This assembly kit marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It sets out a clear, neutral and impartial account of the attacks and their aftermath. The material, which can also be adapted for tutor time or classroom use, provides:
- the factual background to help students make sense of this major event and explore some of its effects on life today
- an opportunity to reflect on the impact on the lives of the people affected.
It does not deal with causes, or explore fault or blame.
What links these pictures?
Show the pictures, using the montage, looped slide-show, or series of stills in the powerpoint.
Ask the group – "what links these pictures?"
Explain that the link is the attacks on US government buildings ten years ago. The events were so significant that they are often referred to simply by the date on which they happened – September 11, or 9/11 in the US-style abbreviation.
Read out the following account setting out the basic events of 9/11. Different voices could read alternate paragraphs. At various points there are optional questions for discussion or reflection – in italics.
What happened on 9/11?
On September 11, 2001, four passenger planes crashed in the United States. Nearly 3,000 people died. The crashes were not accidents.
Three aircraft had been deliberately flown into buildings. Two planes were aimed at the twin towers, skyscraper buildings which were part of the World Trade Centre in the financial district of New York. One hit the Pentagon – the offices of the department of defence. The fourth plane seemed to be heading to the capital, Washington DC. It crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
Scenes were broadcast live on television. Footage of the twin towers collapsing was replayed often, and watched across the world. People were panicked and in disbelief. The apparent massive loss of life was sudden and shocking. Some relatives were receiving information about devastating personal loss. Others were desperate for news of missing friends and family.
Try to imagine the shock, the disbelief and the gradual realisation of the extent of the destruction and the loss of the life. What do you think your first thoughts would have been on hearing the news?
What happened afterwards?
Search and rescue efforts began immediately. Members of the public as well as trained professionals helped give treatment to the injured and searched for survivors. Some were hailed as heroes, especially the firefighters, police and paramedics who risked their lives as they tried to save others. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attack, mainly civilians from more than 70 countries. More than 400 firefighters and police officers were among those who lost their lives.
Try to imagine the chaos and panic in the hours after the attacks. What do you think you would have done to help? What would you like to have been able to do? Spend a moment reflecting on those who lost their lives trying to save others.
In the weeks and months that followed, measures were taken to reduce the risk of further attacks. Airline security was introduced or tightened. Passengers were searched before boarding. Stricter controls were placed on carrying sharp objects onboard planes. Some people also changed their behaviour, travelling less, and avoiding air travel.
How would you have changed your habits, thinking or attitudes? How would you have responded to the new security measures?
The US president launched a series of moves to track down those responsible and prevent any future attacks. The phrase it became known by – the war on terror – is confusing. Wars are usually fought between countries, or between armed groups within a country. Much of the war on terror was not related to military action. It involved increased surveillance of potential suspects, tighter security, greater cooperation between government departments, the creation of a Department of Homeland Security, and more targeted law enforcement.
The hostilities that started in Afghanistan in October 2001 are recognised in law as an armed conflict. But that was only one part of the global "war on terror".
What happened to the attackers?
The attacks were suicide attacks. Those who carried them out died on the aircraft along with the crew and passengers. A few of those who supported or helped plan the attacks have since been arrested, put on trial, convicted and jailed. Other trials are in progress. The leader of the network known as al Qaeda was widely regarded as the "mastermind" behind the 9/11 attacks. His name was Osama bin Laden. He was reported killed by US special forces earlier this year, having been hiding in a town in Pakistan.
Is there any good news?
It is hard to say that anything good came out of such immense suffering. But there are certainly uplifting examples of acts of humanity, of consideration for others. Bereaved families have supported each other. People have been inspired by the human spirit of those who risked their lives to save others.
Let us now focus on some of the people involved and see what we can learn from their actions.
Photos – in depth
Use the notes to delve into each picture and reflect on ideas that emerge. Select particular images for particular focus or go through each in sequence.
Picture 1
©InfoWho is this, and what was his job? George W Bush, President of the United States.
What was he doing when he first heard the news of the attacks? Reading a book to children. He continued to read, then slowly left the classroom to be updated on events.
Reflection: Think about how important it is to stay calm. How does it help others? What responsibility do we have to avoid creating alarm or panic for other people, especially children?
Who are these people, and why are they running and some covering their heads? Workers in the area around the World Trade Centre buildings in New York, scrambling for cover to avoid the debris showering from the damaged tower.
Reflection: What emotions are shown on the faces of the people in the photograph? Are they thinking, or acting on impulse? How might we, as individuals, respond in an emergency evacuation?
Who are these people, and what are they doing? Firefighters resting on the pavement opposite the World Trade Centre collapse site. The work of searching for survivors and the recovery of victims was both exhausting and dangerous.
Reflection: What motivates people to risk their lives to save others? How can communities show their appreciation to emergency workers and others?
Who is this, and where is he? An anti-Taliban soldier with his machine gun in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan. Believed to be the location of Osama bin Laden's mountain base, the Tora Bora mountains were the main focus of military action in December 2001.
Reflection: If you were this soldier, what might be on your mind? Think about all the different people, different ages, in different situations, military and civilian, affected by war. What do they have in common?
Where is this, and what is happening? Passengers' carry-on bags are being checked by security staff and national guard members at Los Angeles airport. Airline security has greatly increased in the ten years since 9/11.
Reflection: Look at the tension and concentration of those in the photograph. What does it indicate? In the early days of increased security, some people responded to the tension by joking about carrying bombs in their luggage. They were treated very seriously by the law. Why?
Where is this soldier sitting, and why? He is at the Pentagon Memorial, built to commemorate the 184 people who died at the site. The illuminated benches, one for every victim, are engraved with their names and arranged in age order - from a three year old to a 71 year old.
Reflection: Remembering those who died is a vital part of our culture. Think about the emotions it stirs. In what way does bringing people together for memorial services help them cope with sadness and loss?
Follow-up activities
- Write captions for each of the photographs in the sequence. Use the form of newspaper headlines. Look at the results. What story do they tell about the way people deal with adversity?
- Carry out a survey of parents, friends or adults in the local community. How many can remember what they were doing when they first heard of the 9/11 attacks? What was their immediate reaction? Can they point to any way that life has been changed by those events?
- Research one or more of the different memorial sites, completed or planned at the three sites of the plane crashes. What choices did the designers make? What were they trying to achieve? Find something unusual or particularly thoughtful about the design to report back.