September 11 Resource Toolkit
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September 11 Resource Toolkit
On June 17, 2024, Governor Shapiro signed into law Act 25 of 2024 (Act 25), which amended the Public School Code of 1949 to require school entities to hold a moment of silence for students and faculty to observe the September 11, 2001 anniversary. This toolkit is designed to support schools in implementing Act 25.
The toolkit provides access to educational materials on the events of 9/11, including videos, lesson plans, and classroom resources adaptable for virtual or in-person learning.
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Dedication
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Introduction/Purpose
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Rationale
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Noteworthy Resources
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This toolkit is dedicated to the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks and their families, to those courageous individuals who gave service to others, and to teachers in classrooms that day, who became first responders for students throughout the country. (Initiative 2011)
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On June 17, 2024, Governor Shapiro signed into law Act 25 of 2024 (Act 25), which amended the Public School Code of 1949 to require school entities to hold a moment of silence for students and faculty to observe the September 11, 2001 anniversary. This toolkit is designed to support schools in implementing Act 25.
The toolkit provides access to educational materials on the events of 9/11, including videos, lesson plans, and classroom resources adaptable for virtual or in-person learning.
Resources that contain model lesson plans and curricular materials have been highlighted in bold and may be used by educators to develop a curriculum for instruction in the events and significance of September 11.
All materials in this toolkit are cited as vetted resources and are not necessarily a comprehensive collection. Per Act 25, this model curriculum covers the events of 9/11, the historical context of terrorism, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the American recovery and response to the attacks, Global challenges and consequences in a post-September 11 world.
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How should educators acknowledge the anniversary of September 11th and educate students about the events of that day and their impact?
Those of us who lived through September 11, 2001, remember where we were when we learned of the events of that day, what we did in response, and how we felt. And, we are aware that the impact of September 11 goes far beyond the thousands of tragic deaths that occurred that day. The attacks have had far-reaching consequences ranging from increased airport security to discrimination against Muslims and Arab-Americans to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in which hundreds of thousands have died.
In short, the 9/11 attacks have changed the course of history.
But for our students, September 11 is just that: history.
Each year on September 11, solemn ceremonies mark the fateful day by honoring the people who lost their lives, and the many who did what they could to help. Will our students take part in these ceremonies or watch them on TV? Will they hear their parents talking about 9/11? If so, what will they feel and what sense will they make of what they see and hear? What is our responsibility as educators?
Use the anniversary of 9/11 as a "teachable moment." The definition of a teachable moment is an event that occurs in the wide world or in your classroom that your students (or at least some of them) are aware of. This provides an opportunity for learning – and one we need to seize. Especially when the events are dramatic, students may take in biased, emotionally charged, inaccurate information. Part of our mission as educators in a democratic society is to correct misinformation, facilitate thoughtful discussion, and develop our students' ability to think critically, which includes asking good questions. If we don't do this, who will?
Like many teachable moments, September 11 provokes strong emotions, and aspects of the event and its aftermath are controversial. Controversy is at the heart of democracy. Educating young people for participation in a democratic society means welcoming controversy into our classrooms and working with it. We do that by helping our students develop habits of dialogue and civil discourse in which they share their points of view, listen respectfully and open-heartedly while others share theirs, sometimes change their minds, and, on other occasions, agree to disagree. (Roderick, 9/11 Anniversary Teaching Guide (Updated) 2022)
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The list below contains only a small portion of the many resources that are now available. The sources listed below will offer you a good place to begin your search for additional information, lesson plans, advice, and materials.
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National September 11 Memorial and Museum – The Memorial and Museum honors the nearly 3000 victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. It recognizes those who survived and all those who risked their lives to save the lives of others. The impact of terrorism on our personal lives as well as on our local, national, and international worlds is demonstrated through the design and the Museum collection. The Memorial Plaza is a green plaza surrounding Memorial pools sited in the footprints of the North and the South Towers. The Museum continues to gather a tremendous collection of artifacts, ephemera, digital media, photographs, videos/filmed material, artwork, tribute art, books, lesson plans, and archival material. The website is rich in information and visual images. The site provides a digital learning experience, video archive, and summer training institute.
