01-137 NIE-Terrorism

[ABCDE] Volume 1, Issue 3 Sept. 18, 2001

CURRICULUM GUIDE: MEDIA IN THE TIME OF TRAGEDY

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IN THIS ISSUE

Dealing with Terrorism Use the Newspaper Word Study 39Web resources for coping 6 Activities for your class A look at terrorism

First Rough Draft of History Write an Editorial Finding the 4 Then and now 8 What symbols mean 10 Local Angle

Dear Educators:

This Web site, still in its infancy, is devoted to bringing newspaper-related classroom curriculum to educators. Last Tuesday’s tragic acts of terrorism have prompted us to add a special resource to the site today. Designed to help teachers and publications advisers, the following collection of activities, lesson plans and resources are meant to use these unprecedented acts in the American experience to teach students how such colossal tragedy is handled in the media. We hope that the following pages are instructional as well as thought provoking.

The newspaper continues to be a reliable source to relay facts. Part of our mission through The Washington Post’s Newspaper In Education program is to help you use newspapers to illustrate real-life applications of learning. We hope these lessons will help you use The Post to guide schoolchildren through this crisis and eventually to help them process this national disaster as a learning experience.

As the nation absorbs the shock, fear and sadness of last week’s events, students might need extra help with coping and processing this national tragedy. As adults and educators, our role in reestablishing a sense of safety and security in our schools is a priority. Children will look to us for information and guidance on how to react and understand the national events as they unfold. Within this special resource, we have included the Web addresses for various sites that provide additional information to help students cope with the uncertainty of these events and the consequences such terror dictates.

The Educational Services Department of The Washington Post

Dealing with Terrorism

With Respect and Sensitivity How to Cope and Heal It is our business to report the news. We have found the ON THE WEB http://www.sesameworkshop.org/par- words and taken the pictures to fulfill our professional ents/advice/article/0,4125,49560,00.ht http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/vio commitment to you. We also want to be a good neighbor. ml lence.cfm Tuesday’s unimaginable acts of horror touch us all. Images Tragic Times, Healing Words of the terrorist attacks and aftermath are in all media and Helping Children and Adolescents Cope The Sesame Street Workshop provides in our conversations. We witness families, friends and with Violence and Disasters guidelines for adults. neighbors of individuals who lost their lives in New York The National Institute of Mental Health City, Pennsylvania and Virginia grieving. This is an provides information about the impact of www.fema.gov/kids emotional time for adults. It can be a very frightening time violence and disasters on children and sug- for children. gestions for minimizing long-term emo- FEMA for Kids tional harm. Although most of this site explains natural Area school systems and media, sensitive to the disasters so children can emotional impact of these events and coverage on http://www.apa.org/ understand them and prepare for them, children, have provided adults with guidelines for listening the What’s New section talks to kids about to and talking with children of all ages in times of loss, American Psychological Association the recent terrorist attacks. Younger stu- violence and disaster. You may wish to check their Web A special section, The Nation in Shock: dents are given advice by Herman, the sites. On the Web sites listed here mental health Managing the Traumatic Stress of spokescrab. professionals share what is known about the impact of Tuesday’s Terrorism, has been added. The disasters on children and suggest ways to help children to section includes guidelines for handling www.kidshealth.com cope and to heal. the special needs of children. KidsHealth KidsPost has provided news of our national tragedy and http://www.childrenshomesociety.org/ Parents, kids and teens have sections to examples of bravery for our young readers. Articles in the enter to hear from the medical Post and online discussions have reminded adults not to Children’s Home Society of Washington experts of The Nemours Foundation. A neglect our responsibility to our children. They all stress Tips for talking to children about tragedy special "Dealing With a Terrorist the importance of listening, loving and helping others. are presented by the Children’s Home Tragedy" has been added with articles for Society of Washington. Common ques- Dr. Stanley Greenspan, M.D., clinical professor of all three age groups. tions asked by children and suggested psychiatry, George Washington University Medical School, answers are included. Signs of stress and in a washingtonpost.com online discussion, provided this www.nea.org other resources give parents and teachers advice. (More of Dr. Greenspan’s answers to questions helpful information. The National Education Association posed can be found at "Tips for Caregivers" (PDF) is the effort of http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp- http://www.mentalhealth.org/cmhs/e several national educational organizations srv/zforum/01/nation_greenspan0912.htm.) mergencyservices/index.htm united to assist parents and teachers in helping children. You may also go to the "[T]he understanding of terrorism has to be geared to the Disaster Mental Health Services American Federation of Teachers child's age and level of thinking and language. For a very This branch of the U.S. Department of (www.aft.org), National PTA young child, it can be explained in very simple terms — Health & Human Services is located in (www.pta.org) and National Association like explaining that someone did something very very bad. Rockville, Md. When the president of School Psychologists (www.naspon- For a school age child, you can begin having a discussion declares a disaster, the Center for Mental line.org) sites. NEA plans to rebroadcast that is a bit more complex but not too complex. It should Health Services provides support to indi- its Safe Schools Now series in fall 2001. be discussed in two contexts simultaneously. In terms of viduals and communities. Click on Tips VHS copies of the nine episodes are avail- the fundamental wrongness of actions that take other For Talking About Disasters and check able for sale. people's lives, but also in terms of the longer term goals out Mental Health Aspects of Terrorism, to help all people around the world resolve conflict How to Help Children After a Disaster through negotiation and problem solving, not violence. and After a Disaster: What Teens Can Do. Even younger children can be helped to see the importance of problem solving."

