|Middle and High School||Social Studies, Language Arts, Citizen Honors|
One Class Session
Citizen Honors Focus: Rick Rescorla
Note to Teacher:
For background knowledge before viewing the video about Rick Rescorla, the teacher may need to review the circumstances of the February 26, 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City. A truck bomb was detonated underneath the North Tower. The 1,336-pound urea nitrate-hydrogen gas enhanced device was intended to knock the North Tower into the South Tower, bringing both towers down and killing tens of thousands of people. The Towers did not collapse, but six people were killed and more than a thousand were injured. The attack was planned by six men who were convicted of conspiracy, explosive destruction of property, and interstate transportation of explosives.
Place the following names on the board: John F. Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rick Rescorla, and Mother Theresa. Using this name bank, students will complete the “Who said that?” worksheet. After completion, students will compare their findings with a partner.
Whole Group Activity:
The teacher will lead a discussion on the worksheet activity, giving the correct answers to the authors of the quotations and what the quotations may mean. (Answers: 1. Mahatma Gandhi; 2. John F. Kennedy; 3. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; 4. Mother Theresa; 5. Rick Rescorla)
The teacher will guide students to determine the common themes in the quotations (service and commitment). The final quotation is from Citizen Honors awardee Rick Rescorla. The students will watch the video about Rick Rescorla. While watching, the students will look for examples of Rick Rescorla’s service and commitment.
In two or three sentences, students will explain how Rick Rescorla’s video connects to his quotation on the worksheet.
Small Group Activity:
Students will share their responses with a partner. Each pair will then create a consensus statement on the connection between Rick Rescorla’s quotation and the video.
Whole Group Activity:
The teacher will ask each pair of students to share their consensus statement. The teacher will lead a discussion focusing on Rick Rescorla’s service and commitment, allowing for connections to other values such as sacrifice and patriotism to be discussed.
Students will select a quotation from the worksheet and write a paragraph on how their selection relates to Rick Rescorla. How did Rick Rescorla’s actions demonstrate the values of service and commitment?
Worksheet, class discussion, paragraph
Rick Rescorla video, worksheet
Research the authors of the quotations and report on their involvement in society at the time. Describe how a quotation reflects the beliefs of its author.