Explore Reflective 9/11 Activities for Students
At 8:46 a.m. ET on September 11, 2001, the history of the United States—and the world—changed forever. Over 20 years later, we remember and reflect on this solemn day and teach about it in our classrooms. We’ve curated a selection of 9/11 activities for students that you can use in your social studies and ELA classrooms to help them understand the significance of this day and why we acknowledge it each year.
Teach about the history of 9/11 with social studies lessons
You can use social studies resources like primary sources, interactive videos, and news articles to help students learn more about the events that took place on 9/11 and how they changed the course of history. With Newsela Social Studies, you have access to these text sets and other great content to help answer students’ questions about this significant day.
Look back at September 11, 2001
Our students (and maybe even some of our teachers and administrators!) are too young to have firsthand memories of September 11, 2001. We can use primary sources to help them understand what that day was like for people who lived through it. Some of these sources include:
The full text of former President George W. Bush’s address to the nation on the evening of 9/11.
An article written by a former Virginia high school English teacher about his experience in the classroom and how he and his students learned about the attacks that day.
An interactive video where children who lost parents during the September 11 attacks talk about their experiences teaching the younger generation of students about that day and its significance.
Explore the legacy of 9/11
Every year on September 11, our country remembers the events of that day, the lives lost, and the long-lasting impact of this turning point in American history. Help your students understand the legacy of 9/11 with articles about:
The history of the 9/11 attacks, including the events that led up to them and what happened in New York City, Shanksville, and Washington that day.
A husband’s account of the morning of September 11, how he learned his wife was on Flight 93, and how he remembers that day over 20 years later.
The experiences of millennial Muslims in the United States after the 9/11 attacks and what they wish more people in America knew about their religion and culture.
Review the aftermath of 9/11
On September 12, 2001, three parts of the United States were left to pick up the physical pieces of the 9/11 attacks while the rest of the country dealt with the emotional repercussions. Have students explore both the immediate and long-lasting aftermath of 9/11 by looking at topics like how:
The last surviving 9/11 rescue dog received an honor guard salute before she passed in 2016.
Historians found the famous American flag raised at the Ground Zero site and returned it to the National September 11 Museum in New York City.
The definition of terrorism, according to the U.S. government, changed over time.
Discover how September 11 started the War on Terror
After the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. military—and, by extension, the whole country—entered what’s now known as the Global War on Terror. This conflict, fought primarily in the Middle East, lasted 20 years and happened during our students’ lifetimes. Help them understand how September 11 led to this conflict with resources like:
An article that looks at major events of the first decade of the 21st century, including the September 11 attacks and the War on Terror.
An informational explainer about the American-led global counterterrorism campaign known as the War on Terror.
A pro/con article from 2014—written 13 years after 9/11 and while the War on Terror was still happening—that explored the benefits and drawbacks of pulling American troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan.
See how 9/11 expanded the government’s power
In an attempt to make American citizens feel safer after the September 11 attacks, the U.S. government passed the Patriot Act. This law expanded the search and surveillance powers of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Help students understand how 9/11 changed the powers of the government with content like:
An informational explainer about the Patriot Act, the powers it granted the government, and the debate over whether it violated the Constitution.
A 2015 article about the surveillance powers of the National Security Agency (NSA) and a new updated law called the USA Freedom Act.
A debate activity and worksheet that helps students ponder the question: What’s more critical to protect: Our security or our privacy?
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Remember and reflect on the significance of September 11 with ELA lessons
Though 9/11 was a historical event, you can still cover the topic in your ELA classrooms. Explore some of these ELA resources for the September 11 anniversary to discover how to add this topic to your lesson plans.
Address the September 11 anniversary in your classroom
Talking about historical tragedies in the classroom can be difficult. You can help students understand their significance in an accessible way with activities like:
An article with tips from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York on how to answer questions students have about September 11.
An interactive video of former President George W. Bush’s speech to a Joint Session of Congress about the country’s next steps following the 9/11 attacks.
An extension activity asking students to use what they’ve learned from the articles and videos to create a piece of art that memorializes those harmed and the heroes of the September 11 attacks.
Explore tributes to America created after 9/11
Especially in the immediate aftermath of September 11, artists, musicians, authors, and other creatives produced content to memorialize those who lost their lives and give hope and strength to the people who survived. Have students explore some of these memorials and tributes with content and activities like:
An article about the memorials, monuments, museums, and ceremonies across the country dedicated to remembering the 9/11 attacks.
An interactive video that looks at art-based initiatives—like the September 11th Photo Project—created to remember and memorialize the events of that day.
An extension activity that invites students to write a poem or song lyrics as a tribute to the significance of 9/11 and reflect on their experience creating their art.
Understand the global impact of the September 11 attacks
Though we view 9/11 as a significant event in American history, there were many other smaller, global events that led to that day. September 11 also opened the door for more historically relevant events across the world. Have students explore some of the causes and effects of September 11 with articles like:
An explainer that looks at the history of terror attacks across centuries and across the world.
The full text of former President George W. Bush’s speech at the Islamic Center of Washington D.C., which urged support for people of the faith while also denouncing the extremist beliefs of al-Qaeda.
A news article from 2021 announcing the Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan just two weeks before U.S. troops were set to withdraw from the War on Terror.
Read “Towers Falling” by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Jewell Parker Rhodes’ 2016 novel “Towers Falling” follows a fifth-grade student, Dèja, 15 years after September 11. When her teacher announces a series of lessons about home and community that conclude with an answer about two tall towers once visible outside their classroom window, Dèja learns more about who she is and how communities can grow and heal.
While reading this novel, you can help students build background knowledge about 9/11 and American and world history with resources like:
An article about how people in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, responded to the September 11 attacks when flights were suddenly diverted to their town because they couldn’t go through American airspace.
An article about how U.S. students are learning more inclusive history and how it’s shaping their understanding of the past and their futures.
An article about a public art installation in Washington D.C. called “In America: Remember,” created for those who died in 2020 from COVID-19, and is reminiscent of other popup memorials around the country after 9/11.
Cover historical events in your classroom all year long with Newsela
Newsela’s subject products offer a variety of content and resources—like news articles, primary sources, historical fiction novel studies, and interactive videos—to help you teach about any historical event that comes up in your curriculum or that interests your students.
If you’re not a Newsela customer yet, sign up for Newsela Lite for free and start your 45-day trial of our premium content to access everything you need to teach about 9/11 and other important topics in your classroom.