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Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum – The Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum is located at The College of New Jersey. The museum and the college have collaborated to create a partnership to teach diversity appreciation and character education to elementary school children. The museum provides a learning lab experience and is open to bookings for elementary and middle school age groups.
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The New York State Museum – The State Museum’s significant collection of material from the World Trade Center and objects from the international response to the events of September 11, 2001, tell the story of that day and its aftermath. The World Trade Center: Rescue, Recovery, Response details the history of the World Trade Center, the September 11 attacks, the rescue efforts, the evidence recovery operation at the Fresh Kills facility, and the public response to the September 11th events. The exhibition includes many objects, images, videos, and interactive stations documenting this tragic chapter in New York and America’s history.
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Tribute WTC Visitor Center – The center offers visitors to the World Trade Center site a place where they can connect with people from the September 11th community. Through walking tours, exhibits, lesson plans and programs, the Tribute WTC Visitor Center offers “Person to Person History,” linking visitors who want to understand and appreciate these historic events with those who experienced them.
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United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – In addition to the rich diversity of resources on the Holocaust available on the USHMM web site, there is a plethora of information and materials to be found on current genocides, acts of terrorism, and other human rights violations (past and present) on the site. The museum’s Committee on Conscience reports on current human crises and provides podcasts and many recommended resources.
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9/11 Memorial and Museum - The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11, documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance. Honoring those who were killed in the 2001 and 1993 attacks is at the heart of their mission.
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Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial - Flight 93 National Memorial is a place to learn about the 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93 whose actions thwarted four hijackers' plans to fly their plane to a target in Washington, DC during the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. At Flight 93 National Memorial you can walk beside their final resting place, learn their stories, and honor their extraordinary courage in preventing an attack on our Nation’s Capital. Model lesson plans are also available on their website.
Flight 93 National Memorial is a self-guided site and is open from sunrise to sunset. Visitors are encouraged to budget up to three hours for a full site visit. There is no admission fee to enter Flight 93 National Memorial or the Visitor Center.
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Facing History and Ourselves – Facing History offers programs and materials emphasizing the importance of making informed moral choices and of respecting and defending civil and human rights. A number of their guides, lesson plans, and other materials are available for free at their website.
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Anti-Defamation League Among its many goals, the Anti-Defamation League addresses fighting Extremism and Hate, confronting discrimination and securing justice, and promoting respectful schools and communities.
- Anti-Bias Tools and Strategies – tips, tools, strategies and discussion guides for K-12 educators and students in order to promote anti-bias and culturally responsive learning environments.
- Lesson Plans – promote an understanding of diverse perspectives and challenge the development of emerging biases.
- Bullying/Cyberbullying Resources.
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Clarke Forum at Dickinson College - Many excellent lesson plans for teaching about September 11th are available on this site. In addition, there is an extensive list of websites where additional lesson plans and materials may be accessed.
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The History Channel - 9/11 video timeline, videos of the towers, “102 Minutes That Changed America” interactive, recommended articles, and many other related topics to explore are part of this site on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
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The New York Times Learning Network - The New York Times section on the web, “The Learning Network” has well-developed lesson plans available on a large array of news-related topics. Exploring the archive yields lessons relating to the September 11th attacks, terrorism, racial profiling, prejudice and bigotry, and more.
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The September 11 Education Program - This interdisciplinary curriculum was developed by The September 11th Educational Trust under Anthony Gardner, Executive Director, in Partnership with the Taft Institute for Government and its co-directors Professors Jack Zevin and Michael Krasner. This curriculum includes lessons, handouts, an interactive DVD, and web-based resources for teaching about September 11.