Today’s First Rough Draft of History

Lesson: Use the newspaper approaching the Twin to understand terrorist Towers of the World Trade attacks Center in New York City. Exercises Level: Advanced Smoke is billowing from the a. Read the five articles that appeared on the front page North Tower that had been of the Sept. 12 Post. Summarize each article. Do they Subjects: History, Language hit at 8:45 a.m. by hijacked Arts, Journalism American Airlines Flight 11. capture the facts of the hijackings and aftermath? News stories can help Three other photographs Beyond the facts, what understanding do you gain as students to understand the appeared below the fold. a reader? Together, what do the five articles Headlines above the five attack, the destruction and communicate about events from 8:45 a.m. Tuesday the response of our citizens articles were: morning until press time? and government. The ■ Bodies Pulled From Washington Post reported Pentagon; Troops Patrol ■ Bodies Pulled From Pentagon; Troops Patrol District Streets the horror of the terrorist District Streets http://nl4.newsbank.com/nl- attacks, the heart-breaking ■ Bush Promises Retribution; search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=0EE7CCF51B9 stories of victims and their Military Put on Highest Alert ■ Bush Promises Retribution; Military Put on Highest Alert families and the bravery of firefighters, police, ■ On Flight 77: ‘Our Plane Is http://nl13.newsbank.com/nl- emergency workers, military Being Hijacked’ search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=0EE7CCF453 ■ On Flight 77: ‘Our Plane Is Being Hijacked’ URL not available personnel and ordinary ■ U.S. Intelligence Points to citizens who willing put their Bin Laden Network ■ U.S. Intelligence Points to Bin Laden Network own lives at risk to save http://nl4.newsbank.com/nl- others. On Sept. 12, the ■ ‘I Saw Bodies Falling Out search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=0EE7CCF95D7 banner headline summarized — Oh, God, Jumping, Falling’ ■ ‘I Saw Bodies Falling Out — Oh, God, Jumping, Falling’ URL not the facts. Discuss how the headlines available. Terrorists Hijack 4 Airliners, amplify the banner headline Destroy World Trade Center, as they give more b. What new information has emerged since Sept. 12? Hit Pentagon; Hundreds Dead information. Do you know Were the Post reporters accurate in their first news what to expect in the Banner headlines, headlines articles? Which articles are reports, their first rough draft of history? What that read from margin to going to be straight news? questions do you still have? Which would you pick as margin, are used only for Which articles will have a the best-written story of the week? major events. They more personal perspective on immediately tell the reader, the events? c. Review news articles from Sept. 12 to Sept. 19. How before the first word is read, that something of When addressing his editors do graphics help tell the story? Artists work with importance has happened. and correspondents, Philip reporters to help convey information. The immediate Twelve words gave a compact Graham, publisher of The facts of the situation, research and design combine to Washington Post 1946-1961, and concise summary of help the reader understand what has or will take what took place the day said, "I am insatiably curious before. What kind of verbs about the state of our world. place. Which is your pick for best graphic? … So let us drudge on about was used? Adjectives are d. What do you think history books will say about Sept. used sparingly in headlines. our inescapably impossible Talk about the impact of the task of providing every week 11, 2001? adjectives used. a first rough draft of a history that will never be Five articles were on the completed about a world we front page. One photograph can never understand." was placed above the fold — a United airliner

