September 11, 2001


US History (11th) Contemporary America 37145
Students respond to a video on the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Then, they explore facts about the attacks, including events leading up the attacks. Next, they learn about the effects of the attacks, including the war on terror. Finally, they examine the pros and cons of the Patriot Act and create an infographic.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

1:1 Devices
Teacher Pack

The Pack contains associated resources for the learning experience, typically in the form of articles and videos. There is a teacher Pack (with only teacher information) and a student Pack (which contains only student information). As a teacher, you can toggle between both to see everything.

Here are the teacher pack items for September 11, 2001:

Preview - Scene 1
Exploros Learnign Experience Scene Navigation


Engage


Overview

In this experience, students respond to a video on the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Then, they explore facts about the attacks, including events leading up the attacks. Next, they learn about the effects of the attacks, including the war on terror. Finally, they examine the pros and cons of the Patriot Act and create an infographic.

Students will collaborate in small groups for scene 4.

Objectives

  • Describe the events leading up to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
  • Explain the government’s war on terror after the attacks.
  • Analyze the constitutional issues surrounding the U.S. Patriot Act.
This experience contains subject matter and images that may be disturbing to some students. You may choose to add time for additional discussion or debriefing to assist students in processing some of the content. 


the top part of a tower on fire

World Trade Center immediately after being struck, Sept. 11, 2001


On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners and used them as weapons, flying two of them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and one into the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. A fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, after heroic actions by many passengers and crew members prevented an even larger tragedy. The event has become known as “9/11,” an abbreviation for the date when it occurred and shorthand for the most devastating act of terrorism to take place on American soil. In this experience, you’ll learn about what happened, why, and how it affected the United States.

Objectives

  • Describe the events leading up to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
  • Explain the government’s war on terror after the attacks.
  • Analyze the constitutional issues surrounding the U.S. Patriot Act.
You’ve probably heard about the attacks of 9/11 although you were either not born yet or only an infant when the events happened. Watch 9/11 Timeline to witness on-the-scene video and reconstructions of the attacks in New York.


Media outlets were reporting around the clock on the attacks in the United States. Based on the video and your prior knowledge about 9/11, write a newspaper headline for the morning of September 12.



Briefly discuss the headlines that your students have written. Tell students that in the rest of this experience, they will learn the facts and implications of 9/11.

You may choose to introduce the experience-wide photo resource Sept. 11 through the Eyes of VII, Magnum, and Life to supplement the video. Please note that some of the images may be disturbing.


When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

End of Preview
The Complete List of Learning Experiences in 1990s - 21st Century Unit.
Would you like to preview the rest of this learning experience, and get access to the entire functioning US History Since 1877 course for your classroom? Sign up using your school email address below.
Back to top