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Yak's Corner is brought to you by Michigan K.I.D.S., The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press educational nonprofit, with support from readers.

A new way to understand the long bin Laden manhunt

By Peter Landry

The death of Osama bin Laden closed a long and painful chapter in American history.

The United States searched for nearly 10 years for the leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist group that attacked the nation on September 11, 2001 and killed nearly 3,000 people.

When U.S. Navy SEALS found him in a fort-like mansion in the Asian nation of Pakistan, it ended one of the longest manhunts in U.S. history.

How long did it take to find and kill bin Laden?

Look at it this way: If you were 5 years old and starting kindergarten in September 2001, you would be 15 and a sophomore in high school this fall.

If you were a freshman in high school in 2001, you would now be two years out of college and working.

And if you were born in September 2001, you would no longer be a baby but going into fifth grade.

Here are some other changes that have happened that show how long the U.S. searched for bin Laden:

In 2001, Facebook did not exist, but after its invention in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg it has become the most popular online social network, with more than 300 million members worldwide.

In 2001, most people were still buying music at CD stores, and the iTunes store was just starting out as a way to buy music by downloading it from the Internet.

In 2001, the iPhone and the iPad did not exist and hadnt yet revolutionized the way people communicate and connect with the Internet wherever they are.

Cell phones in general had not become the must-have communications device they are today, and how people use those phones hadnt changed in ways no one predicted, either.

Today, texting and tweeting messages through Twitter accounts have replaced voice phone calls for many people. And outside of business, e-mailing has been replaced by texts or Facebook posts as a way to stay in touch.

War and history

As the U.S. searched for bin Laden, much changed in world politics, too.

The United States launched two wars in Afghanistan in 2001 and in Iraq in 2003 and undertook a war-like intervention in Libya this year.

The extremist Taliban group was removed from power in Afghanistan, Saddam Hussein was ousted in Iraq and Moammar Gadhafi is under siege from rebels in Libya.

In Asia, meanwhile, China became one of the worlds most powerful and influential countries in politics, manufacturing and trade.

U.S. milestones

In the United States, there have been significant changes in politics and government since 2001.

To prevent another terrorist attack, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was created in 2002.

A detention camp for terrorists was set up in Guantanamo, Cuba, to deal with terrorist suspects outside the U.S. legal system a move that is still causing debate among legal and political leaders.

In politics, Nancy Pelosi made history in the U.S. Congress by becoming the first woman elected Speaker of the House in 2007.

And in 2008, Barack Obama achieved a first that many thought would never happen, winning election as the countrys first African American president.

Talk About the News

The United States searched for nearly 10 years for Osama bin Laden. To understand an effort that lasts a long time, it is sometimes useful to look at other things that have changed or happened during the same period. As a class, talk about things that have changed since you started school in kindergarten. Discuss electronics, politics, entertainment anything that affects your lifestyle. What do you think are the most important changes that have occurred?

Learning Standards: Engaging peers in constructive conversations about issues of interest or importance; responding to a variety of texts by making connections to students personal lives and the lives of others.

Explore Your e-Edition

People around the world are talking about the death of Osama bin Laden. Find a story or stories in the e-Edition featuring people who have different reactions to the event. Write a paragraph or short essay describing how their reactions are different, and why.

Learning Standards: Exploring and reflecting on universal themes and substantive issues from written, visual and electronic texts; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

In the last 10 years, changes in electronics and digital communication have been some of the most dramatic in the world. But with new inventions being developed, even greater changes will come in the future. In the e-Edition, find an ad for an electronic device you have or would like. Use the ad and the Internet to learn more about its features. Then write a paragraph describing a change or improvement you think will come next for this device.

Learning Standards: Analyzing how science and technology affect society; showing how common themes of science, math and technology apply in real world contexts; reading and comprehending general and technical material.

There is a great deal of political unrest in the world, and not just in countries affected by terrorism. Find a story in the e-Edition about unrest in a country other than the United States. Read it carefully and write a summary of why there is unrest and what you think will happen next.

Learning Standards: Locating and describing the diverse places, cultures and communities of major world regions; posing social science questions about a culture, world region or international problem; gathering and analyzing information using appropriate information technologies to answer the questions posed; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

How Well Did You Read?

Understanding what you read is a skill that will help you all your life. Review the story about the hunt for Osama bin Laden by answering the questions below.

1. According to the story, a kindergarten student in 2001 would be what in fall 2011?

A. Going into fifth grade
B. A sophomore in college
C. Out of college
D. A sophomore in high school

2. The Facebook social network was launched in:

A. 2001
B. 2002
C. 2004
D. 2005

3. The iTunes store made it possible for people to:

A. Use the Internet anywhere
B. Send text messages
C. Download music from the Internet
D. Send tweets by Twitter

4. According to the story, the Taliban was removed from power in:

A. Afghanistan
B. Iraq
C. Libya
D. Cuba

5. In 2007, Nancy Pelosi became:

A. President of the U.S. Senate
B. Speaker of the U.S. House
C. President of the United States
D. U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan

ANSWERS: 1-D. 2-C. 3-C. 4-A. 5-B.

e-News Plus is written by Hollister Kids