Session 1 Facilitator Script

Total Time: 30 minutes

1. Warm-Up Activity (5 minutes)

Teacher (T): “Good morning, everyone! Today we begin our two-session unit called ‘9/11: Ubuntu in Action.’ Over the next 30 minutes, we’ll learn about the events of 9/11 and two guiding principles: Ubuntu—‘I am because we are’—and ganas, our personal drive to support each other. Let’s build our background knowledge with a quick game.”

T: “I’m handing out the Group Reaction Game Cards to your small groups. When you get your cards, work together to sort them into two piles: Known—things you’ve heard of—and Unknown—things you’ve never seen or heard before. Ready? Go!”

(Circulate, giving extra processing time to groups or individuals who need it. Offer sentence starters on the board: “I know this because…,” “This is new to me…”)

T (after 2–3 minutes): “Okay, let’s stop. Which group wants to share one Known card and one Unknown card? How could ganas—our drive to learn—help you explore the Unknown?”

(Listen to 2–3 responses. Acknowledge each: “Great connection!”)

T: “Fantastic. Your ganas to dive in will help us as we dive deeper.”

2. Introduction & Reading (8 minutes)

T: “Now, everyone, please turn your attention to the screen as I launch our Session 1 Slide Deck.”

(Advance to Slide 1: Title.)

T: “Here’s our focus: understanding what happened on 9/11 and exploring Ubuntu and ganas—how compassion and drive bring communities together.”

(Advance to Slide 2: Objectives.)

T (pointing): “Our objectives are to:
• Understand key events of September 11, 2001
• Explore Ubuntu, ‘I am because we are’
• Cultivate ganas—our energy to help each other
• Build empathy through discussion and activities
Any questions?”

(Pause. Provide extra wait time for students with speech disorders.)

T: “Let’s read from our 9/11 Fact Sheet. I’ll read a paragraph, then pause for questions.”

(Read first paragraph slowly, highlight text.)

T: “What questions do you have about this section?”

(Field 1–2 clarifying questions. Then assign a peer-buddy pair to read the next section.)

3. Guided Discussion (7 minutes)

T: “Great work. Now let’s connect what we learned to Ubuntu and ganas. Please turn to Slide 5: ‘Introducing Ubuntu.’”

(Advance to Slide 5.)

T: “Ubuntu means ‘I am because we are.’ It focuses on compassion and unity. Ganas is our drive to put that compassion into action. Who can paraphrase either idea?”

(Allow 1–2 volunteers. Offer starters: “Ubuntu means…,” “Ganas means…”)

T: “Thank you. Next, on Slide 6 is our discussion prompt.”

(Advance to Slide 6: Discussion prompt.)

T: “How might Ubuntu and ganas help communities respond to the tragedy of 9/11? Here’s our plan:

1. Think for one minute—jot a note.
2. Pair up and share ideas.
3. Volunteers share with the class.”
   
   
   
   
   
   

(Circulate, asking guiding questions: “How does ganas move us to action?” “Which Ubuntu action helps most?”)

T: “Who will share one idea about Ubuntu or ganas?”

(Call on 2–3 students. Acknowledge each.)

4. Empathy Mapping Activity (7 minutes)

T: “Now we’ll step into someone else’s shoes using our Empathy Mapping Worksheet. On Slide 7 you see Feel, Think, Say, Do. I’ll model with ‘firefighter’: I might feel fear but also ganas—determination—to save lives.”

(Advance to Slide 7. Model each quadrant.)

T: “In your small groups, choose a stakeholder. Fill out each quadrant. Think: how would Ubuntu shape their feelings and ganas guide their actions?”

(Distribute worksheets. Circulate with prompts: “Where does ganas show up?” “How does Ubuntu show unity?”)

T (at 2 minutes left): “Finish your map. Then pick one insight about Ubuntu or ganas to share.”

(After time, ask a group to share.)

T: “Excellent—your ganas to understand leads to real empathy.”

