Media in the Time of Tragedy

The tragic acts of terrorism of September 11, 2001, prompted the Educational Services Department of The Washington Post to provide a collection of activities, lesson plans and Web resources for teachers. We encourage teachers and publications advisers to use these unprecedented acts in the American experience to teach students how such tragedy is handled in the media. In this curriculum guide, teachers are provided three lessons. "Today's First Rough Draft of History," focuses on using the newspaper to understand terrorist attacks. In addition to today's articles, teachers are provided with excerpts from three other stories of terrorism and national uncertainty: The attack on Pearl Harbor, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the downing of Flight 103 over Scotland. "The Horror and the Heroes," presents a study of the September 13 Post editorial. The third lesson, "Finding the Local Angle," gives newspaper advisers hints for including the terrorist attacks in a special section of their publications. "Terrorism" is the focus of the Word Study and activities for using the newspaper in many disciplines and looking at symbolism are also provided.