Rough Draft continued: What Older Rough Drafts Teach Us

In 1999, The Washington Post reflected on the previous 100 years in the column The Century in the Post. Each day readers were provided with "excerpts from ‘the first rough draft of history’ as reported in The Washington Post on this date in the 20th century." You are provided with links to three days — December 7, 1941; November 23, 1963; and December 22, 1988. Download and share them with your students. Date of Infamy Where Were You? Death on Flight 103 http://nl4.newsbank.com/nl- http://nl4.newsbank.com/nl- http://nl4.newsbank.com/nl- search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_ search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_ search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_ docid=0EB2C3EF22325E6F&p_docnu docid=0EB2C3E9CCE64F92&p_docnu docid=0EB2C3F41C884C8F&p_docnu m=20&s_subterm=Subscription%20u m=35&s_subterm=Subscription%20u m=8&s_subterm=Subscription%20unt ntil%3A%2012%2F31%2F2010%2023 ntil%3A%2012%2F31%2F2010%2023 il%3A%2012%2F31%2F2010%2023% %3A59%3A59&s_subexpires=12%2F %3A59%3A59&s_subexpires=12%2F 3A59%3A59&s_subexpires=12%2F31 31%2F2010%2023%3A59%3A59 31%2F2010%2023%3A59%3A59 %2F2010%2023%3A59%3A59 The unexpected Japanese attack on A sunny autumn day in Dallas. A The explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 — "a handsome young president and his over Lockerbie, Scotland, which date which will live in infamy," as beautiful wife. Gunshots. And killed all 259 people on board, many President Roosevelt called it in his suddenly a world of questions: Who of them Americans, and 11 others on emergency address to Congress the shot Kennedy? How great a president the ground, was later determined to next day — devastated the U.S. would he have been? Would he have have been a terrorist attack. Two Pacific fleet and left it temporarily ended the Vietnam War? Could the Libyan intelligence agents were powerless to halt Japan's expansion bitterness and division of the late accused on planting the bomb, and across Southeast Asia and the 1960s have been prevented? Was Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi western Pacific Ocean. It also there ever, really, a Camelot? It began was accused of harboring them, enraged Americans and propelled the to seem that before the assassination resulting in U.N.-imposed sanctions. United States into World War II. An and afterward lay only uncertainty. Gadhafi turned the suspects over to excerpt from The Post of Dec. 8, The sniper fire faded; the questions Scottish authorities in 1999. Abdel 1941. reverberate still. An excerpt from Basset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi in Nov. 23, 1963. 2000 was convicted to life imprisonment for his role in the downing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie. An excerpt from The Post of Dec. 22, 1988.

Exercises longer traditional news lead and details are helpful? Have the recent other news the short declarative Post articles contained similar a. Compare and contrast the punch? details? headlines and first paragraphs with each other and the five ■ The United States of America and the d. Are some of the same questions articles that appeared on the front Empire of Japan are at war. asked then as now? page of the Post on Sept. 12. What ■ A Pan American jumbo jet bound from e. What elements of each story of the elements of news — who, what, London to New York crashed into this century are reflected in actions and where, when and how — are Scottish town last night, apparently killing speeches since the terrorist attacks included? all persons aboard. of Sept. 11? Are there lessons to b. Study the first sentences from the ■ President John F. Kennedy is dead. be learned from Pearl three earlier articles. Does sentence Harbor, Dallas and length influence initial impact? c. Is enough information provided by Lockerbie? Does some news demand the the reporter for you to understand the event that took place? What

