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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Hear the Locomotives: The Impact of the Transcontinental Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners examine the effects the Transcontinental Railroad had on the regions through which it passed. They analyze and discuss maps, view and describe online images, and use photos and documents to develop a cause-and-effect ladder.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Line

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils view a television program that traces the use of the assembly line in mass production and the subsequent conflict between workers' rights and management. They analyze and discuss the portrayal of the American worker over time and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Movements of the 20th Century

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders study the social movements of the 20th century. In this social movements lesson, 6th graders discuss social unrest, review social and political movements of the 20th century, and discuss the main movements for unrest....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Money Matters Curriculum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students complete a concept map on how money matters in our society. They use the internet to discover an online exhibit about money. They also complete a concept map.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The British Origins of Industrialism

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders brainstorm the Industrial Revolution and how it changed the lives of people. They describe rural life in preindustrial Britain. They identify the factors that allowed Britian to become the first industrialized nations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Children's Literature

For Teachers 6th
Introduce the students to basic economic concepts and types of economic systems and develop the an understanding of how economic choices involve costs and consequences; provide introduction to rural America circa 1920 and compare to our...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are We There Yet? The Changing Pocono Vacation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the Poconos and the importance of the resorts there.  In this Poconos lesson plan students research and plan a travel itinerary to the Poconos.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering and Covering the Battle of Homestead

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the general events of the Homestead strike through reading comprehension of a one-page synopsis. They locate the events of the Homestead Strike. Comprehend multiple perspectives of the reasons, relationships and results...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analogies

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders use analogies to test their understanding of relationships between words or ideas. They practice analogies to improve vocabulary and thinking skills. Students write sentences that use analogies.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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....
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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.
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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...
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Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Today in History: August 20: 8 Hour Work Day

For Students 9th - 10th
This Library of Congress site provides information on the fight for the eight-hour workday. Discusses labor unions and strikes.
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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.
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: America's History in the Making: Industrializing America

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Comprehensive teaching unit that explores the "second industrial revolution" and the mass production of consumer goods. This, in turn, caused an increase in the labor force and immigration. Learn how these changes brought about the start...
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Article
PBS

Pbs: History Detectives: The Early Labor Movement

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief summary of the early labor movement and the role that labor unions played.
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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.
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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.
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Graphic
New York University

San Reiss: An Eyewitness to Labor History 1948 1975

For Students 9th - 10th
Considered the "Labor photographer," this online exhibit of Sam Reiss' work is a pictorial history of American labor from 1948-1975.

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