Activity Overview
When Deja first learns that they are focusing so much on history in school, she doesn’t understand why and thinks that history doesn’t affect her. Why should she have to know about it? As the story unfolds, Deja learns just how much historical events such as 9/11 impact her, her family, and her friends and classmates. For this activity, students will create a spider map that describes and illustrates the personal impact that September 11th had on characters in the book. Teachers may assign the characters or have students choose. The example provided includes Deja, Pop, Miss Garcia, Sabeen, and Ben.
Towers Falling Historical Impact Examples
Deja: Deja and her family have struggled financially for years because of her father’s inability to work due to the emotional and physical impact that 9/11 has left on him. Because of this, Deja’s mother is always at work and she must take care of her younger siblings.
Pop: Pop was in the North Tower when it collapsed. He lost many friends and colleagues, and feels tremendous guilt that he survived while others did not. He has headaches and breathing problems, and he is often too down to get out of bed.
Miss Garcia: Miss Garcia was in fifth grade in Manhattan on September 11th when the planes hit the towers. Her mother rushed to pick her up. She saw it first hand, and that is most likely why she is so passionate about teaching it.
Sabeen: Sabeen’s family is Muslim. They have experienced a lot of prejudiced and mistreatment since September 11th.
Ben: Ben’s father is in the military and fought in Afghanistan after September 11th. The experience changed him. His parents are now divorced and Ben rarely sees his father.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map that describes the personal impact that September 11th had on characters in the story, Towers Falling.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Add a title.
- Choose characters to include and write their names in the headers.
- In the description boxes, write how each character was impacted by 9/11.
- Create an image that represents each description using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 5 Points | Emerging 3 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | The descriptions are clear and at least two sentences. | The descriptions can be understood but it are somewhat unclear. | The descriptions are unclear and are not at least two sentences. |
| Illustrations | The illustrations represent the descriptions using appropriate scenes, characters and items. | The illustrations relate to the descriptions, but are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the descriptions. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
How To Help Students Analyze the Historical Impact of 9/11
Talk About Important Historical Events
Begin by asking the students if they are aware of any other historical events that have had a major impact on the country or the world. Teachers can discuss any interesting events such as The Discovery of America or significant events such as The World Wars. This discussion will improve the critical thinking skills of the students and help them get in touch with history.
Assess Prior Knowledge
After building up on the previous discussion ask the students what they know about 9/11 or what is the significance of the date September 11th, 2001. Many students might be aware of certain facts such as the airplane crashing into the towers and the emotional impact of the tragedy but they might be unaware of the facts.
Provide Details and Facts
Once students share the information they are aware of, teachers can provide them with relevant facts from the start. Such as why the tragedy occurred, who was involved, and what happened after this tragedy. If possible, students can also conduct some independent research by reading books and watching accurate videos on the internet.
Discuss Significant Impacts
Talk about the significant impacts of the events that the country as well as the entire world had to face. For instance, teachers can discuss the relationship between America and other countries or the spread of Islamophobia after this tragedy. Students can try and bring their own perspectives and analysis to the table backed up by facts.
Encourage Reflection and Empathy
Ask students to consider how 9/11 has affected their own lives, their families' lives, and their communities. Encourage understanding and sympathy. If possible, students can also visit memorials or families who have been victims of this tragedy and ask them about their lives after the incident.
Frequently Asked Questions About Historical Impact of Towers Falling
What consequences did the towers' destruction have?
The buildings' collapse had a significant and wide-ranging effect. Extensive adjustments were made to American policy, security measures, and foreign relations as a result. Additionally, it had significant social, cultural, and economic repercussions. Students can pick one topic such as culture and try to analyze the differences before and after the building crash.
How do people remember 9/11 today and how can students today play a part in honoring the saviours and the innocent people who lost their lives?
Today, there are many ways to remember 9/11, including memorial services, educational initiatives, the creation of monuments and museums devoted to the incidents and the lives lost, and museums and memorials. Students can pay their respects to the martyrs and their families by running campaigns and promoting a good cause in their names.
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