It's been so long since I've posted anything. It's been so crazy
busy, and I haven't really been able to put many full thoughts together
to write something worth reading. However, today I thought I'd share
some resources I found to start the discussion of 9/11 and Patriot Day
with the kids, specifically Jenna, whom I am home schooling right now. I
started simple and gave her more information as we went.
1.
The first thing I did was verbally explain to her that it IS Patriot
Day today. I gave her the simplest explanation of 9/11, with basic
information. She doesn't know much about New York itself, what the twin
towers mean, what the Pentagon is...so some men who do not like America
used airplanes to crash into the two tallest buildings in the United
States. Many people died, including firefighters and police officers
trying to rescue the people in the buildings. There was also an attack
on the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and another plane that the brave
people took back over from the men crashed in Pennsylvania. Patriot Day
is to remember all of these heroes and be thankful for and proud to live
in America. Something to that effect :) I also asked who the current
President is and told her who the President was at the time.
2.
All three of the kids did this activity: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Patriot-Day-ABC-Order-Activity-FREEBIE-869394.
Cutting, coloring, gluing, ABC order.
3. We looked
up pictures of the original twin towers and the Pentagon. By using
"original" I was trying to bypass any actual attack pictures, which I
did, and also saw a picture of the memorial. I showed her pictures of
George W. at the site, with some firemen, when he was told of what
happened at the school. She wanted to see pictures of the plane crash,
that would not be happening at this time. One of the pictures of George
W. with a firemen showed their emotional faces, Jenna asked what
happened (as in why they looked sad). I told her that many people lost
their lives, those firemen probably lost friends who were trying to save
other people, and that it was a sad day for America. In the search, the
side-bar also showed Bin Laden, who I explained briefly as the leader
of the group of men who attacked America, and that our military and
government caught him.
4. I skip-read this:
http://www.classbrain.com/artfree/publish/cat_index_17.shtml. I read
this next. I asked her what a hero is. She said, "Someone who saves the
day." :)
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/memorial-day/kids-poems-rhymes/the-american-hero.html.
She learned what the term "civilian" is referring to and that all of
the firefighters, responders, people on board the plane in Pennsylvania
are heroes.
5. I read to her (and she
read a few sentences) the Patriot Day Proclamation from George W. Bush
September 2002. It's so long she really didn't want to read it, I did
most of the reading...slowly with emphasis. That is Patriot Day and when
it started.
6. I watched this with her.
http://www.brainpop.co.uk/humanities/historymodern/september11th/.
Animated description of the day. Now, I have conclusions of my own about
why the towers fell, the Pentagon getting hit that differ from this
video, but I just pointed out that this is the government's explanation
of the events.
7. Next she wanted to do this one and
enjoyed it, simple, fun.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Patriot-Day-printable-book-for-primary-grades-September-11-866807.
8.
I printed this whole resource:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Patriot-Day-9-11-CLIP-Creative-Learning-in-a-Pinch-820814.
Jenna started the word search, but took a much needed break (if you
call self-initiated, self-reading in her room a break lol)
-I'm
going to help her with the crossword "spiral" and math (show her how to
use a calculator since we're not on multiplication yet). She played with the calculator on her own for a little bit while I was reviewing and publishing this. I gave her some shortcuts about multiplication with 10s and 11s, which she may not retain, but also using the calculator to CHECK the work not just get the answer. We also
haven't gotten into "ones" on the clock, so I guess we'll start that
since it's on the same page as the math wheel. :)
-Tomorrow
I think we'll get into the Pledge of Allegiance. When she was in school
they said it in class, so she knows it. But I found a cute printable of
it that I printed on card stock, and this other sheet to break out the
meaning. It's a pocket calendar and Pledge for classrooms.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Printable-Patriotic-Kids-Pocket-Chart-Calendar-and-Pledge-of-Allegiance-297639.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pledge-of-Allegiance-Reflection-September-11th-Patriot-Day-Activity-45142.
-I want to stick to the patriotic theme this week, maybe emergency response.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Emergency-9-1-1-Mini-Activity-Pack-Lesson-Plan-Ideas-658508.
Seriously, this is the most planning for her home schooling I've done in the last month. But today was very motivating.
