In this activity, students will analyze documents spanning the life of Rick Rescorla, with particular attention focused on his military service in Vietnam and his service during the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Suggested Teaching Instructions
This activity is appropriate in a study of the life of Rick Rescorla, the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11th, or military service and citizenship. For grades 8-12. Approximate time needed is 45-60 minutes.
Before beginning the activity, organize students into small groups. Ask students what the words service and sacrifice mean. Ask students to take 60 seconds to read the words silently and write down any thoughts or words that come to mind. Student groups should then take a few minutes to discuss their words and thoughts and write a shared definition.
Discuss students' definitions and then share dictionary definitions of the words. For example:
Service: The action of helping or doing work for someone
Sacrifice: An act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy
Explain to students that they will examine several documents from throughout the life of Cyril Richard "Rick" Rescorla, especially related to his military service in Vietnam and his service on 9/11. Explain that, though these documents span several decades, there are similarities that reveal aspects of Rick's understanding of service and sacrifice.
Present the activity to the entire class. Model careful document analysis. Prompt students to carefully examine the documents with the discussion questions provided. Remind them to click on the magnifying glass for further details. For each document, they should consider the following:
- Who wrote it?
- Who read/received it?
- When is it from?
- Where is it from?
- What is it talking about?
- Write one sentence summarizing this document.
Depending on time constraints, students can work on the activity individually or in small groups. Individuals/groups can work through the entire activity, or specific groups could focus on just one aspect of Rick Rescorla's life (Vietnam, immigration to the United States, and 9/11 respectively). Regardless, as students complete each section, they should summarize the details of those documents and explain how those documents reveal Rick Rescorla's character.
Note: As students read, make sure they realize that Cyril R. Rescorla and Rick Riscola [sic] refer to the same person.
Discuss students' findings. Then direct them to click on "When You're Done" and read the
remarks given by President Trump at his posthumous presentation of the Presidential Citizens Medal to Rick Rescorla. Discuss the concluding questions:
- How does Rescorla's story help us understand how immigrants impact the United States?
- What debt do you think Rescorla thought he owed his new country? How do these documents display his loyalty to both the Nation and his fellow Americans?
- How are Rick Rescorla's actions in Vietnam that earned him a Bronze and Silver Star similar to his actions on 9/11? Explain.
- What do all of these documents reveal about Rick Rescorla's beliefs in service and sacrifice?