Use the Newsaper

It is important that students read the http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac3/ facts for themselves. It is also important ContentServer?pagename=article&ar FIRST DRAFT OF HISTORY to have a safe environment in which to ticleid=A28 If you don’t have The Washington voice their fears, concerns and opinions. 3. Use art as a means of expression. Post in your hands, go online at Take time to talk about the attack, the Draw a picture, write a poem or create washingtonpost.com. News destruction, the cleanup. Remember the a song to remember Sept. 11. Share articles, commentary and analyses, acts of kindness and bravery and the with students the work of artists, poets editorials and photographs, people who lost their lives. Appreciate and musicians that captured an event speeches and statements have been and evaluate the coverage of events. for later generations as well as their archived. Debate the decisions to be made. Use own. Go to America Attacked for the The Washington Post as your source of 4. All media have indicated where blood unfolding story information and stimulus for discussion can be donated and other ways in which (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ and action. individuals can help. When violence wp-dyn/nation/specials/attacked/). 1. The terrorist attacks on the United occurs, people want to reach out to the Here you will find today’s articles, States will have effects around the families of victims. As a class, discuss commentary and Post editorials. world. Read the newspaper to find out ways people can help these families and Multimedia provides footage of how the government leaders of other the rescue workers. Then write a letter the Pentagon attacked, the Twin countries are responding. Can you find to the editor to urge people to help or Towers of the World Trade Center out how citizens of the world are to commend an individual or group attacked and their collapse. reacting? What types of actions are that is helping. Make sure the letter is In the Photo Gallery these countries taking? in the correct form of a business letter. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ 2. Use KidsPost articles with younger 5. In this most difficult of times, the wp-dyn/photo/dayinphotos students. In addition to what happened, Post introduced readers to those who /index.html), images in The Day in children need to be told of the bravery lost their lives. Reporters provided mini- Photos will remind you of the and acts of kindness that have followed profiles of innocent individuals who horror and the heroes. the destruction. were used by terrorists to make a Friday, Sept. 14, is preserved in statement. Post reporters talked with Discuss the KidsPost articles with your Slideshow: A Day of Mourning the families, friends and colleagues of students. What do they understand (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ the victims. Some families shared about what took place on Sept. 11? Do wp-srv/mmedia/nation/091401- photographs of their loved ones. Why is they know of other people who are 15v.htm). brave? Create a wall of heroes in your it important to have features in addition Do you want to verify a classroom. What are ways students can to news stories? Does the public need to quotation? In Text: Transcripts, make a difference and be problem know the victims? How does a profile Statements, Speeches solvers? communicate more than a list of names? (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ ■ KidsPost, C16, Wednesday, Sept. 12, wp–srv/nation/attacked/transcripts 6. The attack by terrorists on Sept. 11 2001 "‘A National Tragedy’: /texts_091301. html) contains texts stunned Americans because they Terrorism Hits New York and of key news conferences, speeches brought terrorism to "safe" places in Washington," and statements covering the our own country. Would you be willing http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- aftermath of the terrorist air to surrender any of your freedoms to dyn/articles/A14216-2001Sep11.html attacks on the United States. fight terrorism? Americans hold their ■ KidsPost, C14, Thursday, Sept. 13, rights to be inalienable. The Transcripts of Online discussions 2001 "Acts of Bravery: Americans Government does not give Americans beginning Sept. 11 at noon have Do What They Can To Recover their rights; it protects and guarantees also been archived From Tragedy." URL not available. those rights. Is there a difference (http://www.washington ■ KidsPost, C12, Friday, Sept. 14, 2001 between a right and a freedom? post.com/wp-v/liveonline/ "Clues to the Killers: How special/attack.htm). Investigators Will Build Their Case,"

