As a history and social studies educator, I find it imperative to encourage my students to ask questions, think critically, and analyze primary sources when possible. I am most interested in recent history for its immediate relevance to the current status of our world, and the world of young students. By far, the most interesting, important, and controversial recent event was "9/11".
There are hundreds of primary source videos of the collapses of the iconic Twin Towers, and of the nearby 47 story WTC Building #7. Whatever your present belief about 9/11 may be, the magnitude of 9/11 and its repercussions cannot be denied. It deserves a real investigation, if not by Congress, why not by your American history class?
The world wide web offers the ability to reexamine this historic event by watching primary source videos shot by television stations, home video cameras, and cell phones. There are hundreds available on YouTube. The internet is also an excellent place to find a vast array of information and opinions about 9/11 and post-9/11 American domestic and foreign policy.
The diversity of free, web based multimedia about this critical event allows for open ended exploration, and it can support a deep, critical investigation and debate about the attacks of 9/11 and the ensuing actions of American government and media. Opening this debate sparks inquiry, critical thinking, and student engagement in the classroom, and encourages learners to apply critical evaluations of other historic and current events, as well.
Students could read and respond to YouTube video comments sections with research-backed information as part of a learning activity. A culminating project could be for students to engage in debate or dialectic and form self assigned groups in which they create their own video or podcast to post online, from their own perspectives, backed by sourced research.
Below are two videos that spark interest in further research.
1. This video shows primary footage of the WTC 7 collapse compared to primary footage of controlled demolitions.
"This is an Orange" by Anthony Lawson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv7BImVvEyk
2. This video is a recording of the BBC news broadcast in which reporter Jane Standley reported the collapse of WTC 7 before it occurred. The building is visible in her background.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mxFRigYD3s
Yes, I believe that Tower 7 collapsed from an intention detonation of explosives that are built into the building for quick and easy demolition.
ReplyDeleteThis is supported by the admission of Larry Silverstein in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p34XrI2Fm6I
He said "Pull it."
I like how you described how this could all be put together into a lesson. Were you able to find any examples or partial examples of how this might be completed?
Z
Are you saying that you think they built explosives into the building to have handy, "just in case?"
ReplyDeleteOr that a professional demolition crew was rushed into the burning building to place thermate explosives on core columns in order to demolish the building, instead of letting it burn?
Silverstein did say "pull it." Many have criticized him for letting it slip that he was involved. He has since "clarified" this statement, saying that he was talking about pulling the firefighters out of the building.
NIST, the National Institute of Standards & Technology, has stated that the "official" cause of the WTC 7 collapse was due to office fires begun by debris from the Twin Towers' collapse. This is preposterous for a plethora or reasons. It does not take an architect or engineer to know that WTC was a controlled demolition, but there are hundreds of these professionals who have spoken out. See the link to a video from "Architects & Engineers for 911 Truth."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZEvA8BCoBw&feature=player_embedded#!
It is also worthy to note that the Twin Towers came down the same way that WTC 7 did, in a rapid, near perfect collapse into their own footprint.