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September 11 Digital Archive - The September 11 Digital Archive uses electronic media to collect, preserve, and present the history of September 11, 2001, and its aftermath. The Archive contains more than 150,000 digital items, a tally that includes more than 40,000 emails and other electronic communications, more than 40,000 first-hand stories, and more than 15,000 digital images. In September 2003, the Library of Congress accepted the Archive into its collections, an event that both ensured the Archive's long-term preservation and marked the library's first major digital acquisition.
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Southern Poverty Law Center - The SPLC is a non-profit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting the evils of hate and bigotry. It is well known for its work in tracking and exposing hate groups and pursuing justice for the vulnerable through the court system. Its Teaching Tolerance program offers many documentary films, books, lesson plans and other materials promoting tolerance and respect to educators for free. The SPLC maintains the Civil Rights Memorial, its Civil Rights Memorial Center, and Wall of Tolerance in Montgomery, Alabama.
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American Red Cross – The Exploring Humanitarian Law curriculum developed by the Red Cross is an easy-to-use program. Materials include primary source materials, case studies, and interactive lessons. Designed for middle school and high school students, it addresses important questions concerning the protection of human rights during war times. Best known for its roll in assisting people during times of natural disasters and human-driven crises, the Red Cross also has a number of educational curricula and programs available. The EHL may be downloaded in pdf from the website.
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Tunnel to Towers Foundation - Since 9/11, T2T has been helping America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. T2T is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001. They have also developed a model curriculum for grades K-12 and can be found online.
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National Geographic Kids - Learn how this historic day in 2001 changed the lives of those living in the United States—and around the world.
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Voices Center for Resilience - VOICES provides long-term support and resources that promote mental health care and wellness, for victims’ families, responders, survivors, and families of those who have died of 9/11 related illnesses; and assists communities in preparing for and recovering from tragedy.
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U.S. Army JROTC 9/11 Remembrance Ceremonies - Here you can find a listing of various high school remembrance ceremonies held in commemoration of the events of 9/11.
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4 Action Initiative - The 4 Action Initiative is a collaboration of Families of September 11, The Liberty Science Center, and The New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. They have put together a Curricular Initiative for Students in Grades K-12 entitled “Learning from the Challenges of our Times: Global Security, Terrorism, and 9/11 in the Classroom.”
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The 9/11 Table of Silence Project is a multi-cultural prayer for peace, realized through a transcendent ceremony for 100 dancers swathed in white, that carries out the vision of choreographer Jacqulyn Buglisi and artist Rossella Vasta. The site-specific work (Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center) is titled after Vasta’s installation of 100 terracotta plates arranged around a symbolic banquet table uniting humanity. Buglisi transforms the concept into a moving meditation, a poetic call for tolerance and peace in our world. A YouTube performance is provided, as well as information regarding ongoing performances of the work. Additional YouTube videos are readily available through a google search.
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Classical Music Inspired by 9/11 - The Pacific Symphony (Irvine and Costa Mesa CA) offers a web page with annotated YouTube recordings of three inspirational pieces written by composers who were in NY when the attacks happened.
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Memorials of Grief: Music after 9/11 - This article (2018) by author Tim Rutherford-Johnson addresses musical responses to the 2001 terrorist attacks, utilizing embedded YouTube recordings.
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The Recording Academy (Grammy) offers a 2021 article titled 10 Songs That Captured America’s Feelings After 9/11. From emotional tributes to criticizing the government, artists across all genres captured the country’s wide range of feelings about 9/11.
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Playbill provides a 2021 article, 13 Theatre Works That Responded to 9/11, listing shows inspired by the tragedies of the terrorist attacks, their aftermath, and the rebuilding of America.
Of particular note is the musical Come From Away, a theatre work that was filmed live on Broadway and is available on streaming TV services.
