Saturday, September 12, 2009

9/11 : Obama proclaims Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance

September is a month of events. The falling of the Twin Towers is a memory that children can't forget nor anyone as media coverage in print and television was real time telecast all over the world. It's a great loss and sorrow for those who lost their loved ones and an unforgettable memory who watched the towers falling! A ghastly act of terrorism that rocked the world (Find September 12, 2001 coverage copy of New York Times)

President Obama has proclaimed 9/11 as “Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance." As memories are alive of the 9/11 and the terror attack, Students can be encouraged to share their thoughts through discussion and writing. They can illustrate and gather information on Twin Tower. Vent their feelings about these and other acts of terrorism, as well related issues such as national security and media coverage of the attacks.

I had encouraged my earlier batch with learning on Earthquakes and on Volcanoes after the Earthquake of 2001 during our Republic day. They gathered information from all the library books and even interacted on the impact of situation. The Project Earthquake in the classroom was an exciting activity for all of them as they had experienced the earthquake.

Remembering 9/11, a week-end activity can be held. Children can be prompted to create original works of art expressing their opinion on why terror is danger and what it means to commit an act of crime. They can even paste images depicting events of September 11 or after and write a letter to their friends or god on the images and how they feel even after years. Gather information on the web and even surf through the you tube videos where we find Math project with 9/11. or just print to color 9/11 patriotic sheets.

Other Activities in the classroom or at home can help children to know better on events that are acts of Terrorism. Our children are Watching - Experiencing - Listening. We need to take charge of our Emotions in front of them but at the same time, we need to Educate them - Stop Crime, stop them to be criminals - Teach them tolerance, Forgiveness and even make them understand Politics and what Terrorism means and is all about. Find Lesson Plans on Kidsfreesouls here. Take care and Keep the Faith!

- ilaxi patel
Editor, http://www.kidsfreesouls.com/
Newspaper for Kids

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