The anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 offers a time to remember, to reflect about this unforgettable moment in history, and to reconsider the effect that September 11 has had on our country and the world. The following Web sites contain background information, lessons, and ideas that may be helpful to educators as they struggle to explain and to teach the events of September 11, 2001.

LESSON PLANS & RESOURCES

UNITED WE STAND
From Prentice Hall's School Division--As Americans pause to seek perspective on September 11 and its aftermath, United We Stand offers articles, lessons, and resources to guide your classroom discussions on this turning point in American history.

MY NAME IS OSAMA
This provocative lesson plan introduces a short story about an Iraqi boy named Osama, who faces taunts and targeting after the Sept. 11th attacks. Tolerance, terrorism, bullying, and immigration are key issues marked for student consideration and discussion here. Students will respond to the story and lesson in written paragraphs. Click here for a .pdf version of the story.

SCHOLASTIC 9/11/2001
"The Day That Changed America" from Scholastic News.

SEPTEMBER 11: LESSONS AND RESOURCES FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS
Education World presents a wide variety of links to lesson plans.

REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11TH
Education World offers five new lessons to help teachers commemorate the first anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attack on the United States. Those lessons will keep alive the spirit of patriotism and tolerance stimulated by the events of 9/11. Included: Students make a huge flag mural for your school or a proverb book for your classroom library, write letters to fire fighters in your community, read aloud books that model tolerance, raise money for Afghan children, more.

HOW STUFF WORKS
The How Stuff Works Web site offers resources that can help explain:
What Happened on September 11, 2001?
Who is Osama bin Laden?

9-11 AS HISTORY
The Families and Work Institute has developed a series of 16 age-appropriate
lesson plans to help educators address the 9-11 anniversary with their
students. The 9-11 As History program includes four lessons each for grades
PreK-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, 9th-12th that are linked to national education
standards.

REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11TH LESSON PLANS
NEA and the NEA Health Information Network have created a special Remember September 11th Web site. This site draws on the creative inspiration of NEA members and partners in educational excellence, including NASP. It brings together in one place an abundance of ideas, lesson plans, discussion points, and much more to help young people learn from the September 11 tragedy.

IN REMEMBRANCE -- RESOURCES FOR ELEMENTARY CLASSES
First grade teacher, Susan Stein, has put together a collection of resources for elementary school teachers to help commemorate the anniversary of September 11th.Includes a 9/11 song, links, and activities.

SEPTEMBER 11 THROUGH CHILDREN'S EYES
A student-created Web site. The students visited New York P.S. 89, which is located a block from Ground Zero. The site shares their interviews with students and teachers and more

SEPTEMBER 11TH TIMELINE
A significant timeline of events from September 11th through September 18th, 2001, has been compiled here for class review. Consider using the events included on site to create a wall-size memorial timeline of your own, supplementing the text with pictorial representations from magazines, newspapers, and online sources, and adding students' reflections to create a positive memorial.

KINDNESS TOWERS HERE
Creative writing in teams will be the outcome of this cooperative assignment, where students will consider how heroism can occur right at home. Help younger children complete this exercise by having them draw and color pictures to reflect their thoughts, and then type out a couple of sentences they dictate to attach to each picture or booklet.

SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001
This site offers a great diversity of material and activities to cope with a memorial for September 11th in your own classroom. Poetry forms are available, crisis mentoring, lessons on accepting different points of view, patriotic activities to explore--there is much
available here for teachers and classes of all grade levels.

HOORAY FOR HEROES
Various sets of exercises for the early elementary classroom explore the concept of heroes, naming possible community heroes, inviting people to the classroom,
and creating a heroes display.

ONE YEAR LATER -- TIPS FOR TEACHERS
Help your classes cope with the anniversary of September 11th with the aid of resources offered at this site, including guidelines and memorial activities.

LIFE AFTER 9 / 11
PBS News Hour has put together this resource for students to explore their reactions, cultural relations, military aggressions, biological warfare, and more, all with the
necessary guidance to investigate these loaded issues.

ART--CRAFTS--ACTIVITIES

SEPTEMBER 11TH CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES COLLECTION
From MIKIDS.com, including "I am proud to be an American" writing template, Nametags, Flags, Patriotic Heart to color, Patriotic Star to color, Patriotic Pinwheels, Patriotic Hats, The Story of Old Glory, Beaded Pin Patterns,"God Bless the USA" - lyrics, New York Firemen and the WTC terrorist attack, Free patriotic images to use and more.

UNITED WE STAND POSTERS
Download these mini-posters to mount on your class bul-
letin board to remember the events of 9-11.

9 - 11 REMEMBRANCE PIN
Using letter beads, cording, and safety pins, students will create their own memorial pins to share and exchange.

REMEMBER 9/11 BOOKMARKS
Download and print these bookmarks for students to share with penpals, to keep for their own reading purposes, or to exchange with another classroom.

USA ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
This site offers printable flags, journal ideas and templates to express emotions, poem
forms to celebrate heroes, and coloring pages on patriotic symbols.

HANDPRINT UNITY WREATH
Children will cut out and paint their hand prints, and then create a collage-style wreath with a dove for peace in the middle.

PENCIL FLAGS
Memorials can be created with these printable pencil toppers. The American flag in this case includes an insert of the twin towers, with the word "Remember".

FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS
Exchange friendship bracelets with another class to commemorate September 11th. The pattern instructions for this one uses beads and wire.

FRIENDSHIP LANTERNS
Find instructions here for creating friendship lanterns using posterboard, tissue paper, and glue.

PATRIOTIC DESIGN
Students will reassemble the printable designs of this collage exercise to create a red, white, and blue geometric abstract. Let each child construct their own unique design, and post all results on your bulletin board for a 9-11 memorial display.

PATRIOTIC CRAYON RESIST
Students will reflect their own visions of patriotism using paint and crayons, dividing their papers into five segments to allow for different images and their own expressions of patriotism.

BUILDING A MEMORIAL
This architectural exercise first requires students to give deep consideration to what qualities a memorial should reflect. They will consider the traits they wish to portray, such as bravery and compassion. They will then either work in groups or individually to
construct their own box, covering it with paper and stylized writing with their chosen words. All boxes will then be assembled for a class memorial. Show students different examples of how they can stylize their script to individualize each of the boxes involved.

PATRIOTIC PAPER DOLL EXCHANGE
If your class has penpals or book buddies, then print and decorate these paper dolls to exchange with your partner class. If you have not yet arranged a program this year, then
let your students exchange these patriotic paper dolls with each other at the beginning of the school year, fostering a sense of sharing and cooperation.

PATRIOTIC ART CANDLES
One way of having a school memorial for 9-11 is to create these flag candles. You will print out the templates for stars and stripes, which will be glued, along with a fake flame, to a paper towel roll. At your school assembly all students will be able to participate in a moment of reflection or silence by holding their candles high.