For many of us, it’s incredible to think that our elementary students were not alive during the tragic events of September 11th. It seems so vivid in many of our minds. It has now become one of those events we read about in history books. That being said, it was a very impactful day in our history. The story of heroism and patriotism should be shared with our students. Here are a few September 11 activities you can use with your students.
What is Patriot Day?
Start by informing students that Patriot Day is observed on September 11th. The first Patriot Day was recognized on September 11, 2002, a year after the attacks on America by a terrorist group.
Showing a video or reading a nonfictional picture book based on September 11th is a good way to introduce what occurred.
One video that is child friendly for upper elementary students can be found on Brainpop. It discusses the events of the day. You can find it by searching September 11.
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Activities
Once students know what Patriot Day is about, you can incorporate some related activities into the classroom.
1. Vocabulary
To begin with, you can introduce students to term associated with Patriot Day. For example, you can teach words such as patriot, half-staff, remembrance, honor, and victims.
You may want to introduce one word a day or do a vocabulary lesson for the day.
2. Word Puzzles
September 11th is a heavy subject. Giving students an opportunity to work with puzzles allows them to master terms in a lighter and engaging way. These puzzles can be word searches, unscramble the words, or crossword puzzles.
3. Focus on Heroes
Once students understand different terms associated with September 11th, you may want to focus on remembering some of the heroic acts of that day.
One way to do that is through the use of picture books. You can read some stories that highlight heroes and have students create something with that information.
A great and natural pairing of picture books is Saved by the Boats and Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey. Both of these books tell the stories of how boats and their crews helped save lives. Students can take notes while reading the book, then write a paragraph or essay.
Another good pairing is Saved by the Boats and The Man in the Red Bandanna (both led people to safety).
If you’d like to use these resources with your students, you can grab a FREE download of these pages.
4. Write a Letter of Appreciation
While we are on the topic of heroes, September 11th is a perfect day to discuss all the sacrifices our first responders make every day. To repay them, have your students write a letter of appreciation to their local fire fighters. Then, send them off to the firehouses in the area.
5. Design a Flag
As an introduction to this activity you can read 30,000 Stitches to your students. Then, have students design an American flag that honors September 11th.
You can then “stitch” them together and hang them in the classroom or on a bulletin board.
You can grab a FREE American flag template for this activity.
While teaching about September 11th can be a difficult subject for many of us, I hope that some of these September 11 activities help support you navigate the topic in your classroom.
Thanks.
My pleasure. I am glad you found it helpful.