Unit VI: Terrorism
Goal: Students will demonstrate an understanding of global and domestic terrorism as well as the ability to make
connections between values and actions.
Big Idea(s): Terrorism has existed for centuries. There is no single definiton of terrorism or of who is a terrorist.
International terrorism threatens the United States, its allies and interests, and the world community. Terrorists often
challenge actions or policies of governments, groups, corporations, or other organizations and attempt to justify their
behaviors. Governments respond in a variety of ways to terrorism and terrorist activities.
Essential Question(s):
What is terrorism?
Which regions of the world have been affected by terrorism?
What philosophies and goals do terrorist organizations have in common? How have the goals and tactics of terrorism
changed over the centuries?
How should the U.S. defend itself against terrorism? Should the U.S. defend and support allies against terrorist
threats?
How does the threat of terrorism impact life on the home front?
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
Literacy 6.1. Define and apply key
vocabulary/concepts. Suggested strategies:
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Paraphrase/summarize
Compare/contrast
Classify
Categorize
Discuss/explain
Illustrate
Demonstrate
Reflect/relate
Infer
As evidenced by written, oral and/or performance:
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Vocabulary journals
Narrative descriptions
2-3 Column Notes (i.e.
term/definition/illustrate/paraphrase/relate)
Lincs/Frayer
Visual representation (i.e. concept diagram/map,
graph, chart, drawing, poster, comic strip, cartoon)
Discussion
Oral presentation
Short answer
Essay
6.2 Discuss the meaning of terrorism and create a
working definition of terrorism
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Venn diagram -Compare and contrast definitions
activity; create own definition
Frayer concept organizer
Response to Video activity
Working definition of meaning and purpose of
terrorism
6.3 Compare and contrast known terrorist groups
in the world today and analyze how and why the
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World Map activity – specific locations
Venn diagrams
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goals and tactics of terrorists have changed over
the centuries.
 Regions and countries where terrorist
activities have occurred.
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Philosophies and goals.
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Tactics
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6.4 Research and analyze various terrorist incidents
and explain how the terrorist incident affected the
countries involved:
 Geography
 Economy
 Politics
 Culture
 Global connections
6.5 Assess trends in domestic and international
terrorism and the nature of the terrorist threat.
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6.6 Discuss how the U.S. seeks to:
 Ensure America’s homeland security
 Respond to both domestic and
international terrorism
 Defeat terrorists and their organizations
 Diminish the underlying conditions that
terrorists seek to exploit
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Timeline/ Exhibit tracing the history and evolution of
terrorism, showing how the tactics and objectives have
changed from the French Revolution to the present.
group attributes graphic organizer
Help wanted advertisement for a terrorist
Political cartoon
Cause and effect diagram
Graphic organizer - terrorist networks, etc.
Personality profile of a terrorist group member (a
known leader or an imaginary composite of a typical
member). (H)
Assessment of the viability of various groups –>achieve
their goals or fail. (H)
Assessment of an organization: freedom fighters,
terrorists, or other? Is their cause just? Do the ends
justify the means? (H)
Research paper
Graphic organizer
Compare and critique differing perspectives on the
incident using political cartoons from the U.S. and
around the world. (H)
Use information from organizer to create one of the
following:
o Poster using maps, pictures, diagrams, etc.
o Class presentation
o Newspaper article
o Letter to editor written from viewpoint of a victim
or the terrorist
o Eyewitness account of a terrorist event
o Briefing to the Secretary of state
Cause and effect diagram
Graphic organizer – terrorist networks
Prediction of possible threats (future attacks, tactics
and regions affected) including rationale for prediction.
Venn diagram – domestic vs. international
Poster
Discussion of future of terrorism
Briefing to the State Department (H)
Prediction of future policy directions
Public service announcement of what the United States
and its allies are doing to contain the dangers and
sponsors of worldwide terrorism.
Poster/presentation/ exhibit of leading technology
development to effectively combat terrorism
Simulation: military intelligence/ FBI/CIA/Homeland
Security and/or other role play
6.7 Examine a range of U.S. policy responses
toward terrorism , with consideration to:
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why the U.S. is a target
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what the possible threats are
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what issues complicate the response.
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what values underlie specific policy
recommendations and the trade-offs that
accompany each choice
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Venn Diagram - comparison of differing perspectives
T-Chart – pros & cons
Articulation of own considered perspective
Choices Simulation: students assume the role of
advocates for four options followed by deliberation on
the pros and cons of each.
Student developed options and application of their
views to hypothetical crises. (H)
Discussion of relative merits and draw backs of
potential solutions.
Resources:
http://future.state.gov/educators/lessons/43401.htm Contains info sheets, worksheets, activities, and lesson plans.
http://future.state.gov/documents/organization/45696.pdf
Choices: Brown University – Terrorism unit
http://www.terrorism-research.com/history/
U.S. Government Sources
� http://www.state.gov : U.S. Department of State homepage
� http://www.state.gov/s/ct : Counterterrorism Office of the U.S. Department of State
� http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt : U.S. Department of State’s annual report on
“Patterns of Global Terrorism”
� http://www.state.gov/coalition/ : Diplomacy and the global campaign against Terrorism
� http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2002 : The Secretary of State’s speeches and remarks
� http://www.whitehouse.gov/response/index.html : The President’s responses to terrorism
� http://www.defenselink.mil : The U.S. Department of Defense
� http://www.state.gov/coalition/cr/fs/5048.htm : Fact sheet for students on
September 11 terrorist attacks
� http:www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt : Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
submitted annually by the U.S. Department of State to the U.S. Congress
� http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/5902.htm : Chronology of significant terrorist
incidents from 1961 until 2001
� http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/ : Background Notes providing information on
individual countries
� http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook : The World Factbook produced by the
Central Intelligence Agency
Non-Governmental Sources
� http://www.hrw.org : Human Rights Watch
� http://www.amnesty.org : Amnesty International
Media Sources
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� http://www.nytimes.com : New York Times
� http://www.washingtonpost.com : Washington Post
� http://www.bbc.co.uk : The BBC
� http://www.cnn.com : CNN
� http://www.msnbc.com : MSNBC
Common Formative Assessment(s)
Teacher generated
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Summative District Assessment(s)
To be determined