5. Cool-Down Reflection (3 minutes)

T: “To finish, grab a Reflection Slip Handout. On it, write or draw:

1. One new thing you learned about Ubuntu or ganas
2. One question you still have”
   
   
   

(Distribute slips. After 2 minutes, ring chime.)

T: “Please drop slips in the basket. I’ll review them before Session 2.”

T: “Great work today. Next time, we’ll read a 9/11 survivor’s story and plan our final Ubuntu and ganas project. See you then!”

Inclusive Notes:

• Provide extra wait‐time after each question.
• Use peer buddies for reading and discussion.
• Offer sentence starters and visual cues.
• Accept written or drawn responses.

9/11 Fact Sheet

What Happened on September 11, 2001

On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, four commercial airplanes were hijacked by terrorists. Two planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, one plane struck the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania when passengers tried to stop the hijackers. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that day.

Timeline of Key Events

• 8:46 AM – Flight 11 hits the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
• 9:03 AM – Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower.
• 9:37 AM – Flight 77 strikes the Pentagon.
• 10:03 AM – Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania.
• By 10:30 AM – Both World Trade Center towers collapse.

Why It Matters

• The attacks changed the way people travel and how nations work together to stop terrorism.
• New security measures were put in place at airports and government buildings.
• Communities came together to support victims and their families.

Important Terms

• Hijack – To take control of a vehicle, such as an airplane, by force.
• Pentagon – The five-sided U.S. Department of Defense headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
• Terrorist – A person who uses violence or threats to scare people and pursue political aims.

Reflection Questions

1. How do you think people felt on that day?
2. Why is it important to remember events like 9/11?

Empathy Mapping Worksheet

Instructions: In your small group, select one stakeholder from 9/11 (e.g., first responder, survivor, family member).
Write or draw your ideas in each section below to step into their shoes.

Stakeholder: ____________________________

1. What might they FEEL?

1. What might they THINK?

1. What might they SAY?

1. What might they DO?

Ubuntu Discussion Guide

Purpose: Help students connect the Ubuntu principle—“I am because we are”—to community responses after a tragedy like 9/11. Foster respectful listening, empathetic thinking, and collaborative conversation.

Discussion Guidelines

• Listen respectfully and wait your turn.
• Use “I” statements (e.g., “I think…,” “I feel…”).
• Honor different perspectives; there are no “wrong” ideas.
• Support peers with extra wait time or sentence starters if needed.

Think-Pair-Share Prompts (7 minutes)

1. Think (1 minute):
   • How might the idea of “I am because we are” help communities respond to the events of 9/11?
   • What images or actions come to mind when you hear Ubuntu in this context?
2. Pair (2 minutes):
   • Share your ideas with a partner.
   • Ask each other: “What does Ubuntu look like in real life?”
3. Share (4 minutes):
   • Volunteers report one idea from their pair.
   • Teacher records key phrases on the board for reference.

Follow-Up Questions

• What specific actions (small or large) demonstrate Ubuntu after a tragedy?
• Who in the 9/11 story (first responders, survivors, families, neighbors) best shows Ubuntu? Why?
• How can Ubuntu guide how we remember and honor people affected by 9/11?
• Can you think of a time when someone showed Ubuntu in your life or community?

Scaffolds & Supports

• Sentence Starters:

• “Ubuntu reminds me that…”
• “A way to help after a tragedy is…”
• “Communities can show care by…”
  • Visual Cues: Teacher posts key words (compassion, unity, support) on the board.
  • Peer Buddies: Pair students so one can assist with speaking or note-taking.
  • Extra Wait Time: Pause 5–7 seconds after each question before calling on volunteers.

Note for Teachers: Encourage both spoken and drawn/written responses. Validate contributions and highlight how each idea reflects Ubuntu in action.

Group Reaction Game Cards

Use in Warm-Up Activity: Distribute these cards to small groups. Students will sort the cards into two piles—Known (things they’ve heard of) and Unknown (new terms or images). After sorting, groups share one card from each pile that surprised them.

