Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "The September 11 Digital Archive"

September 11, 2001

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:37:49 GMT

September 11, 2001 was a shocking day in American history. By using this OurStory module from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, children and adults can start discussing the events of that day through children's literature, museum objects, and hands-on activities. Focused around The Little Chapel that Stood a work of children's literature about a Ground Zero chapel that became a hub of rescue and recovery efforts, the module includes links to hands-on activities and a list of recommended readings for further exploration.

September 11: Teaching Contemporary History Online Conference

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:39:17 GMT

In August 2011, the National Museum of American History, National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Pentagon Memorial Fund, and Flight 93 National Memorial, offered an online conference, September 11: Teaching Contemporary History, for K-12 teachers. This website includes the conferense sessions, which highlighted resources available at each organization, provided background information on September 11, and encouraged conversations on how to document, preserve, and interpreted recent history and current events. The site also includes frequently asked questions about September 11 and the memorial sites, K-12 resources from the Museum and the memorial sites, timelines of the events at each site, and access to an online community group for further discussion about September 11.

Teaching 9/11

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:04:01 GMT

This site from the National September 11 Memorial and Museum provides links to all of the educational materials from the museum, including commemorative materials for students in upper elementary grades through high school, which focus on ways people chose to respond to 9/11 through art; two short films, 9/11 Stories of Survival and Loss and The Spirit of Volunteerism: 9/11 and Beyond;guidelines for discussing 9/11 in the classroom; and a teaching guide with lesson plans on conducting oral history and learning from objects and memorials.

Students’ Response to 9/11: A Documentary Report

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:05:20 GMT

Have students document the national response to the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 using polls, comment cards from teenagers, and their own recollections. This lesson plan (which includes background information and full-color primary sources) was produced to accompany the exhibition The Price of Freedom: Americans at War, by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

September 11: Bearing Witness to History

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:37:06 GMT

This online exhibition commemorates the tragic events of September 11, 2001. It includes highlights of the exhibition that was on display at the Museum from September 11, 2002 until July 6, 2003, including selected objects, photographs, personal stories and video. Students can also search over 100 objects related to the event from the Museum's collections, listen to oral histories of curators as they tell stories about collecting the objects, and have the opportunity to link to the September 11 Digital Archive in order to read unedited first-person accounts of the events of September 11 and then share their own memories. Some of the material included in the archive may not be suitable for young children.

Flight 93 National Memorial

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:46:12 GMT

This site from the National Park Service provides information on the memorial design; guides for parents, children, and young adults designed to facilitate conversation about the events of 9/11 and the meaning of the memorial; a video of interviews with former students from Shanksville-Stonycreek School, near the crash site; a virtual tour; and visitor information.

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:58:40 GMT

The Pentagon Memorial Fund’s Web site offers an interactive map of the memorial, a video and other information about events on 9/11 both at and beyond the Pentagon, a space to read and share personal stories, and links to related organizations.