What to Expect
Designed for students grades 9-12 to explore and investigate primary sources to help understand the events that took place aboard Flight 93. Rangers will share resource information and challenge students to use their critical and analytical thinking skills.
Preparation
To have the best experience, educators are strongly encouraged to share educational materials related to Flight 93 before watching the program. These materials include the Story of Flight 93 and the Timeline, which give students a clear overview about the events of September 11th. Investigating Flight 93 will challenge students to use their critical and analytical thinking skills to research several primary source documents, such as:
Beginning on September 11, 2023
Registered participants will receive access to the Investigating Flight 93 program, via Zoom. Park Rangers will share additional information about the investigation of Flight 93 and the primary sources. Available only on September 11, students can ask questions during live Question and Answer sessions with Park Rangers. These sessions will begin at 1:00 pm ET and 3:00 pm ET.
Post activity opportunities
There are a variety of approaches to implement students to complete their own investigations into the primary sources from Flight 93.
Option 1: Divide students into three groups. Each group will analyze one of the three primary source materials:
After analyzing each document, regroup and facilitate a conversation based on the questions asked during the program, including the following central question:
- What do you believe happened on Flight 93 the morning of September 11, 2001?
Option 2: Provide all sets of primary source documents for all students to analyze. Have students write a summary report on what they learned from their research.
Option 3: Have students watch Be the Next Hero: The Investigation of United Flight 93, a video from the FBI, which focuses on employees at the Pittsburgh FBI and their response to the hijacking, crash and investigation of Flight 93. Have students write a summary report about what they learned from both videos.
Option 4: Students across the nation have the opportunity to “Write to Remember”, a collaboration with the National Writing Project. This activity allows students to share writing in response to prompts about Flight 93 and September 11th. Assign students one of the writing prompts for a post-video activity.
