Last Updated on December 19, 2024 by Sarah McCubbin
Remembering September 11th through a history course is the perfect opportunity for high school students to connect recent modern history with current events.
Do you remember where you were when you heard the news about the first airplane hitting the Twin Towers in New York City? I was just 22 years old…newly married living in this tiny little cape house. We didn’t have cable TV but I remember standing in my kitchen wallpapered with sage green leaves listening to the radio as the programming was interrupted to talk about an airplane hitting the first tower.
I can still remember the shock and then the fear when the second tower was hit. My younger sister was in preschool at the time, and as the news reports came in and the whole world seemed at risk, I knew I had to go get her and pick her up. What would be hit next? Was anywhere safe?
In some ways it seems strange that teens today have little knowledge of 9/11th. My first son wasn’t born until a year after this terrible day. He is now a college graduate headed to law school. A lot of years have past since 9/11.
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Table of Contents
Teaching Our Kids About September 11th Today
A couple of years ago, my daughter and I visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York while on a school trip. The security to enter the memorial was intense…metal detectors, bag searches, body scans…it felt like a lot to enter a museum…and more invasive than a security check at an airport before September 11th.
But it was also a reminder…this Museum built next to the two giant holes in the ground memorialized the most devastating attack on American soil when more than 3000 people died in a few hours.
As we walked through the museum, room by room, we relived the terror of that day…the sights, the sounds, recordings of dispatcher calls and of course all the devastation. Each sight…bent metal beams, pictures of victims, piles of rubbles…and each sound, reinforced the story that I knew by heart.
Terrorists on American soil flew airplanes that would bring town the Twin Towers, hit the Pentagon and head for for the White House before crashing in a field in Pennsylvania. It was terrible and dark…but it was familiar to me.
When I had the chance to review September 11th: The Day That Changed The World, I was completely unprepared to have the official story lined turned on it’s head. There was SO MUCH MORE in this course than I ever remember hearing about.
What If the September 11th Narrative Wasn’t Completely True? What If There Was MORE?
Why Did Tower #7 next to the Twin Towers implode on itself without ever being hit? Did the passengers of Flight 93 actually crash the plane or was it shot down?
In this course, as students work through module after module, they encounter research and data from journalists and scientists that contradicts the official story. They are encouraged to click links for more information and consider the possibilities that there was more to this story!
How crazy is it that this history course by Pallas Learning Center actually teaches students to question the “official narrative!” It’s actually awesome!
If you have a teen that is a little bit skeptical of the world…this might be just the history course for them!
If you have a high school student who is bored with traditional history curriculum, who likes to argue or who likes to ask too many questions, this course offers something unique not found in normal homeschool curriculum.
The Problem With Traditional High School History Curriculum
One of the biggest problems with traditional history curriculum is that we are obsessed with making sure our kids have a solid foundation of the general timeline of historical events.
Most of us who have a traditional public or private education will have a textbook understanding of history. You know what I mean. First this happened, then this and then this.
A U.S. History curriculum will cover key events (like wars and social movements) and people (like presidents) which leads to a neutral timeline in our heads.
The problem with MODERN history is that in most cases, our kids won’t learn much of anything past World War 2 other than short lessons on the Civil Rights Movement and wars. Textbooks by nature are designed to cover topics quickly…a chapter or two dedicated to life altering events in history.
Meanwhile the actual stories get lost in favor of the official narrative. For example, traditional history curriculum makes Martin Luther King Jr out to be a hero who advocated for non-violent change. But the facts are more complicated and history books miss allegations of King having affairs and being present while a woman was assaulted by a Baptist minister. Again crazy right…that was not in my history books!
Traditional curriculum doesn’t have space in the few pages per event to see that history is complicated. People are complicated. And when the government is involved, its easy for them to hide facts that detract from an official narrative.
In a similar way, the story of September 11th has “complicated details” that are not reflected in any kind of official narrative or even at the 9/11 museum today. When the American Airlines flight 11 hit the North tower, there were 5 terrorists from the middle east on board who were responsible for the attack. But who were they? What were their motivations? Did they have help from anyone in our government? Was this part of a bigger plot or plan?
You won’t find the answers in a traditional textbook
Getting Started With “September 11th: The Day That Changed The World”
Pallas Learning Center creates courses that fill in the gaps of history.
It’s hard to believe that our teens and young adults today probably know very little about the biggest terrorist attack on American soil. But their classes are designed to educate teens on history that still matters today.
- When your student signs up to take the September 11th course, the first thing they will do is login (of course)!
- After reading through a brief introduction, they will be ready to jump right in to this course with 8 full modules.
- Each module has multiple lessons. If your child is a visual learner, they will enjoy the easy to read lessons. And if they are an audio learner, the built in podcast of each lesson will make this a great fit.
It’s also a great fit for teens with dyslexia who may find all the reading to be a barrier in traditional textbooks!
What Pallas Center Courses Offer
- 1/2 credit high school history
- Course Readings complete with hyper linked reference
- Audio recording in each lesson
- Podcast with all lessons in one places
- Quizzes
- Glossary of terms
- Capstone Essay with Rubric
The morning of September 11, 2001, began like any other but quickly turned into a day of terror that shook the foundation of America.
Four planes were hijacked by members of the extremist group Al-Qaeda. Two crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, one hit the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the fourth, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.
But what caused the attacks? Was it just some terrorists or were there more players involved? The exciting lessons in this modern history course will have your student asking better questions and thinking outside the box!
Topics Covered In This September 11th Course…Plus MORE!
- Introduction and Overview of September 11th
- The Anthrax Attacks
- The Collapse of World Trade Center Building 7
- The 9/11 Commission Report
- Abel Danger and Intelligence Failures
- Wargames and Military Exercises on 9/11
- Financial Crimes and Insider Trading Related to 9/11
- Foreign Intelligence Connections
- Typing It All Together
Why This Course is Essential for Homeschoolers
Homeschooled students have an education scenario that allows them to explore unique topics not taught in traditional institutions. While September 11th happened over 20 years ago, the policies that happened as a result still affect us today. Studying the events around September 11th will help your students connect history to current events in a real tangible way.
By aligning with social studies requirements, this course ensures a comprehensive education while also encouraging independent exploration. The audio lessons and quizzes make it an engaging experience, and the final essay promotes deep reflection and synthesis of key ideas.
FAQ About Pallas Center Courses
1. What age group is this course designed for?
This course is designed for high school students, typically between 14 and 18 years old, and assumes no prior knowledge of the events of September 11th.
2. How does the course incorporate critical thinking?
The course includes quizzes, readings, and a final essay that challenge students to analyze historical events, government policies, and their long-term consequences.
3. Can the modules be completed at the student’s own pace?
Yes, the course is fully self-paced, allowing students to learn at a speed that suits their schedule and comprehension levels.
4. Does the course address sensitive topics respectfully?
Absolutely. Each module is crafted to handle sensitive subjects with care, providing a balanced and respectful narrative of the events.
5. Are there additional resources included in the curriculum?
Yes, the course includes 65 curated readings from investigative journalists and historians, providing in-depth perspectives on the topics covered.
Sarah McCubbin and her husband and 9 kids live in Ohio. She loves talking about all kinds of education topics and is passionate about helping families find the best education options in each season! Socially awkward growing up, she loves to help families teach life skills, social skills and leadership.
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