Time Era

Historic time period: 1968–present

September 11, 2001

While many young children have heard references to "9/11" or "September 11," they may not have accurate answers to all of their questions about the events of September 11, 2001. The goal of these activities is to provide a starting point to help families and classrooms discuss the shocking events of September 11 and how communities respond in times of trouble.

The Little Chapel That Stood retells the events of September 11, 2001, through illustrations and poetry without going into graphic details. The title refers to St. Paul's Church, a real church located within blocks of the World Trade Center that served as a hub for rescue and recovery workers.

The National Museum of American History has a collection of artifacts related to the victims, survivors, and heroes of September 11, 2001. Many of those artifacts, and the stories behind them, are available for viewing online in the online exhibition September 11: Bearing Witness to Historyand in the "New American Roles" section of the online exhibition, The Price of Freedom: Americans At War. These exhibitions are appropriate for adults, but some of the artifacts and their stories may be shocking to young children, so please preview the materials before sharing them with your child.

For a comprehensive list of educational resources from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Flight 93 National Memorial, Pentagon Memorial Fund and the National Museum of American History, visit the September 11: Teaching Contemporary History resource page.

Read This Book

If you preview The Little Chapel That Stood and would prefer to use a less-detailed storybook as the foundation of your learning, consider using September 12 and this associated reading guide.

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The Little Chapel that Stood book cover.

Featured Book

The Little Chapel that Stood

by A.B. Curtiss

Images from The Little Chapel that Stood by A. B. Curtiss, text and illustrations (c) A.B. Curtiss. Used by permission of author. All rights reserved.

Activities

  • Image of the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon

    Looking at Memorials

    Take a Trip

    Discover the Pentagon's September 11 Memorial, then visit a memorial in your town.

    Download the PDF »
  • Image of a certificate

    Celebrate Community Helpers

    Play and Create

    When bad things happen, community helpers are there to keep people safe! Find out who helps in your community and celebrate them with a special certificate.

    Download the PDF »
  • image of a firefighter's coat

    A Hero's Gear

    Learn from Objects

    Learn how firefighters' gear help them do their jobs, then imagine your own special gear that would help you help others in your community.

    Download the PDF »
  • close-up of a print made to remember Septenber 11, 2001

    Responding and Remembering Through Art

    Use Technology

    Take a look at art that was created in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and then make a collage of those images as your own art.

    Download the PDF »

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