Official Site of The State of New Jersey
9/11 Activities
The Holocaust Commission is continually working on projects to support the education of students about 9/11.
- The following K-12 curriculum addresses more than just the events of 9/11, but the causes and the aftermath as well. This resource was developed as part of a 4 Action collaboration consisting of the Liberty Science Center, Families of September 11, the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, and volunteer educators.
- Teacher training programs on how to teach traumatic issues such as the 9/11 experience will be presented in cooperation with the New Jersey State Museum.
- Other Programs & 9/11 Lessons
- Retracing 9/11
- From Horror to Healing - Camden County College will Reflect on 9/11
- Sirius the Rescue Dog
- Book
- Lessons
- Grade level: 3 - 5 (Time: 2-3 class periods)
- Grade Level: 4 - 6 (Time: 60 min. (2 - 30 minute sessions))
- Grade Level: 6 - 8 (Time: 90 minutes)
- Who is Looking Through the Eye of the Camera? (Grade Level: 7+)
- Writing to a Victim's Family (Grade Level: 2-5)
- Additional Lesson Plans for Teachers
Teaching Kids About 9/11 With the Discovering Heroes® Series
A non-fiction trilogy of books based on real events and people, the Discovering Heroes® series introduces children to 9/11 through the loving words and actions of grandparents and their grandchildren. Authored by Kristie Kiernan Bouryal, the series is appropriate for kids of all ages, especially 7-11. Downloadable, free curriculum units for grades K-5 complement each book and encompass best practice regarding pedagogy and application of Common Core ELA Learning Standards, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and social studies knowledge. The guides are replete with guiding questions that require inferencing and text-based evidence.
In the first book of the series, “My Buddy’s a Hero – And I Didn’t Even Know It,” Grandpa, a retired lieutenant in the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) shares for the first time his brave 9/11 experience with his grandchildren. Grandpa is a hero who helped rescue the last man out alive from the ruins of the World Trade Center, but his grandchildren didn’t even know it until they started asking questions.
In the second book in the series, “Remembering Heroes,” main characters, Tyler, Olivia and Sophia join their grandparents at a memorial service for September 11, 2001 at FDNY’s Rescue Company 1. There, they learn about some of their grandparents’ brave friends, everyday heroes and see many in action.
In the third book in the series, “9/11 Courage and Tributes,” Tyler, Olivia and Sophia spend the weekend with their grandparents to learn more about September 11, 2001. The family visits very special tributes created to honor and remember people who lost their lives that day. By asking questions and actively listening, the kids learn about 9/11’s lasting impact and the courage of everyday heroes, including their role in our nation’s largest water evacuation.
Schools and organizations with non-profit status can purchase the books at discounted wholesale rates directly from the publisher, Context Productions, just place an order here. The books and their accompanying curriculum are a key part of the Tunnel to Towers 9/11 Institute™, launched in September 2022, to assist educators in teaching children across the country about 9/11, the fallen and the heroic sacrifices of first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice while saving others.
“Thank you, Educators, for your role in helping future generations to Never Forget.” – Kristie Kiernan Bouryal, CEO and Author, Context Productions.
