September 11 Attacks: 20 Years Later

THREE OPTIONS:

Choose one of the storytelling activities below. You can choose to conduct interviews in-person or via Zoom/video conference.

1: Interview with a teacher

Interview a teacher at your school about life before, during, and after the September 11 attacks. Find a teacher who you know talks a lot about civics, politics, government, and history (preferably a social studies teacher). Alternatively, find someone who was in your current grade at the time and interview them.

2: Interview with a family member or community member(ex. Service members, firefighter, EMT, NYC resident during 9/11 attacks, etc.)

Interview an adult about life before, during, and after the September 11 attacks.

3: Interview with another student.

Interview a fellow student about what they know and don’t know about the September 11 attacks and how they believe it may have impacted their family and community.

STORYTELLING ASSIST: Read through our ART OF THE INTERVIEW SLIDES for tips and tricks

SAMPLE QUESTIONS: Please use these questions as a guide, not a script. Pick the ones that speak to you as the interviewer and help you tell a cohesive story about your subject’s experience. Add your own questions and ask good follow up questions. Whether you’re answering the questions or interviewing someone else, please make sure the person on camera answers in full sentences and includes the question in their response. For example: “Do you think it’s important for students to learn about the 9/11 attacks? Why or why not?” “I think it’s important for students to learn about the 9/11 attacks, because…”

STUDENT TO ADULT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

• Tell me about your day on September 11, 2001, as best as you can remember. Where were you? What did you do before, during, and after the attacks?
• How have the September 11 attacks impacted your family and friends?
• Are you worried that an attack similar to 9/11 could happen again? Why or why not?
• What are your memories of how 9/11 brought Americans together? How did 9/11 divide Americans?
• What perceptions have changed in the American consciousness and society around the words terrorism, Muslims, Islam, jihadism?
• What other events during your life do you think had as big of an impact on the world?
• What similarities and differences do you see between the public's responses to 9/11 and the current pandemic?
• How do you think the pandemic brought Americans together? How has it divided Americans?

• The 9/11 attacks resulted in significant changes in US national security policy. What policy changes do you think will result from the aftermath of the pandemic?

• In 2021, what global issues concern you the most? Why?
• The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan leaves millions of Afghans in uncertainty about the future of their government. Do you think the United States government should do more to ensure the safety and stability of the Afghani people? If so, what?
• How successful do you think the 20-year invasion of Afghanistan has been?
• What do you think the legacy of the war in Afghanistan will be?
• What advice do you have for me as a young person to better understand the impact of the September 11 attacks?
• What does being an American mean to you?

TEACHER-FOCUSED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

• How are the events of 9/11 taught in schools 20 years later?
• Why do you think students learning about 9/11 is important?
• Are the events of 9/11 in your school textbooks? If so, quickly summarize how the textbooks cover the 9/11 attacks.
• What changes have been made to our government and politics since 9/11?
• How has the study of civic education changed?

ADULT TO STUDENT OR STUDENT TO STUDENT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

• When did you first learn about the September 11 attacks?
• How have the attacks affected your family, if at all?
• What do you wish you knew or understood more regarding the Sept 11 attacks?
• What could we do differently to help young people understand the impact and importance of the September 11 attacks?
• For students: What do you wish you knew about the attacks on 9/11?
• How can schools do a better job of making historical events before students were born more interesting?
• What do the September 11 attacks mean to you?
• How do you think the world would be different if the attacks hadn't happened?
• What does being an American mean to you?

PRODUCTION STEPS:

• Review this example of conducting an interview with a teacher and a PBS NewsHour example on: How these September 11th babies, now voting age, see America
• Decide who you want to interview (teacher, family or community member, or peer)
• Brainstorm interview subjects and research the topic
• Reach out to your interview subject(s) for a pre-interview and schedule a recording date. Decide if it will be an in-person or virtual interview. If possible, record both the interviewer and interviewee on camera.
• Prepare your questions and complete your research
• Record the interview(s) and make sure to thank your subject for their time. Get them to sign our media release if they are under 18.

ON CAMERA IDENTIFICATION: For the record, please say and spell your full name (first and last) on camera. Also please describe how you want to be identified in this video. For example, “I’m an 11th grade student at Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California” NOTE: SRL’S EDITORS NEED THIS INFORMATION AND WON’T BE ABLE TO PUBLISH YOUR VIDEO WITHOUT IT

• Transfer your footage to your computer or device and transcribe using  Otter or similar service
• Submit your raw video and transcripts using  this SUBMISSION FORM to submit your materials. SRL IS LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF SUBMISSIONS TO THE BEST 5 PER SCHOOL OR CLASS. Work individually, with your editor or as a class to identify the most compelling interviews.

PRODUCTION GUIDELINES:

USE/DOWNLOAD:

•  SRL RAPID RESPONSES SKILLS AND STANDARDS CHECKLIST

EXAMPLE OF DESIRED COMPOSITION FOR RAPID RESPONSES:

Looking at the camera, centered, from the chest up, eyes on upper third, normal headroom.