PATRIOT DAY Research Project (September 11th Lesson Plan) + Rubric

Empower your students to understand and honor September 11th with this unique, fun, and comprehensive PATRIOT DAY RESEARCH PROJECT with Rubric Teacher Resource.

Get the COMPLETE LESSON PLAN HERE

This engaging resource was created for teachers looking for a creative, meaningful and sensitive way to provide lessons surrounding the events that occurred on September 11, 2001.

Patriot Day Research Project

This project is ideal for history and social studies classes and works especially well with upper elementary, middle school, and even early high school students.

Hi there, it’s so great to meet you! I’m Mrs. T. (Love 2 Teach and Learn) or you can call me Jen – a Michigan mom, wife, new grandma (aka “Jemma”) and K-12 PE teacher who has also taught Kindergarten, 3rd, and 6th grades.

And as a teacher in today’s kinda crazy world, I’m on a serious mission to MAKE SCHOOL FUN AGAIN!

This is a very interesting research project that provides students ownership over their learning, allowing students to use their creativity while learning about the importance and significance of PATRIOT DAY and related topics that interest THEM.

Let’s break this PATRIOT DAY Research Project down in just 4 easy steps.

Research Project Step #1 – Choose a Topic

FIRST, ask your students to choose a “PATRIOT DAY Research Project TOPIC” that interests them.

Here are a few topic and theme suggestions for you:

HEROISM – (What does it mean to be a hero, 9/11 Heroes, Who is the greatest hero you know and why?)
UNITED STATES FLAG – (The history of the American Flag, What do the symbols of the flag represent, Flag etiquette and traditions.)
BRAVERY – (What does it mean to be brave, Who showed bravery during and after the 9/11 tragedy?)
FIRST RESPONDERS – Who are first responders and why are they so important for our country, Would you like to be a first responder?
PATRIOT DAY VOCABULARY WORDS – (What do the following words mean: Freedom, Honor, Unity, Courage, Community, Hope, Respect)
WORLD TRADE CENTER – (The History of the World Trade Center, Learning about the Freedom Tower)
MEMORIALS – (What exactly is a memorial, Why do we have them and why are they important?)
PATRIOTISM – (What is a patriot and how can we demonstrate patriotism in our daily lives?)

Research Project Step #2 – Gather the Facts

Patriot Day Research Project - Gather the Facts

NEXT, have your students spend some time gathering 5-8 facts related to their topic. This project can be assigned as homework or you can give them some time to work during class if you want.

Research Project Step #3 – Choose a Project Type

Patriot Day Research Project - Choose a Project Type

THEN, have your students choose a creative and engaging way to organize and share their information.

I always tell my students that this is the really fun part of the Patriot Day Research Project because they get to relax and let their creative juices run wild.

Here are a bunch of creative ideas and suggestions for you to share with your students:

SONG or a RAP
DIORAMA
PAMPHLET
POSTER
VIDEO or a SKIT
REPORT
“PATRIOT DAY” BOOK
BOARD GAME

Although I give my students the PATRIOT DAY RESEARCH Project Guide with step-by-step directions and suggestions, I do allow my students to choose a different way to present their information if they have other project ideas that they would like to do.

Research Project Step #4 – Complete Your Project

Patriot Day Research Project - Step #4 Complete the Project.

FINALLY, the last step is the best step. Encourage your students to JUST HAVE FUN and Complete their Projects!

This project encourages critical thinking, research skills, and most of all, empathy.

Students will gain a deeper understanding of this pivotal moment in American history while developing essential academic abilities.

Research Project RUBRIC

I highly recommend using a simple rubric or expectation checklist when assigning this project to your students.

Additionally, I require my students to write about two interesting things they learned during this project experience.

I keep my rubric and project checklist very simple and straightforward for my students.

My Patriot Day Research Project Checklist includes the following:

My name is included on my project
I included a title for my project
My project includes at least 5 facts related to my topic
My final project is neat and visually appealing
I wrote two important things I learned below

This Patriot Day Research Project encourages critical thinking, research skills, and empathy.

Students will gain a deeper understanding of this pivotal moment in American history while developing essential academic abilities.

Whether you’re planning a dedicated Patriot Day lesson or integrating 9/11 content into your curriculum, this resource provides everything you need to create a thoughtful, informative, and respectful learning experience.

Don’t miss this opportunity to bring history to life and foster patriotism in your classroom.

PATRIOT DAY Research Project TIPS

There are so many possible ways that this simple yet versatile resource can be used.

INDIVIDUAL PROJECT – Creative and Meaningful way to provide student learning surrounding the events of September 11, 2001.
GROUP PROJECT – Create groups of students and use to assess student knowledge at the beginning or end of a social studies or history unit.
ONLINE or ALTERNATIVE (or Opt-Out) ASSIGNMENT – This project can easily be used for students who are sick or injured and can’t participate in or are absent from class, due to vacation or other reasons.
END-OF-UNIT ASSESSMENT (Exit Ticket)
HOMESCHOOL PARENTS – a great way to teach your child about the events that unfolded on September 11, 2001.

But most importantly – JUST HAVE FUN!

This is such a fun and interesting research project that empowers students to creatively reflect and take ownership over their learning.

Save yourself some serious planning time and snag my NO PREP 2-Page Patriot Day Research Project complete with easy-to-follow student instructions, creative project options, and simple rubric with checklist.

It’s all done for you – just hand to your students and let them get busy!

You can get your own PATRIOT DAY RESEARCH PROJECT RIGHT HERE!