By By Lynette Wilson / staff writer
Sept. 12, 2002
Eighth-grade science teacher Sherry Stewart uses the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to teach her students everything from chemistry to structural engineering.
Stewart is one of several teachers in Lauderdale County public schools who have incorporated the Sept. 11 attacks into their daily lesson plans a move encouraged by the school district.
Clara Godine, Lauderdale County School District's curriculum director, said the district office sent teachers examples of how they could work Sept. 11 into their classroom exercises.
Physics lesson
Stewart said one of the things her students wanted to know after the attacks was, from a structural perspective, how the twin towers collapsed.
She said she used the Internet and friends knowledgeable in engineering and construction as sources of information she used in her lesson plan.
Another teachable moment came when British resident Richard Reid attempted to blow up a commercial airliner with bombs hidden in his shoes, she said.
Two views
Stewart said some people believe middle school students are too young to be exposed to world news, while others believe students should have the information they need to form their own opinion.
She said discussing Sept. 11 could not be avoided.
More than 25 percent of the students at Northeast Middle School come from Naval Air Station Meridian. Any time the federal government issues a high terrorism alert, she said, questions start again.
Eighth-grader Nathaniel Salazar said his teachers talked about the weight of the attacks and the importance of knowing and understanding what happened on that day in September.