"None of us or our children will forget other photograph, minutes before the Monster" by Jon Franklin will want to yesterday’s horrifying images. They will North Tower will collapse, just above add this essay to their collection. become unfortunate but indelible icons the smoke, windows are lined with "Seeing the Us In Them" by Donna of the 21st century." people looking out. A photography Britt begins so simply with a child’s — James B. Cunningham, Acting U.S. class might look at the images for their nightmare. There are monsters in the Permanent Representative to the United technical qualities of line and contrast, room. Her narrative approach takes us Nations but a deeper dialogue can take place. Is to a few days later when she, and all of Statement in the UN General Assembly, it the photographer’s duty to record us, need assurance that there are no Sept. 12, 2001 these images for history? monsters. Study diction and syntax. See 7. As newsroom editors scrambled to Should the Post, a family newspaper, where she places the short sentences. convey the terrorist attacks, they had have printed these photographs in the "Monsters" takes on proportions in her some tough decisions to make. Style section? last line: " Those who would label others as monsters risk becoming Photographs of the airliners hitting 9. As reports appear of harrassment monsters themselves." their targets in New York City and and physical attacks on Arab Virginia and the blackened earth in Americans, teachers may wish to Pennsylvania had to be included. These discuss the principles of our democracy are the images of history. Also part of found in the First Amendment. We are FACING DIFFERENCES the emotion of the event were a country built upon respect of others. www.teachingtolerance.org photographs of individuals leaping 10. What are stereotypes? How have from the World Trade Center and the Teaching Tolerance stereotypes been used in literature and Twin Towers collapsing. Should these The Southern Poverty Law Center is movies? What stereotypes of Arabs are images have been printed as part of the dedicated to fighting hate and promoting being expressed since the attacks on coverage? tolerance. Three additions respond to the Sept. 11? terrorist attacks: "Bias Against Arab and Broadcasters had the same tough Read and discuss the Sept. 14 Post Muslim Americans: How to challenge it in decisions, except their dramatic images editorial, "Adding Shame to Grief." your classroom," "Talking About Terror" were in motion. The major networks and Educators Respond to Terrorist The editorial ends, " The rage and aired clips of the bodies as they Attacks." descended. Bill Shine, Fox News sorrow that have filled the country are executive producer, is quoted in no excuse for giving in to ugly http://www.aboutourkids.org/ Broadcasting & Cable, that the network stereotypes that label whole About Our Kids "regretfully" showed that footage once communities for the acts of extremists. NYU’s site offers advice on keeping anger or twice. Images of the individuals This week many Muslims have about the attack from turning to hatred. In plummeting were not seen on CNN and struggled to remind their neighbors that English and Spanish, learn how to explain MSNBC. Have students discuss the they are Americans too, shocked and war and terrorism to children. For teachers, ethics of the images broadcast during outraged by the slaughter of innocents. helping your students to cope with the prime time. If anger and vengeance are allowed to attack. "Parenting," "Mental Health" and drown out that message, it will only add 8. Washington Post staff writers Gene "Is my kid ok?" are always on the New shame to the nation’s grief." Weingarten and David Von Drehle Yo rk University Child Study Center site. wrote "A Death Better Than Fate’s." 11. Columnist and essayists get to give http://www.freedomforum.org/religion/hayn The question at the heart of their essay: their opinions. These two works provide es/printcomground.asp Why would individuals, some on fire, strong models for a composition course. most not, jump from the World Trade Finding Common Ground "On a Mundane Morning, The Clock Representatives of many faiths Center on the morning of Sept. 11? Struck 9" by Hank Stuever uses Experts try to answer the question. collaborated to find a meeting place of numbers with great skill. Stuever covers respect. Get a closer look at the two clauses Discuss the essay with older students the range: everyday 9:00 a.m. and psychology students. of the First Amendment that provide for conversation to Type A punctuality, the freedom of religion. Online version of Two photographs accompany the essay: military 0900 to 9-1-1. Look at how Finding Common Ground, a First In one photograph, a man falls head carefully we are taken to Oklahoma Amendment guide to religion first, only a bent knee keeps him from City between 9:01 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. and public education. being perfectly perpendicular to the Composition teachers who have used lines of the tower behind him; in the the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Mrs. Kelly’s