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The 9/11 Memorial & Museum Artists Registry is an online database and digital gallery of artistic work created in response to the events of September 11. The Registry aims to serve as a resource for the artistic community, scholars, journalists, and the interested public. The database, which is not formally curated, is intended to serve as a resource for the artistic community, scholars, journalists, and others. The collected works range from creations by seasoned professionals to novice practitioners. For technical support and answers to frequently asked questions, please consult the Artists Registry FAQ.
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The Art of Remembering 9/11: How artists contribute to our collective memory of events is provided by the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). SAAM’s collection includes several artworks that remind us of the moments of tragedy, the enduring spirit of a nation, and the lasting impact of the events of 9/11.
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The September 11 National Day of Service – The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is supported annually by MyGoodDeed Inc. and HandsOn Network, which together serve as co-chairs of the National Organizing Committee. MyGoodDeed Inc. led a successful eight-year campaign that culminated in 2009 in the official establishment of September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance under federal law. Many other prominent organizations also participate as Strategic Partners. Students, teachers, schools, and communities can get started making a difference by exploring causes that need help. Everyone can voluntarily support charitable causes, perform good deeds and engage in other service activities in observance of the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
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Seeds of Peace – Seeds of Peace is dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence. The Seeds of Peace model begins at the International Camp in Maine and continues through programming in regions around the world through innovative initiatives in the form of conferences, regional workshops, educational and professional opportunities, and an adult educator program. Students are accepted into this program from all over the world, including the United States, and are taught as well as encouraged to be leaders of peace.
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Points of Light Institute – Born after the attacks on September 11, Points of Light encourages community service for all youth through corporate entities. Contact the organization to be matched with a community need in your location. Points of Lights also sponsors a high school level youth leadership training program.
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Global Youth Leadership Institute – This organization can provide teachers resources on conflict resolution, environmental sustainability, religious pluralism, collaborative leadership, multi-cultural identity, and building awareness in students. Its program encourages and helps middle and high school students from across the country to get involved in making change for the future.
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Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement - The Freechild Institute provides training, tools and technical assistance to support youth engagement in social change. For more than 20 years they have supported nonprofits, government agencies, and K-12 schools who have wanted to do youth programs better and more effectively.
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GenerationOn - GenerationOn is the global youth service movement igniting the power of all kids to make their mark on the world. As the youth division of Points of Light Institute, GenerationOn has brought the nation’s leading youth service organizations and programs under one umbrella including New York-based Children for Children, The League, Learning to Give, Points of Light Institute’s Kids Care Clubs, HandsOn Schools, and HandsOn Network’s youth-driven programs. By partnering with teachers, parents, schools, community organizations and businesses, GenerationOn gives kids the opportunity to see firsthand the issues in their communities and the tools and resources they need to respond and become part of the solution.
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Global Youth Leadership Institute - This organization can provide teachers resources onconflict resolution, environmental sustainability, religious pluralism, collaborative leadership, multi-cultural identity, and building awareness in students. Its program encourages and helps middle and high school students from across the country to get involved in making change for the future.
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9/11 Day - 9/11 Day was created shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks by David Paine and Jay Winuk. David and Jay wanted something good to come from the loss of so many lives in the 9/11 tragedy, including Jay’s younger brother, Glenn, an attorney and volunteer firefighter who was killed while responding at the World Trade Center. They began with a simple idea: let’s take back the day by turning the anniversary of 9/11 into a day of doing good.
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Peace Pals International - Peace Pals is a program designed to encourage young people ages 5-19 to become peacemakers dedicated to living within the ideal of May Peace Prevail on Earth. A World Peace Organization program for youth, Peace Pals sponsors art contests and activity guides for teachers for lessons on promoting peace.
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Service Nation – Service Nation is a campaign to increase service opportunities and elevate service as a core ideal and problem-solving strategy in our society. Reaching an estimated 100 million Americans through over 270 member groups, Service Nation played a leading role in the drafting and April 2009 enactment of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which authorized the greatest expansion of national service in America since the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.
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