Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, today’s young students have no living memory of one of the most defining—and tragic—events in modern U.S. history. Some of their teachers don’t, either.
To help educators and families introduce the topic with care, OOPA’S World of Words has partnered with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), with support from Turtle Plastics Foundation, to create “Remembering September 11th,” a five-part video series with companion Teacher and Family Guides for children ages 5 and older.
The series, launching June 15, gives teachers and families a framework for discussing 9/11 without overwhelming young children, connecting the history of the day to concepts they can grasp: what it means to remember, respond in an emergency, recognize helpers, preserve memories and serve a community.
“Remembering September 11th” uses movement, storytelling and carefully chosen words to help children understand the significance of 9/11 through developmentally appropriate themes. This approach aims to help children better contextualize the moments of silence, memorial services, and news coverage that many will encounter leading up to, and during, this year’s milestone anniversary.
“We made a promise to never forget 9/11, and part of keeping that promise is helping the next generation understand what happened with honesty and care,” said National Fallen Firefighters Foundation CEO Victor Stagnaro. “That is not easy, especially for young children. We are proud to partner with OOPA’S World of Words and the Turtle Plastics Foundation to give educators and parents a thoughtful way to talk about 9/11, while honoring the first responders who were on the ground and those who died in the line of duty.”
“Children have an innate desire to move their bodies. Movement can be a crucial bridge to learning for young children. When new concepts are experienced through multiple modalities, including movement, we increase accessibility to substantive learning and emotional understanding for any child,” said Rupa Mehta, Founder of NaliniKIDS and Creator of OOPA’s World of Words. “With the Remembering September 11th series, we set out to apply our philosophy to a difficult but important moment, creating an accessible and thoughtful way for young learners to understand its historical significance.”
OOPA’s World of Words, a division of NaliniKIDS, is an early childhood educational video series that uses intentional physical movement and language as an entry point to learning. The classroom program is currently being implemented in multiple New York City public schools, with an expansion scheduled for September across all five boroughs in partnership with the city’s Department for Early Childhood Education.
Leveraging the OOPA’S World of Words’ signature approach of intentional movement and the power of words, each video is framed around a specific theme—ANNIVERSARY, EMERGENCY, HERO, MEMORY, and SERVICE—creating a meaningful narrative around 9/11 and allowing children to make real-world connections to these words.
Each of the five videos features a guest with a personal connection to 9/11, from an 11-year-old girl whose grandfather responded to the attack on the Pentagon to former FDNY Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano, who was the Citywide Tour Commander on 9/11. The interactive segments are designed to get kids up and moving while helping them process and reflect on this event in an age-appropriate way.
The companion Teacher and Family Guides support learning with extension activities, related book recommendations, lesson plans for teachers, and discussion prompts for families.
“This series has the power to help young people understand our nation’s history, build empathy, and carry its lessons forward,” said Turtle Plastics Foundation Trustee Liz D. Paintiff. “Supporting work like this is central to the Turtle Plastics Foundation’s mission of advancing education and strengthening communities through health, safety, and community wellbeing.”
“Remembering September 11th” will launch June 15, with videos distributed throughout the summer leading up to 9/11. The official trailer is available now on OOPA’S World of Words YouTube channel.
Access the entire resource, and sign up for communications about updates, at oopasworldofwords.org/remembering-september-11.