Instructions for Teachers:

• Shuffle and deal all cards evenly among groups.
• Give students 2–3 minutes to sort.
• Provide sentence starters on the board: “I know this because…,” “This is new to me….”
• Circulate to support students, offering extra processing time or peer-buddy assistance.

Cards

1. World Trade Center
2. Pentagon
3. Hijacked plane
4. Firefighters
5. New York City
6. September 11, 2001
7. Al-Qaeda
8. Osama bin Laden
9. USA PATRIOT Act
10. Ground Zero memorial
11. Department of Homeland Security
12. No-Fly List

Session 2 Warm-Up

Time: 5 minutes
Purpose: Activate prior learning from Session 1 reflections and set the stage for today’s survivor story and Ubuntu + ganas project work.

Materials:

• Reflection Slip Handout slips collected from Session 1
• Chart paper or whiteboard and markers
• (Optional) Quiet background music for focus

Steps:

1. Distribute & Select (1 minute)
   • Hand each student one of the collected Reflection Slips at random.
   • Ask them to read the slip silently and think: “What stands out on this slip, and how did your ganas (drive) help you notice it?”
2. Think-Pair-Share (2 minutes)
   • Think (30 seconds): Students note one new insight or question from their slip and the ganas (energy) they felt while reflecting.
   • Pair (1 minute): Turn to a peer buddy. Share the insight or question and describe how your ganas helped you reflect.
   • Share (30 seconds): Students decide which idea (insight or question) they might want to highlight to the class and how ganas supported their thinking.
3. Whole-Class Highlight (2 minutes)
   • Invite 3–4 volunteers to read aloud the insight or question they chose, mentioning how ganas fueled their reflection.
   • Teacher records key phrases on the board under two columns: “New Learning” and “Questions”, and adds a note about the ganas observed (e.g., “Student’s ganas sparked this question…”).
   • Encourage students with speech needs to point to theirs or have a peer read for them.
4. Connect to Today’s Session
   • Teacher: “Great ideas! I noticed how your ganas—your drive to reflect—helped you bring out these insights. Today we’ll explore a survivor’s story and see how both Ubuntu—‘I am because we are’—and ganas guide our compassion and action.”

Inclusive Supports:

• Provide extra wait‐time (5–7 seconds) after each prompt.
• Offer sentence starters on board:
  • “One thing I learned was…”
  • “I’m still wondering…”
  • “My ganas to learn helped me…”
• Use peer‐buddy reading for students with speech disorders.
• Accept written (pointing) or spoken contributions for the whole‐class share.

Survivor Stories Collection

Survivor Story 1: A Day I’ll Never Forget (Carlos)

My name is Carlos, and I was working as a firefighter in New York City when the planes hit the towers. I arrived at the World Trade Center just minutes after the South Tower was struck. The sky was thick with smoke, and I could hear people calling for help. My heart pounded, but I knew I had to stay calm and focused.

Inside the tower, I climbed stairs that felt endless. Every floor I reached, I heard footsteps and cries. My team and I guided people down stairwells that glowed with emergency lights. I held the hand of a terrified woman who couldn’t walk on her own, helping her step by step. We moved together, reminding each other that we were not alone.

Outside, strangers offered us water and blankets. A teacher hugged her students tight, comforting them as they waited far from the towers. Neighbors opened their doors to firefighters, police officers, and people who had nowhere else to go.

That day taught me the true meaning of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—and the power of ganas—our drive to help one another.

Survivor Story 2: Flight 93 – Courage in the Skies (Aisha)

My name is Aisha, and I was a passenger on United Flight 93. We boarded in Newark that morning, excited for our trip to California. A few hours into the flight, a group of men stormed the cockpit. Fear spread through the cabin like wildfire, but something else did, too: a quiet determination. A passenger whispered, “We have to do something.”

We formed a plan. People called loved ones on their phones, sharing their location and what was happening. Then, together, we charged the hijackers. I remember my heart pounding—not just from fear, but from our ganas, our will to take action. The struggle was brief but fierce. We never made it to the cockpit; the plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field. All of us on board lost our lives, but we stopped the plane from reaching its target.