Write an Editorial

The Horror and the Heroes …" personalized the Lesson: Write an editorial editorial voice. This is not SYMBOLISM the editorial "we." Level: Beginning to A symbol is something which is itself. At the same time advanced ■ Who are the heroes given it represents, suggests or means something else. The in the second paragraph? American flag is a piece of cloth, but it is much more. It Subjects: Journalism, What is the significance of represents our country when it is seen any place in the English two being identified? world. It suggests our citizens’ sacrifices and means we Procedure First, Rudolph Giuliani, love our country. It is our history and our present Students will study a much then Ali Taqi. The mayor’s resilience. It has strong symbolic power. longer editorial than one age is not given. Why is Among the questions asked since Sept. 11, are why the usually finds in The the appositive, 24-year-old World Trade Center and the Pentagon were selected as Washington Post, or most firefighter from Michigan, targets. Ask your students to give their views. If it does newspapers. But these are provided? not emerge in their answers, ask them what these the most unusual of days. ■ The third paragraph buildings symbolize. 1. Ask students to list 10 focuses on United Airlines Give students copies of two Post commentary. areas of concern or Flight 93. How does this ■ "The Message in the Smoke" by Henry Allen was questions they have related paragraph move the theme published on Sept. 12, 2001 (http://www.washington to people, events, speeches of the editorial forward? post.com/ac3/ContentServer?pagename=article&articlei or lack of action since ■ Note the specifics of the d=A13) Tuesday, Sept. 11. fourth paragraph. What ■ "Buildings That Stood Tall as Symbols of Strength" by 2. Then have students write range of Americans is Benjamin Forgey was published Thursday, Sept. 13, a statement about one of the included? 2001 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ items from their list. This can ■ In what way does the last ac3/ContentServer?pagename=article&articleid=A21). be in the form of a proposal paragraph unite the entire to action, a commendation Compare and contrast the essays written by Henry Allen editorial? or condemnation or simply a and Benjamin Forgey. Both opinion pieces appeared in statement of facts. 4. Ask students to state in the Style section. Both look to the Twin Towers of the one sentence the editorial World Trade Center for symbolism. Their voices and 3. Give students a copy of position of the Post. messages are strikeningly different. the The Horror and the Heroes," an editorial from 5. After studying this Ask students to write a comparison-contrast essay based Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001 editorial, ask students to upon the two Post writers’ views. (http://www.washingtonpost. write an editorial. They Ask students to consider the symbolism and meaning of com/wp-dyn/articles/A21494- may go back to their initial the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, then write 2001Sep12.html). Read and list and statement to build an essay expressing their own views of architecture’s discuss the ideas presented. an editorial. Don’t forget impact and reflection of society. These may include: that research is part of You may wish to have students read about architecture ■ The use of allusion to editorial writing. and its symbolism, before they read the pieces from The Antietam in the first For more information on Washington Post. Richard Rodriguez aired this essay sentence. editorial structure and one week before the attacks. ■ Note the use of specific teaching of editorial numbers. Research was writing, go to "Only a http://www.pbs.org/newshour/essays/july- done. Matter of Opinion?" at dec01/architecture_9-05.html Architectural Ambitions http://library.thinkquest.org/ Commentary by NewsHour essayist ■ The series of vignettes or 50084/index.shtml. Richard Rodriguez. The Walt Disney images found in the first concert hall designed by Frank Gehry paragraph. ■ "We the survivors know

