Ground Zero

Use this activity to engage all types of learners while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Research Presentation: 9/11 First Responders”

In this activity, students will research how different first response services supported the victims of 9/11 and share their findings with the class.

A “first responder” is an individual who is trained to assist people in an emergency. In the novel, Gratz references different first responder teams that supported people as they tried to leave the World Trade Center. Working in small groups, select one of the following teams of first responders and research their responsibilities in supporting victims of 9/11.

First Responder Groups:

• Port Authority Police Department
• New York Fire Department
• New York Police Department
• Paramedics
• Search-and-rescue dogs and handlers
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• New York National Guard

Use the following questions to guide your research:

• Which team are you focusing on?
• What was this team’s purpose in supporting victims of 9/11?
• How does Gratz include this first responder team in the novel?
• What happened to these teams? How did they sacrifice their lives for others?
• Were they honored for their service? If so, how?

Share your findings with the class in a presentation. Be sure to include photographs, videos, and audio recordings, if relevant.

Teaching Suggestion: This Activity develops students’ research and presentation skills based on the context of sacrifices that individuals made during the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Throughout the novel, Gratz references several different teams of first responders, including the Port Authority, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers, many of whom sacrificed their lives to help others. Divide students into groups based on the type of first responder and provide them with guidance for their presentations, including a grading rubric for their group’s assessment. Based on the class level, students may need support developing presentation skills in a group dynamic; be sure to provide the necessary resources.

Differentiation Suggestion: For a creative approach, this activity may be amended to the following writing activity: Imagine that you are responsible for memorializing the first responders who lost their lives during the 9/11 attacks. What would your plan be? How would you pay tribute to those who gave their lives? Share your event with the class.