Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Back To Africa

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students analyze the massive immigration after 1850 and how new social patterns, conflicts, and ideas of national unity developed amid growing cultural diversity, and how the Progressive movement influenced different groups in American...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life of a Logger

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Young scholars are introduced to the work and lives of 19th century lumberjacks through a living history slide show presentation. They compare and contrast life 150 years ago with the present. Students describe the history of logging in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Outsourcing Jobs to Other Countries: Is Globalization a Threat to American Workers?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the effects of outsourcing. In this globalization activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries. Students respond to discussion questions...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking Pills Isn't the Answer

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore performance-related drug use. For this health journalism lesson, students read the USA Today article titled "Taking Pills Isn't the Answer", respond to discussion questions regarding the article, and complete...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Prune Boom

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students explore the process of harvesting and canning prunes. They discover the benefits of prunes to the Santa Clara Valley. Students investigate prunes at designated websites.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Songs of Protest/Songs of Unity: 1865 to the Present

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students study song-poems from 1865 to the present. They explore the works of Woody Guthrie and the Almanac Singers (including Pete Seeger).
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan on the Civil War

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify events leading to the Civil War and explain the impact the events had on northern and southern societies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War Homefront

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine the human cost of war on both sides of the Civil War. Using the internet, they research the role of women on the homefront and the impact the war had on families. They also read the novel "Across Five Aprils" and discuss...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Workers' Rights and the History of Labor Unions

For Students 7th - 8th Standards
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: Learning Page: Labor Unions During the Great Depression and the New Deal

For Students 9th - 10th
A timeline of events related to the Great Depression, labor unions and the New Deal along with primary sources.
eBook
OpenStax

Open Stax: Industrialization: Building Industrial America on the Backs of Labor

For Students 11th - 12th
Learn about the lives of the working class in Industrial America, what led to the formation of labor unions, and why labor unions were not successful despite strike actions.
Handout
Library of Economics and Liberty

Concise Encyclopedia of Economics: Labor Unions

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief history, structure, and description of the impact of labor unions in America.
Primary
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: America in Class: America in the 1920s: Prosperity: Labor Union

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards historical documents, literary texts, and works of art thematically organized with notes and discussion questions....
Article
Texas State Historical Association

Texas State Historical Association: Labor Organizations

For Students 9th - 10th
The history of the labor movement in Texas is examined, beginning during the Republic of Texas. The article discusses the different labor organizations that formed in various industries, and how these evolved over time. As immigration...
Handout
US Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Compensation From Before Wwi Through Great Depression [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This interesting article from the Bureau of Labor Statistics discusses how working conditions and low pay prior to World War I led to the increase in union membership. Read how the government viewed labor and labor unions during World...
Handout
Social Studies Help Center

Social Studies Help Center: American Government, Unionism Friend or Foe?

For Students 9th - 10th
This site highlights the conflicting points of view within the government of labor unionizing. Focuses on pro and anti union legislation througout history and the attempt to balance workers rights with economic success.
Primary
Curated OER

History Matters: Race and Racism at the 1886 Knights of Labor Convention

For Students 9th - 10th
This interesting excerpt from Terence Powderly's autobiography discusses the problems he encountered as head of the Knights of Labor in terms of race relations in the unions.
Professional Doc
Library of Congress

Loc: Labor Unions During the Great Depression and New Deal

For Students 9th - 10th
This learning page features an overview of labor relations during the 1930s with links to many primary source documents from the era.
Website
Other

Afl Cio: Labor Timeline

For Students 9th - 10th
Use this resource to explore the development of labor unions in the United States. The interactive timeline allows you to scroll through the periods of labor development.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Postwar Labor Tensions

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the strength of labor unions just after World War I and see how the gains were eroded throughout the 1920s.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs: Working for Freedom: Labor Reform and the Triangle Factory Fire [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan from the producers of the 16-episode PBS series "Freedom: A History of US" that examines the conditions American workers faced in the late 1800s. Students will understand the factors that precipitated the birth and growth...
Primary
University of Houston

University of Houston: The Taft Hartley Act: Labor Management Relations Act

For Students 9th - 10th
Find the complete text of the Taft-Hartley Act, also known as the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, which severely restricted the activities of labor unions. Vetoed by President Truman, the veto was overcome, so it became a law.
Handout
Social Studies Help Center

Social Studies Help Center: The Labor Union Movement in America

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the Labor Union Movement in America from its origins in the 1700's.
Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Labor Unions and Working Conditions: United We Stand

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Think about your work environment. Are you allowed to rest periodically? Do you earn a decent wage? Can you voice your concerns without losing your job? There was a time when workers in the United States did not have basic rights such as...

Other popular searches