In those last moments, strangers became a team. We showed Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—by risking everything for each other.

Survivor Story 3: South Tower Escape – A Race Down 100 Flights (Marcus)

Hello, I’m Marcus. I worked on the 78th floor of the South Tower. At 9:03 AM, I felt the building shake and heard a deafening roar. Smoke filled the hallways. My first thought was: “I need to get my team out.” We gathered in the stairwell and began descending—hundreds of people moving together. Every step tested our ganas, our energy to keep going.

On the 50th floor, a woman panicked and couldn’t breathe. Two colleagues and I paused our descent. One wrapped our shirt around her face, another held her arm, and I led her down, repeating: “We’re in this together.” We guided her safely to the lobby, where firefighters took over. Then we continued down until fresh air and light greeted us.

Later, amid the smoke and confusion, neighbors offered water and blankets outside. That day taught me Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—in every act of compassion, big and small.

Survivor Story 4: A Brooklyn Neighbor’s Open Door (Elena)

My name is Elena, and I lived in Brooklyn Heights on September 11, 2001. From my window, I watched the towers billow smoke. Soon, people fled across the Brooklyn Bridge—covered in ash, confused, frightened. My heart clenched. I gathered blankets, towels, water, and ran out the door.

I opened my home to a stream of strangers—office workers, tourists, neighbors I’d never met. We offered them warm drinks and sandwiches. One man, tears in his eyes, said: “Thank you for reminding me there’s still kindness in the world.” We sat on my living room floor, wrapped in blankets, sharing stories and prayers.

That afternoon, my small apartment became a community shelter. People cared for each other—trading shoes, sharing cell phone chargers, holding hands. In that moment, Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—felt like a heartbeat, and our ganas to help lifted everyone’s spirit above the fear.

Ubuntu in Action Worksheet

Instructions: In your small group, choose one scenario from the Group Ubuntu Scenarios Cards. Use this worksheet to step through how the principle of Ubuntu (“I am because we are”) can guide compassionate community actions.

1. Scenario Title: ____________________________

1. Briefly describe the scenario in your own words:

1. Who are the key community members or stakeholders in this scenario?

1. How can the principle of Ubuntu (“I am because we are”) guide compassionate actions in this situation?

1. List three specific actions people in this community could take that demonstrate Ubuntu:
   • Action 1: ____________________________
   
   
   
   
   • Action 2: ____________________________
   
   
   
   
   • Action 3: ____________________________
   
   
   
   
2. Reflection: Which one of the actions above would you choose to lead in your school or neighborhood? Explain why:

Group Ubuntu Scenarios Cards

Use these scenario cards in the Ubuntu Application Activity (Session 2). In your small group, select one scenario and discuss how the principle of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—can guide compassionate community actions. Then use the Ubuntu in Action Worksheet to plan specific steps.

Scenario Cards

1. Helping Families of First Responders
After 9/11, many firefighters and police officers worked long shifts, leaving their families at home. Community members want to organize support—meals, childcare, and check-ins—for these families.

2. Comforting Evacuated Students
Students from nearby schools were evacuated to a local community center, frightened and unsure when they couldn’t find their parents right away. Volunteers need to create a safe, calm space for them.

3. Organizing a Memorial Gathering
Residents plan a neighborhood vigil at Ground Zero memorial on the anniversary of 9/11. They must decide what activities, speeches, or rituals can honor those who were lost and bring people together.

4. Collecting Supplies for Displaced Workers
Thousands of office workers were displaced after the towers fell. A community group wants to gather clothing, toiletries, and school supplies to distribute at a local shelter.

5. Peer Support for Survivors
Some students in your school lost family members in the attacks. Other classmates want to start a peer-support club—writing letters, making art, or simply listening—to help survivors feel included.

6. Citywide Thank-You Campaign
A city coalition wants to create thank-you cards and posters for the firefighters, police, and medical teams who worked at Ground Zero. They need to design, fund, and deliver these messages of gratitude.

