Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

1

Students will be able to investigate eyewitness accounts of 9/11 to explain why the event became a turning point in U.S. history.

2

Students will be able to compare the guest speaker’s oral history with news footage, photographs, and written firsthand accounts to determine how each medium emphasizes different details about 9/11.

3

Students will be able to analyze key U.S. response documents and memorial texts to explain how safety, nationalism, unity, and civil liberties were shaped after 9/11.

Products

individual

9/11 Eyewitness Evidence Portfolio and Narrative Reflection

Each student creates a research-based portfolio that includes notes from the guest speaker, evidence from at least two other sources, and a short narrative explaining why 9/11 matters. The product proves individual understanding of the event, its sources, and its human impact.

team

Student-Friendly 9/11 Public History Mini-Exhibit with Talk Script

Teams create a low-tech mini-exhibit and short presentation script for a younger school audience that combines eyewitness testimony, source comparisons, and key historical context. The shared product shows how the team used individual research to define the problem and explain 9/11 with accuracy and empathy.

Rubric
Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric
Category
Learning Goal
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies
Effective Communication
  • I can use a clear, age-appropriate voice to share what I learned from an eyewitness story or an evidence source, including a few important details
  • I can point to how the source helps explain why 9/11 matters.
  • I can compare details from two different mediums (like a speaker’s testimony and a photo or video) and describe which details each one emphasizes
  • I can organize my speaking or writing so my audience can follow my main idea and the evidence that supports it.
  • I can analyze how a source’s message and emphasized details shape what people think about safety, nationalism, or unity after 9/11
  • I can present my public history piece using well-chosen details and a clear sequence, and I can use discussion moves (like building on others’ ideas) to explain my thinking respectfully.
  • I can synthesize information across multiple sources (eyewitness account, credible testimony, and public documents) to craft an accurate, empathetic narrative about immediate impacts and long-term effects
  • I can communicate persuasively to my audience—selecting what to emphasize, addressing questions, and revising based on feedback to strengthen clarity, structure, and evidence.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
  • Level 1: I can ask and answer simple questions about a firsthand account of 9/11 and identify a few key details that help explain what happened and why it mattered to people.
  • Level 2: I can compare two accounts about 9/11 (like an eyewitness story and a photo/timeline/news report) and explain which details each one emphasizes and how that changes what I learn.
  • Level 3: I can use evidence from multiple mediums (testimony, documents, images, and timelines) to explain how different sources describe the immediate event and its long-term effects on security, civil liberties, and people’s attitudes.
  • Level 4: I can analyze how historical documents and different accounts connect to themes (such as safety, nationalism, unity, or fear) and I can justify my conclusions with specific evidence while selecting the most relevant details for an age-appropriate audience.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Content Expertise
  • I can identify and use important details from one source I’m studying (like a speech, photo, or eyewitness story) to explain what happened and why it matters to people
  • I can tell which details the source focuses on most.
  • I can compare two sources about 9/11 (for example, a speech and a photo or eyewitness account) and describe how each source emphasizes different details
  • I can use those details to explain the impact of 9/11 on people and communities in my own words.
  • I can analyze multiple accounts and determine how different mediums or documents emphasize different perspectives, themes, or ideas about safety, freedom, or unity
  • I can select well-chosen details and organize them into a clear, age-appropriate narrative that supports my explanation of why 9/11 still matters.
  • I can synthesize evidence from eyewitness testimony and multiple historical texts to create a well-structured public history narrative with effective technique and accurate, relevant details
  • I can explain how the sources’ emphasized details connect to key themes (national security, civil liberties, or prejudice) and revise my piece after feedback so it is clear and persuasive for my audience.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Collaboration
  • I can work with a partner or group by listening to others and taking my turn when we make decisions about what to include in our project
  • I can share one idea clearly and respectfully during group discussions and follow agreed-upon roles.
  • I can collaborate with my group to co-design our public history piece by discussing which details from different sources are most helpful to our audience
  • I can build on my classmates’ ideas by asking questions, responding to feedback, and helping the group reach decisions respectfully.
  • I can lead parts of our collaboration by facilitating respectful discussions, staying focused on the task, and using evidence from multiple sources to support group choices
  • I can resolve disagreements by negotiating next steps, synthesizing differing perspectives, and clearly explaining my reasoning to the group.
  • I can collaborate with others as an active team leader by organizing group work, supporting equitable participation, and strengthening shared-decision making
  • I can analyze how different accounts emphasize different details and help the group revise our product accordingly, demonstrating empathy and persuasive communication in our final presentations.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Academic Mindset
  • I can share what I notice about 9/11 and its impact by asking questions and trying out ideas for what my classmates and I should understand (for example, how people felt, what changed, and why it still matters).
  • I can explain how my thinking changes as I learn from different sources about 9/11 by choosing details I find trustworthy and giving a reason for why those details matter for understanding history in an age-appropriate way.
  • I can use evidence from eyewitness testimony and other historical materials to form and refine my own understanding of how and why 9/11 changed life in the United States, including how fear and nationalism affected people’s rights and daily experiences.
  • I can independently reflect on my learning and adjust my public history choices by connecting multiple accounts and key ideas (themes from important documents and firsthand accounts) to explain “why it matters” clearly, thoughtfully, and with empathy.