Today marks the 11th anniversary of 9/11 and this year I'm teaching 4th graders who are mostly nine years old. I think it's more important than ever to keep remembering that day so that children who weren't even a sparkle in their parents' eyes in 2001 realize what that event was like for all of us who lived through it. It's also cathartic for us who remember it clearly to tell our stories. Stories are what bond us in good times and bad. That day we saw what humanity was in its rawest form - as horrified as we were by the evil, heroism shone its brightest alongside it. Isn't that what the best stories are made of ? The reluctant hero defeats the most evil of villains.
Today I'll share The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordecai Gerstein, the true story of a French man named Philippe Petit who, in 1974, threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky. It's a great way to share the whimsy, dreams, and determination of people while remembering one way the World Trade Center became a part of our lives. Kids love the story, and it's age appropriate for middle graders. I will also show the movie adaptation.
So today, share your story and listen to the stories of others who lived to tell about that fateful day in 2001, and remember to live each moment to its fullest.
On a fitting note, my book club met last night to discuss "The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland" by Jim DeFede. A friend had given the book to me, knowing that I had been one of the stranded Americans in Canada on that fateful day. The consensus was clear...everyone loved the book! For me, it was an incredible re-living of the events of 9/11 and the days that followed. I dug out the e-mail that I had sent to friends and family immediately upon my return and found that it matched so many aspects of the book perfectly! I highly recommend the book for all ages.
ReplyDeleteWow! I will definitely put that on my TBR pile! I remember what you went through that day stranded in Canada - so scary!
DeleteThere is a youtube documentary called "Phillipe Petite and the Twin Towers" that is a documentary about THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. I am reading the book to my class and showing the documentary. It is about 15 minutes long.
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you! The kids are all amazed that it is a true story and all want to know if Phillipe Petite is still alive! Reading the book and watching the documentary would be a great way to compare two types of media about the same topic!
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