 Time Line Poster: World & American Set 60x35 SAVE! One copy each of the World History Time Line and American History Time Line. Also a … (more info) - $29.95 |
Teacher's Guide for 911: The Book of HelpLike many of the writers in this book, I believe that books can provide comfort in time of need. They bring laughter when it's difficult to find a smile, knowledge when it's impossible to understand, and an opportunity to think and express feelings when words cannot be found on one's own. Written words give power to the powerless, and hope to the hopeless. They bring light to darkness, courage to fear, and companionship to loneliness. When tragedy struck our nation on September 11, 2001, teachers and parents struggled with what to say to the children. Some turned to poetry, others to fiction. Some turned to music, others to silence. A year has passed, but the images of that horrible day are forever implanted in the minds, hearts, and souls of all Americans. Children, especially, need to reflect upon that day, and find ways to express their thoughts and feelings. What better way than through the writings of authors they already respect? The essays, stories, poems, and artwork of the writers and illustrators in this book offer teachers and parents a vehicle for opening discussion with children and young adults about fear, heroism, hate, and healing. The discussion questions presented here encourage a verbal response and may be used with entire classes, small groups, or with individuals. The Reaching Beyond section allows children to express themselves through various art forms, something Katherine Paterson believes is necessary "to repair our devastated spirits." RESPONDING Ask students to study the cartoon "IT!" written by Robie H. Harris and illustrated by Nicole Hollander (see below). What is the significance of the title? Compare and contrast how the various characters in the cartoon deal with the tragedy of September 11. Why is it important to admit fear and anger? How can talking about "IT" help us better deal with our feelings?
911, the telephone number to call for emergency assistance, is a symbol of help. How is it also a symbol of hope? In "Three Crises," James Cross Giblin states that September 11 brought back memories of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962. He says that on September 11 he was "grateful" for those memories. Discuss how such memories helped those like Giblin deal with the events of September 11. President Roosevelt said that December 7, 1941, would "live in infamy." What does "infamy" mean? How do his words reflect the tragedy of September 11? Russell Freedman writes about how his neighbors in New York needed to be together on September 11 in "A Candlelight Vigil at the Fireman's Monument." He says that the "catastrophe had created a powerful sense of community" (p. 37). Ask children to share how their family and neighbors spent the evening of September 11. Why is a "sense of community" and a "sense of family" so important in the wake of a tragedy? While Freedman needed his community, and Giblin called upon his memories, David Paterson found that his way of dealing with the tragedy was to get involved in the rescue mission. How can volunteerism help the healing process? Not all Americans could offer direct help in the cleanup and rescue operation at ground zero, but many contributed in other ways. Ask children to discuss the importance of volunteerism in our nation. How is volunteerism related to a sense of community? How have the events of September 11 changed the way our nation views community, and volunteerism? Read the inscription on the Fireman's Monument (p. 33) that overlooks Riverside Park in Russell Freedman's New York neighborhood. Why are the firemen called soldiers? What is their war? How have the words "soldiers" and "war" taken on a new meaning after September 11? In "Children of War," Joan Bauer talks about fear. Everyone handles fear differently. How can we help one another deal with fear? Discuss whether the media sometimes contributes to our fears. Why are our nation's leaders urging us to return to the skyways, and our normal daily routines? Discuss what Marion Dane Bauer means when she writes in "Two Small Ideas" that fear "diminishes our humanity" (p. 145). How can fear interfere with freedom? Debate whether our nation's attempt to protect us is indeed creating more fear. Marion Dane Bauer says, "Fear is the first breeding ground for hate" (p. 144). Discuss the relationship between fear and hate. The main character in Joan Bauer's "Children of War" writes in her college essay, "We can learn from the hate, we can learn how to stop it, or we can learn to hate even more" (p. 47). How is it normal to feel hate toward the terrorists? How can fear and hate paralyze our nation? Discuss what we as Americans can learn from the hate that exists in the world. What measures can we take to stop it? In "Eighty Stories Up with Uncle Buddy" Jim Murphy expresses sadness and rage after the attack on the World Trade Center. How is rage a potentially dangerous emotion? How does Jim Murphy learn to "slip past" his rage and sadness? Discuss the question that Naomi Shihab Nye raises in "Words to Sit In, Like Chairs": "If people who are angry, or frustrated, could use words instead of violence, how would our world be different?" (p. 159). How does Nye's question relate to other tragedies in our nation like Columbine and the Oklahoma City bombing? Discuss what schools and families can do to help children and teenagers deal with anger. How can diary and journal entries help to vent anger when it's difficult to talk about it? Arnold Adoff speaks to Martin Luther King, Jr., in his poem. Ask students to discuss what King might say back to Adoff if he were alive. Russell Freedman says his neighbors sang "We Shall Overcome" when they gathered at the Fireman's Monument. Ask students to read the lyrics of the song (http://ingeb.org/spiritua/weshallo.html) and discuss why this song associated with the civil rights movement is appropriate for our nation now. In "Sister," Susan Cooper says, "Hope can drive out fear" (p. 94). How does the song "We Shall Overcome" offer hope? In "Doorways in the Air," Kyoko Mori says, "Just as surely as hatred exists between people, beauty also exists in the universe" (p. 87). Ask students to discuss the meaning of beauty. What are some of the beautiful things that have emerged in our nation since September 11? How can we continue to bring beauty to a troubled world? Discuss the qualities of a good citizen. How does good citizenship extend beyond our communities and nation? Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos suggest ways to become better "citizens of the world" in "Why? Why? Why?" What must schools do to reshape Americans' views regarding other peoples and other cultures? How is good citizenship an individual and lifelong commitment? "Colliding Stories" by Margaret Mahy is the last piece in the book. Discuss why her words are so appropriate as an ending to this collection. Explain what she means when she says, "We must never allow the difficult truths of real life to be replaced by the simpler truths of the story" (p. 172). REACHING BEYOND In "Repairing Spirits in Disarray," Katherine Paterson says, "Art takes the pain and chaos of our broken world and transforms it into something that brings forth life" (p. 12). Ask students to brainstorm the various emotions that they felt on and after September 11. Divide the class into groups and ask each group to express a transformation from pain to healing through graphic art, dance, music, or drama. James Cross Giblin shares that in the days following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, his teacher, Miss Littlejohn, calmed the class by reading aloud Heidi. Ask students to write down what book would most bring them comfort and why. Then compile an annotated bibliography of these books and make it available to other students and friends. In "Bach. Beethoven. Brahms. A Sketch for Voices" by Virginia Euwer Wolff, three young adults turn to classical music to help them deal with their emotions following the terrorist attacks. Suggest that students locate and listen to the specific musical pieces that Wolff's characters find helpful. Ask them to respond to the music in a journal entry. Discuss the slogan "United We Stand." How has this saying taken on even greater meaning since September 11? Ask the class to use pictures from magazines and newspapers and create a mural that best represents the meaning of this slogan. There is talk about erecting a monument on the World Trade Center site and what form such a memorial should take. Ask students to research other monuments like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. How is the design of each of these memorials symbolic of the tragic events they represent? Then ask students to submit a drawing or a narrative description of an appropriate memorial for the victims of September 11. |
||||
Site Map •
About Us •
Awards
 Home
 Back
 Print
Cobblestone Publishing, Division of Carus Publishing Company 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458 1-800-821-0115 • FAX: 603-924-7380 ©2005 Cobblestone Publishing | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Link To Us
Updated: 2/4/12 02:07 am
|