Word Study: A look at terrorism

Have you ever been called a little was killed in a plot sponsored by terror? This would put you in the People’s Will, a terrorist organiza- TALKING ABOUT TERRORISM same category as Dennis the tion. In 2000, terrorists were 1. In what ways did the terrorists succeed in Menace. Just an annoying pest. convicted for the bombing in 1988 perpetrating unlawful acts of violence? of Pam Am Flight 103. The grown up version — terrorist — 2. Do news reports of phone calls from has a much more serious meaning. In addition to the definitions that passengers on the hijacked airliners and you can find in a dictionary, there people in the World Trade Center make the A terrorist engages in acts of are specialized definitions. You are rest of us feel less intimidated by the terrorists? In those circumstances would you terrorism and brings terror, an familiar with these from science and want to make that call? Would you want to intense, overpowering fear, into the mathematics textbooks. The U.S. receive that call? Read and discuss "In lives of a community. Terrorism is Government has employed the Cellular Age, Saying Goodbye, Is a Tough the unlawful use or threatened use following definitions of terrorism Call" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ of force or violence by a person or for statistical and analytical ac3/ContentServer?pagename=article&articleid =A27). an organized group against people purposes since 1983. or property to intimidate or coerce a 3. As a class, brainstorm ways the U.S. could population as for military or polit- Title 22 of the United States Code, limit terrorism, either alone or working ical purposes. Section 2656f(d) provides the together with other countries. Do you think it following definitions: is possible to eliminate terrorism? Terror is a 14th century word. It ■ 4. The terrorist attack on sites in the United comes from Middle English, which The term "terrorism" means States has brought calls for more security is from Middle French terreur, from premeditated, politically motivated measures. Read the paper to find stories Latin terror, from terrere meaning violence perpetrated against noncom- discussing ways security might be increased to frighten. batant targets by subnational groups for Americans, their institutions and or clandestine agents, usually government. Make a master list of suggestions. Then ask students to write. It is related to the word "tremble" intended to influence an audience. Here are a few ideas: that originates in Greek trein, to be ■ Why are Americans examining safety afraid, flee. ■ The term "international terrorism" measures? means terrorism involving citizens ■ Compare the benefits and drawbacks of the It is natural to be afraid or to be or the territory of more than one proposals to improve security. uncertain about your safety. That’s ■ Provide a suggestion for improving security country. within your school or community. terrorism. ■ The term "terrorist group" means 5. One person’s terrorist is another’s patriot or Terrorists have existed through any group practicing, or that has liberator. Research groups and individuals many centuries throughout the significant subgroups that practice, associated with terrorism. Here is a world. There are domestic terrorists international terrorism. beginning of a list: Al-Qaida, Baader-Meinhof and international terrorists. In the Gang, Bidault, Black and Tan, Black Hand Society, Fatah, Hagana, Irish Liberation Army, late 1700s during the French Keep these definitions in mind when People’s Will and Takfir wa al-Hijra. Revolution, or Reign of Terror, you hear President Bush or English statesman Edmund Burke Secretary of State Colin Powell 6. "Taming Terrorism," a lesson for grades 9-12, wrote "thousands of those hell speak of terrorists. is available on hounds called terrorists were turned http://www.pbs.org/americaresponds/tamingter rorism.html. loose by the state against the popu- Definitions are from The American Heritage Dictionary: U.S. Governmen definition: lace." Burke believed evil succeeds http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2000/inde only "when good men do nothing." x.cfm?docid=2419 In 1881 Czar Alexander II of Russia

Finding the Local Angle

Activity: Publishing a student newspaper ■ How did my school respond to arrangements. the tragedy? Can we write an Level: Middle and high school students ■ A newspaper provides a forum editorial that praises or criticizes by which all of us can relate Subject: Journalism, Media Studies, the school's emergency response personal stories of common Publications Production system? Quote the school's experiences. Do you have policy handbook on emergency In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on graduates of your school who situations and interview the work at the Pentagon or World the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, principal or superintendent Trade Center? E-mail or call journalism students can, and should, cover about the process they followed them for their stories. During these events in their newspapers in ways as the event unfolded and the the time of disasters, people that will help students chronicle them for day after when school was likely want to help others. Were some their school community. After processing canceled. Did the school provide of your graduates among the all of the information on a personal level, grief counseling or any rescue workers? Did students reminders of how we should donate blood or organize food remember that your staff's primary treat each other? purpose is to tell the story of how these donations? events impacted their school. ■ Conduct a "man on the street" ■ Tell survival stories or anecdotes question and response with a Tell the stories that won't get told; don't of "I was supposed to be on mug shot of students. Ask, that plane." Write a feature reiterate the information already available "Where were you when you story about how people's fate on 24-hour news channels. Localize these found out about the attacks, can be changed entirely by small events to people in your school. Take and what was your response?" changes in their schedules. One elaborate steps to solicit the feedback of Be sure to get a range of graduate of a Fairfax County your readers through announcements, responses by grade level, high school sent an e-mail to his posters and word of mouth to get people ethnicity and gender. former English teacher that he was to have been at a Tuesday to come forward with stheir stories. ■ Write a story or conduct a "man morning meeting in the WTC, on the street" question to but a conference call required he Here are some story and sidebar ideas you explore why some teachers let reschedule it. He watched from might pursue in your publication: students watch the events unfold a mid-town office window as a in class and some did not. Did plane hit where he would have the principal prevent teachers been. If you cannot publish all from showing the news in class? the stories you collect, have a place to post them in your ■ How have these events impacted school or add to your students’ friends and family? newspaper’s Web site. Chronicle and sensitively cover your school community's loss. ■ Run a chronological sidebar of Did a student lose a father at the daily events from Tuesday, the Pentagon? An aunt at the Sept. 11, to the present day of WTC? Can you publish the your publication to remind student's reaction or tell of the readers of how things have family member's life and changed since the attacks first contributions to society? Did occurred. Consult several your school lose a classmate, a Internet graduate or teacher? Publish an resources and obituary or advise your newspapers for readership of any funeral accuracy.

