Resources for Teaching About 9/11

Discussion and Lesson Plan About 9/11 Featuring Speakers
From Diverse Religious, Racial, and Ethnic Communities

The 9/11 attacks led to two different responses, one based on fear and xenophobia and the other based on love and solidarity. We invite teachers and students to view ING’s panel discussion with speakers from diverse religious, racial and ethnic communities on how 9/11 impacted them. They discuss lessons they have learned and make recommendations for countering bigotry. Supplementing the discussion is a lesson plan that provides guiding questions and additional resources for discussion. View the lesson plan here.

Panelists:

• Ameena Jandali, ING Content Contributor (Muslim American)
• Gurwin Singh Ahuja, Co-Founder, National Sikh Campaign (Sikh American)
• Rabbi Melanie Aron, Congregation Shir Hadash of Los Gatos (Jewish American)
• Reverend George McDonnell, Ascension Episcopal Church in Stillwater Minnesota (Christian American)
• Raju Rajagopal, Board Member, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) (Hindu American)
• Devon Matsumoto, President, The Young Buddhist Editorial (Japanese Buddhist American)
• Sheila Dawkins, Social Justice Organizer (African American)
• Luis Felipe Camacho-Lovell, AOL Border Rights Project Volunteer (Latinx American)
• Daisy Kim, Asian American Studies and Race and Cultural Studies educator (Asian American)

Facilitator 

• Dr. Zachary Markwith, ING Education Director

Articles for Classroom Discussions About 9/11

Below are articles about 9/11 and its impact written by three Muslim Americans: Nisa Sheikh, Dr. Zachary Markwith, and Maha Elgenaidi. These articles can be used as part of lesson plans for grades 7-10 and 9-12, and are accompanied by guiding questions for teachers and students.

Culturally Responsive Teaching for 9/11
Commemorative Lessons

For educators of students in grades K-12, Dr. Amaarah DeCuir and the Center for Islam in the Contemporary World (CICW) at Shenandoah University have produced a video that discusses applying culturally responsive teaching when developing 9/11 lesson plans to counter anti-Muslim racism and bullying in the classroom. View the video here. She has also summarized her research, recommendations, and resources on teaching about 9/11 in an article. View the article here.

Live Speaker Programs

Even as we recall 9/11 with sadness and grief, we are encouraged by all the efforts that have been and continue to be made to promote the mutual understanding and respect that alone can guarantee peace. We invite you to join in this work by requesting presentations and panels on one or more of our topics:

• Muslims, their Faith and Perspectives: Educational presentations on various topics related to Muslims and Islam, delivered by diverse Muslim speakers. Teen Muslim speakers are also available. Request presentations here.
• Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus and their Religions and Perspectives: Educational panels on various topics related to the five major world religions (Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism) delivered by speakers who practice them. Request panels here.
• Countering Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, Anti-Black Racism, and Other Forms of Bigotry: Educational panels that address countering bullying, bigotry and racism by speakers who represent targeted communities (Muslim, Jewish, African, Indigenous, Latino/Hispanic, and Asian American communities). Request panels here.
• Diversity Training for Professional Groups: Diversity trainings that can be included in your long-term DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) programs in your organization. Our trainings are specifically tailored for the following groups: Educators in K-12, educators in colleges and universities, corporate staff, law enforcement personnel, healthcare providers, dentists, government employees, court administrators, and non-profit organizations. Request trainings here.

Online Curricula for Educators

If you are an educator, we invite you to also consider downloading one or more of our online curricula free of charge. These curricula offer the scripts and slides for our presentations about Muslims and interreligious panels, plus discussion questions, activities, links to relevant videos, and resource lists.

Training Webinars for School Educators

Teaching about World Religions in Schools:

ING recently presented a webinar for educators on “Can We Talk about That Here: Teaching about World Religions in Schools”. We discussed challenges associated with teaching about world religions in public schools and the constitutional role of religious education as an academic discipline rather than a devotional one. This webinar was presented in partnership with the Western Educational Equity Assistance Center (WEEAC). View the recording here.

Bullying Prevention: 

ING presented a webinar for educators on “How is Your School Preparing for Bullying Prevention Month?” Students of diverse backgrounds are bullied in school and on social media, which can lead to anxiety, depression and decreased academic achievement. Research has shown that Muslim students face bullying at twice the rate of the national average, yet school administrators and teachers are underequipped to address this challenge. This webinar discusses strategies and resources for educators and administrators to foster inclusive environments in their classrooms that safeguard and enhance Muslim students’ experiences in K-12 schools. View the recording here.

Religious Discrimination:

ING presented a webinar for educators on “What You Need to Know About Religious Discrimination in Schools.” This panel for educators provides an in-depth discussion about the experiences of many Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu, and LDS students, including harassment, bullying and exclusion in school curriculum. The panel addresses specific issues that confront these student populations and provides strategies for inclusion, such as learning about their cultures and traditions and how resources can be incorporated into social studies classes. View the recording here.