Tell them what happened. This may seem like a simple step, but many educators have avoided addressing the issue directly. Explain that Islamic terrorists hijacked four airplanes, and the four planes crashed, one into each tower of the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and one, thanks to the valiant efforts of passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93, into a field in Pennsylvania. Tell them how many people died: nearly 3,000, according to evidence given against 9/11 plotter Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The dead included men and women of all races and occupations: the airline passengers themselves, World Trade Center workers, nearby pedestrians, firefighters and others. Make sure they understand that the hijackers also died.
Explain why the attacks of 9/11 happened. No clear consensus exists to explain specifics of the exact intent, but you can start with what the attackers themselves said. Bin Laden repeatedly emphasized the hatred he and his followers had for the American way of life; from the freedom of religion enshrined in our First Amendment to the relatively equal status that women and men enjoy in this country, he and other Islamic extremists abhor the American democratic tradition.
Emphasize the fact that we were attacked by radical Islamists, not by ordinary Muslims. The misconceptions that Muslims attacked us as a people and religion can lead to bigotry and racial hatred.
Show them how the U.S. responded to the attacks. While many people questioned the United States' entry into Iraq, few opposed the war in Afghanistan, which the U.S. launched with the two-fold goal of bringing bin Laden to justice and taking down an Islamo-fascist regime that aided and abetted the terrorists who planned the 9/11 attacks.
Ask your students if any of them have family members serving in the military. Remind them that we are still fighting radical Islamists in Afghanistan and Iraq and our servicemen and -women work to keep us safe from terrorists and others who threaten our liberty and safety.