September 11, 2001
America is under attack : September 11, 2001 : the day the towers fell by Brown, Don — Square Fish/Roaring Brook Press, 2011--973.931; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.8 Provides a chronological account of September 11, 2001, including the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., as well as the hijacking of a plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.
Rationale: Every Inspiration Book that appears in My Books Alive blog may not have a complete lesson plan nor even multiple ideas for using. Some titles are just books that people interested in children’s literature should be aware of and able to use if the curricular need arises. My general philosophy connects books with the curriculum, and I don’t often share a book just because I like it. Ooooh there are a few exceptions when the book is so good and doesn’t quite fit the school curriculum, I do break my rule and will share how and why I break that rule when a book is an Inspiration Book, but not a curricular book.
You can’t ask today’s 3-6th graders or even middle schoolers where they were on September 11, 2001. They weren’t even born yet. Consequently, their attitudes toward terrorism are very different from their parents and people born seven to eight years before 2001. Most history curricula don’t cover contemporary history in elementary grades. A few middle schools are now beginning to do thematic general social studies units such as: terrorism, multiculturalism, economic systems, developing countries like India, Islam, etc. A study of Towers Falling which is included in the bibliography may fit into such a unit. Classroom Bookshelf has developed excellent teaching suggestions for that title and the resources are included in the bibliography.
However, on the anniversary date each year, you may want to create a display of appropriate books. The related list is for students in grades 3-6, but could be shared with older students. If you have time, and have copies of the picture books September Roses (now O.P.), Caldecott winner The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, Fireboat and 14 Cows for America you might want to read them aloud to the older students, too. 14 Cows has its own entry in My Books Alive.
My small private school always gathers around the flagpole on the anniversary date so we never forget.
Related Books:
Towers falling by Rhodes, Jewell Parker — Little, Brown and Company, 2016. Dewey: -Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 3.3. While learning about September 11th, fifth grader Deja (born after the attacks) realizes how much the events still color her world. SS List 2017, Classroom Bookshelf.
Fireboat : the heroic adventures of the John J. Harvey by Kalman, Maira — Puffin Books, c2002 p2005--974.7; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.5 A fireboat, launched in 1931, is retired after many years of fighting fires along the Hudson River, but is saved from being scrapped and then called into service again on September 11, 2001. Classroom Bookshelf.
14 cows for America by Deedy, Carmen Agra — Peachtree, 2009--327.676207; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.7 Presents an illustrated tale of a gift of fourteen cows given by the Maasai people of Kenya to the U.S. as a gesture of comfort and friendship in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett. Classroom Bookshelf
The man who walked between the towers by Gerstein, Mordicai — Square Fish, c2003 p2007--791.3; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.7 A lyrical evocation of Philippe Petit's 1974 tightrope walk between the World Trade Center towers. Classroom Bookshelf. Caldecott.
Nolan, J. (2016). Seven and a half tons of steel. Ill. by T. Gonzalez. Atlanta: Peachtree. Dewey: 623.825; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.1. Describes how the bow of the USS New York was made from a steel beam that came from the World Trade Center towers. Nonfiction Detective.
Somewhere among by Donwerth-Chikamatsu, Annie — A Caitlyn Dlouhy Book/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016. Dewey: -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.2. Eleven-year-old Emma's life in Tokyo changes for the worse when she and her American mother, who is pregnant, must move in with her Japanese grandmother the summer before 9/11 changes the world. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett.
What were the Twin Towers? (What Was...? (Grosset)) by O'Connor, Jim — Grosset & Dunlap, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2016. Dewey: 725; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.2. Discusses the story of the Twin Towers--how they came to be the tallest buildings in the world and why they were destroyed.
Ground zero dogs by Goldish, Meish — Bearport Pub., 2013--636.7; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.8 Contains information about and true stories of guide dogs, search and rescue dogs, and therapy dogs that were used at the World Trade Center Site.
Saved by the boats : the heroic sea evacuation of September 11 (Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books) by Gassman, Julie — Capstone Young Readers, a Capstone imprint, 2017. Dewey: 974.7; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.3. Presents the heroic sea evacuation of September 11, 2001 with narrative text and ... illustrations
September 11 through the eyes of George W. Bush (Presidential Perspectives) by O'Keefe, Emily — Core Library, an imprint of Abdo Publishing, 2016. Dewey: 973.931; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.4. Examines the September 11 terror attacks of 2001 from perspective of President George W. Bush. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett.
September 11, 2001 : attack on New York City by Hampton, Wilborn — Candlewick Press, 2011. Dewey: 974.7; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 6.9. Describes the September 11 attacks in the United States and presents several personal stories of tragedy told by New Yorkers who lived through the collapse of the World Trade Center. Classroom Bookshelf.
The 9/11 attacks (Turning Points (Creative Education)) by Murray, Laura K — Creative Education/Creative Paperbacks, 2017. Dewey: 973.931; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 7.4. A historical account of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, including the events leading up to that day, the people involved, the monumental rescue and recovery efforts, and the lingering aftermath
Ground zero : how a photograph sent a message of hope (Captured History) by Nardo, Don — Compass Point Books, a Capstone imprint, 2017. Dewey: 973.931; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 7.4. Discusses the September 11 Terrorist Attacks and an iconic photograph that captured the historic event.
The 2000s decade in photos : a new millennium (Amazing Decades In Photos) by Corrigan, Jim — Enslow Publishers, 2010. Dewey: 973.93; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 8.0. Welcome to the 2000s -- The USS Cole bombing -- Style of the new millennium -- The disputed election of 2000 -- TV goes digital -- The terror of September 11 -- Striking back at Al-Qaeda -- The dot-com bubble bursts -- Era of the gadgets -- Steroids in sports -- Space shuttle Columbia disaster -- U.S. troops invade Iraq -- Chaos in Iraq -- Hot issues divide society -- Deadly tsunami of 2004 -- Hurricane Katrina strikes -- Massacre at Virginia Tech -- Energy crisis grips the world -- Election of 2008 -- Looking back, moving forward. Discusses many of the influential people, events, and cultural developments of the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Teacher Resources:
Discussion Guide from Macmillan http://www.teachingbooks.net/media/pdf/macmillan/AmericaUnder.pdf
Lesson Plan from Indiana Library Federation
Classroom Bookshelf
Billy Collins poem “The Names” https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/poetry-names
Story Corps (Oral history of victims) https://storycorps.org/discover/september-11th/
10th Anniversary 2011 Classroom Bookshelf
Teaching 9/11 http://teaching911.911tributemuseum.org
“In Remembrance: Teaching September 11th” from the National History Education Clearinghouse
“Teaching 9/11, Ideas and Projects from Teachers” from The New York Times Learning Blog
“September 11th: Everything You Need to Know” from Scholastic
“911 Materials” for Teachers from the US Department of Education
School Library Journal’s “Never Ending Search” Blog: September 11th Online Resources
Teaching 9/11 – Why? How? – The New York Times
9/11 Memorial website
