Council for Economic Education
Business in the Middle Ages: Working in a Guild
Long before modern labor unions, guilds worked to ensure that workers had a fair wage. But, in medieval Europe, they also cooperated with the government. Using a simulation and primary source analysis, young scholars become hatters in...
Curated OER
Strike Up the Band
Students create song lyrics celebrating the history of labor unions serving the entertainment industry, then create posters illustrating the importance of each union to the industry they represent.
Curated OER
Unionized We Stand
Students compose a statement of basic rights to protect their own health and well-being. They research the history, power and purpose of unions in the United States before creating their own union to promote the interests of students.
Curated OER
Radio Program
Students identify and assess the impact of unions on workers, management, and community. They listen to radio stories, students are asked what can they conclude about the impact of unions on the lives of the workers, management, and...
Curated OER
The Most Dangerous Woman in America: Mary Harris "Mother" Jones
Students discover labor issues of the 1800's. In this Pennsylvanian history lesson, students research the case of Mary Harris Jones and discover her work as a labor activist. Students discuss the case together in class.
Curated OER
Esperanza Rising
Pupils explore foreign cultures by reading a story in class. In this Hispanic history lesson, students read the story Radio Man by Arthur Dorros and identify the times discrimination is used in the story. Pupils discuss labor problems in...
EngageNY
Building Background Knowledge: Planning The Two Voice Poem
Scholars build background knowledge to understand the life and work of the union leader and labor organizer César Chávez. As they read teacher-selected resources, they complete a Building Background Knowledge worksheet and engage in...
Curated OER
United We Stand
Student examine the life and work of Cesar Chavez. In this Teaching Tolerance lesson, students read about Cesar Chavez and recognize his work as a labor leader. Students discuss the concept of standing together as a group to fight...
Curated OER
ESL Holiday Activity-Labor Day
Several resources are provided through this website about Labor Day. Elementary learners read two short paragraphs, then complete matching, fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, spelling word scramble, ordering events, and survey...
EngageNY
Synthesizing Chávez’s Central Claim
Class members play an interactive game, matching strips of paper containing rhetorical devices with examples from César Chávez use rhetoric in his 1984 speech, "Address to the Commonwealth Club of California." Next, partners discuss...
Curated OER
Lattimer Massacre: What's Beneath the Surface?
Middle schoolers research the growth of unions due to issues related to the Lattimer Massacre. They research primary source documents and create posters, skits and role plays.
ESL Holiday Lessons
English Lesson Plan on Labor Day
Download a reading and have learners follow along on a transcript about Labor Day. A series of worksheets follow that include matching, filling in blanks, and unscrambling word spellings. An online multiple choice activity is also...
Curated OER
Equal Opportunity Employment
Pupils list and discuss the types of discrimination they are protected from under the EEOC. The class brainstorms ideas for protecting themselsevles against employment discrimination. Students write a summary paragraph discussing the...
Curated OER
Lyddie
Seventh graders read the novel, Lyddie, while studying the reform movement. They complete assignments for each chapter and write essays about Lyddie's development through the novel.
Curated OER
Working Where The Sun Never Shines
High schoolers analyze documents of miners and identify their working conditions. In this industrial revolution instructional activity students view documents and photographs of miners and discuss their conditions and what some possible...
The New York Times
A Worker's Compensation
Middle schoolers read about the history of Labor Day in a newspaper article. They discuss difficulties American employees of the past had to face, learn about labor rallies, and conduct Internet research. Part of the intention of this...
Stanford University
Chinese Immigration and Exclusion
Students investigate the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. In this Chinese immigration activity, students study evidence and develop hypotheses about reasons for Chinese immigration and exclusion. Students use a timeline and graphic organizers...
Curated OER
Affidavit and Flyers from the Chinese Boycott Case
Learners divide into small groups and study one of the three union flyers. Groups share their findings with the whole class and clarify unfamiliar vocabulary terms.
Curated OER
Battle of Stones River
Students will read the story "Battle of Stones River" and define a set of vocabulary words. In this Civil War lesson, students complete a fill-in-the-blank vocabulary activity after reading the story and defining the words.
Curated OER
Payment Parliament
Students investigate how the economy works by role playing in their class. In this money management activity, students read parts from a script for use in a role playing activity simulating the Federal Reserve and their payment...
Curated OER
Taking Pills Isn't the Answer
Students explore performance-related drug use. In this health journalism lesson plan, students read the USA Today article titled "Taking Pills Isn't the Answer", respond to discussion questions regarding the article, and complete an...
Curated OER
Arkansas and NAFTA
Build literacy through social studies and reading strategies. This lesson plan focuses on using pre-reading, vocabulary building, and comprehension questions to boost literacy while educating learners on international trade, NAFTA, and...
ProCon
Cuba Embargo
President John F. Kennedy bought 1,200 Cuban cigars the night before he enacted the Cuban trade embargo in 1962. Should the United States maintain the embargo? Using the website, pupils explore the topic to prepare for a class debate or...