Finding the Local Angle continued

GET THE FACTS including those dealing with ■ grief and tragedy. Run a chronological sidebar of Tuesday, Sept. 11. Include http://www.first.gov/FirstGov when your school’s day began and ended as well as when the http://www.google.com/ attacks took place. The official Web home of the U.S. Government has a section Google: One of the best search engine sites provides U.S. and ■ on U.S. Government resources Write an editorial about whether or not we should rebuild the for the Sept. 11 events. International news links and WTC. Should the ground become hallowed like Gettysburg? support information links. Should it be turned into a memorial park like the Oklahoma http://www.state.gov/s/ct/ http://www.howstuffworks.com City bombing site from 1995? If we rebuild and replace the Counterterrorism Office: buildings as they were, are we inviting further attacks? If we Within the U.S. State How Stuff Works: This great resource has added new don't rebuild, are we succumbing to the forces of terrorism? Department, the Office of Counterterrorism works on articles, including "How cooperation with foreign Terrorsim Works,"and "How ■ Chronicle the greatest days of human loss in American governments and developing Osama Bin Laden Works." history. From Revolutionary War skirmishes to Civil War and implementing American Marshall Brain has grouped battles to Pearl Harbor attack, what were the days in history counterterrorism policy. several other articles to help when we've lost the most American lives on a single day? readers on "the most horrific http://www.highschooljournalis and unbelievable of days ever ■ What impact will this tragedy have on school field trips that m.org/teachers/journalismreso experienced in the United urcesattack.htm include air travel? Will any cities be "off limits," or will your States." Newspaper reporters school conduct business as usual? Will foreign trips still be High School Journalism: The may wish to read for American Society of background: "How Airport allowed? Newspaper Editors site in Security Works," "How Cell support of scholastic Phones Work," and "How ■ Interview Muslim students in your school and find out if journalism provides resources Building Implosions Work." they've been subjected to any direct or indirect forms of for student media to cover the IN PRINT racism since the events. Do they get looked at differently in attack on the U.S. A word of Journalism Education copyright caution is given: It is class, or has something more drastic happened to them? Association. Covering the important that you not Measure their perceptions of the events in a feature story. Get Unimaginable. The winter 1999 electronically lift graphics or statistical information for your school about the number of special issue of Communication: photos from the sites listed here students who have immigrated to the United States. Journalism Education Today and republish them (unless they focuses on the difficult task of are in the public domain, like ■ covering an emotional event. Write an editorial about what the United States should do the Department of Defense Students and advisers from middle now in terms of foreign policy. How do we attack an enemy material). That is a copyright and high schools and journalism we cannot find? Explain NATO, its member nations and what violation no matter how small professionals share how they it means to invoke Article V. your paper is. It is OK to create covered the stories. Learn what your own graphics from you should know before disaster ■ material, however. Don’t forget the visual. Include an editorial cartoon. strikes. Case studies include natural disasters, school violence, ■ http://www.terrorism.com Have a glossary sidebar or fact box of military intelligence suicide and student deaths and agencies such as the CIA, FBI and NSA. How do these The Terrorism Research athletic injuries. Exercises are groups work together to curb terrorist attacks? How much do Center: An academic and provided. Contact JEA in they spend each year? How many people do they employ? public interest site. In addition Manhattan, Kansas, at 785-532- to analysis and commentary, 5532 or [email protected]. A the site provides extensive ■ Compile a composite story of commonly asked questions and preview of the publication is links to sites about terrorism. answers such as, "If we've known Osama bin Laden is a available at danger to the U.S., why haven't we caught him by now?" "Will http://i.bigchalk.com/U/ustrage http://www.jea.org/newswire/trage dy/imagine.html. the cost of airline tickets go up now?" "When will the dy/ Pentagon be rebuilt?" America's Tragedy: This educational resources site provides news updates and links to many resources