught on another day:  A recording of this live event is always available on the website.

  • Alternatively, teachers could show memorial events from the day.  Or, teachers could show images of the memorials that now stand at each site:  Pentagon Memorial, Shanksville Flight 93 Memorial, Twin Towers Memorial.

  • What’s at the WTC site now: Show 911 Memorial construction in time-lapse video (approximately 3 minutes).

  • Show students the new One World Trade Center (AKA Freedom Tower) that opened in 2014; point out the symbolism of it being the tallest building in the U.S. at 1,776 feet.