Instructions for Groups:

1. Choose one scenario card.
2. Read and discuss the challenge: Who is involved? What do they need?
3. Apply Ubuntu: How can community members show “I am because we are”?
4. Complete the Ubuntu in Action Worksheet with details about compassionate actions and next steps.

Project Planning Template

Use this template to plan your final empathy-building project that reflects the principle of Ubuntu—“I am because we are.”

1. Project Title

2. Project Type

(Choose one: Poster, Letter Writing, Community Service Plan, Art Installation, etc.)

3. Project Goal

What is the main purpose or outcome of your project?

4. Materials & Resources Needed

5. Roles & Responsibilities

Assign each team member a clear task.

6. Timeline & Milestones

Outline key steps and target dates.

1. __________________ (e.g., Brainstorm Ideas) – __________________
2. __________________ (e.g., Create Draft) – __________________
3. __________________ (e.g., Finalize & Present) – __________________

7. Action Steps

Detail the sequence of work.

8. Ubuntu Connection

How does your project demonstrate “I am because we are”?

9. Reflection & Next Steps

• After completing, what will you do to share or continue this work?

  ---

• How will you involve others in sustaining Ubuntu in your school or community?

  ---

Exit Reflection Handout

Instructions: On this slip, write or draw your responses to help us reflect on today’s session.

1. One way Ubuntu helped the survivor:

1. One action you can take in your own community to show “I am because we are”:

Survivor Story 2: Flight 93 – Courage in the Skies

My name is Aisha, and I was a passenger on United Flight 93. We boarded in Newark that morning, excited for our trip to California. A few hours into the flight, a group of men stormed the cockpit. Fear spread through the cabin like wildfire, but something else did, too: a quiet determination. A passenger whispered, “We have to do something.”

We formed a plan. People called loved ones on their phones, sharing their location and what was happening. Then, together, we charged the hijackers. I remember my heart pounding—not just from fear, but from our ganas, our will to take action. The struggle was brief but fierce. We never made it to the cockpit; the plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field. All of us on board lost our lives, but we stopped the plane from reaching its target.

In those last moments, strangers became a team. We showed Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—by risking everything for each other. I’ll always remember that in our darkest hour, community and courage shone brightest.

Survivor Story 3: South Tower Escape – A Race Down 100 Flights

Hello, I’m Marcus. I worked on the 78th floor of the South Tower. At 9:03 AM, I felt the building shake and heard a deafening roar. Smoke filled the hallways. My first thought was: “I need to get my team out.” We gathered in the stairwell and began descending—hundreds of people moving together. Every step tested our ganas, our energy to keep going.

On the 50th floor, a woman panicked and couldn’t breathe. Two colleagues and I paused our descent. One wrapped our shirt around her face, another held her arm, and I led her down, repeating: “We’re in this together.” We guided her safely to the lobby, where firefighters took over. Then we continued down until fresh air and light greeted us.

Later, amid the smoke and confusion, neighbors offered water and blankets outside. That day taught me Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—in every act of compassion, big and small. We escaped because we supported each other.

Survivor Story 4: A Brooklyn Neighbor’s Open Door

My name is Elena, and I lived in Brooklyn Heights on September 11, 2001. From my window, I watched the towers billow smoke. Soon, people fled across the Brooklyn Bridge—covered in ash, confused, frightened. My heart clenched. I gathered blankets, towels, water, and ran out the door.

I opened my home to a stream of strangers—office workers, tourists, neighbors I’d never met. We offered them warm drinks and sandwiches. One man, tears in his eyes, said: “Thank you for reminding me there’s still kindness in the world.” We sat on my living room floor, wrapped in blankets, sharing stories and prayers.

That afternoon, my small apartment became a community shelter. People cared for each other—trading shoes, sharing cell phone chargers, holding hands. In that moment, Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—felt like a heartbeat. Our collective ganas to help lifted everyone’s spirit far above the smoke and fear.