An Optional Visual Bonus Project
September 11, 2001 changed the United States and the lives of millions of people.
For many of you, 9/11 is history—you were not yet born when it happened. But history is more than dates in a textbook. It lives in people's memories, photographs, objects, media, communities, and stories.
For this bonus project, you will explore ONE story of September 11 in a creative and visual way.
Choose ONE of the three options below.
👥 OPTION 1 | THE MEMORY
Talk to Someone Who Remembers
Find someone who remembers September 11, 2001. This could be a parent, grandparent, relative, professor, coworker, neighbor, or another adult.
Ask them:
1. Where were you when you first heard what was happening?
2. What is one thing you remember most vividly about that day?
3. Do you think America changed afterward? If so, how?
4. Feel free to ask your own questions, these are only suggestions.
🎨 Turn their story into a visual.
Create ONE of the following:
- Digital memory card
- Mini infographic
- Scrapbook page
- Photo collage
- Six-panel comic
- 60–90 second video
- Another creative visual format
You may include a photograph of the person with their permission, but it is not required.
Include one memorable quote or idea from your interview.
At the bottom, complete:
“This story taught me that ______________________________.”
🎒 OPTION 2 | THE OBJECT
Tell the Story Through One Object
Sometimes an ordinary object can tell an extraordinary story.
Choose ONE object connected to September 11 and use it to explore part of the story.
Your object might be:
📱 A cell phone ✈️ An airplane 📺 A television 📰 A newspaper 🇺🇸 An American flag 🚒 A firefighter helmet 📷 A photograph 🕯️ A candle ☎️ A telephone 🎗️ A ribbon
Or choose another meaningful object.
🔎 What story does your object tell?
Create a visual showing:
What is the object?
How does it connect to September 11?
What can it teach us about people, society, culture, community, or change?
Feel free to ask your own questions, these are only suggestions.
Your finished product could be a poster, infographic, collage, digital museum exhibit, illustrated page, or another creative visual.
📱 OPTION 3 | THE FEED
What If Social Media Existed on 9/11?
Facebook did not exist.
Instagram did not exist.
TikTok did not exist.
X/Twitter did not exist.
Smartphones did not exist.
Yet millions of people were desperately trying to understand what was happening.
Imagine September 11 unfolding in today's digital world.
Create a mock social-media feed showing how people might have communicated during the events of September 11.
You might include posts from:
👤 Ordinary citizens 📰 News organizations 🚒 First responders 🏛️ Government agencies ❤️ Family members searching for loved ones 🌎 People watching from around the world
Your posts should be respectful and historically plausible. Clearly label the project as a historical reimagining; do not present invented posts or quotes as authentic records from 2001.
Finish your visual by answering:
Would social media have helped people understand what was happening—or made the confusion worse? Why?
A few sentences are enough.
❤️ REMEMBER THE PEOPLE
September 11 involved tremendous loss of life and continues to carry personal meaning for many families and communities.
Your project does NOT need graphic images to be powerful.
Focus instead on:
People • Memory • Community • Society • Resilience • Change
Be thoughtful. Be respectful.
Most importantly...
BE CREATIVE.
There is no single “right” way to tell a story. My courses are designed to see your creative approach to knowledge and what you have learned. I want you to enjoy my course and leave at the end of the semester with knowledge and understanding that you did not have before and be the change. Look up, "The Butterfly Effect".