A close look at artifacts from September 11, 2001, can spark a powerful classroom lesson on the historic attacks. Some artifacts are massive, some fit in the palm of a hand, all serve to tell the story of what happened on 9/11 and in its aftermath. Throughout the year, students use these artifacts, and the stories behind them, to examine the attacks and their significance, why they happened, how people and institutions chose to respond, and how (and why) we remember what happened. With the 15th anniversary of the attacks, these questions take on a new importance. How do teachers impart the significance of the day, while underscoring its ongoing relevance 15 years later? How do they substantively explore a complex and emotional topic in the first days or weeks of school? Why is 9/11 important? Why do we remember? The answers lie within artifacts and the stories they tell, artifacts like a handheld radio and its connection to a story of survival, loss, and compassion. This article offers teaching strategies, an activity idea, and additional resources to help teachers broach this topic with their students.