Lesson: Growth of the Labor Movement in the United States
Author: William Dallas, Medford School District
Grade Level: High School
Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary
or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships
among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.3 Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and
determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where
the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information
presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in
words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both
primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting
discrepancies among sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research
projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem;
narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the
subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple
authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the
strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the specific task, purpose, and
audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas,
avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format
for citation.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
Wisconsin Academic Standards:
B.12.1 Explain different points of view on the same historical event, using data gathered
from various sources, such as letters, journals, diaries, newspapers, government
documents, and speeches
B.12.3 Recall, select, and analyze significant historical periods and the relationships
among them
B.12.4 Assess the validity of different interpretations of significant historical events
D.12.2 Use basic economic concepts (such as supply and demand; production,
distribution, and consumption; labor, wages, and capital; inflation and deflation; market
economy and command economy) to compare and contrast local, regional, and national
economies across time and at the present time
Essential Question: How have modern labor standards in the United States been
achieved through the efforts of labor?
Learner Outcomes – Students Will Be Able To:
Explain the labor movement and in particular the effort and sacrifice it took to
create certain labor expectations in this country both from a historical point of
view and a more modern point of view.
Compare and contrast more modern labor movements to the older ones they
studied.
Procedure:
1. Introduction: The teacher will begin the lesson by discussing in general terms the
rise of the Labor Movement in American History by using a fantastic PPT created
by Susan Pojer and found on her website http://www.pptpalooza.net/. The
teacher will periodically pose discussion questions on particular slides in the
presentation.
2. The assessment part of the lesson will involve students researching two strikes in
American history, one pre- 1950 and one post- 1950. Students will be creating a
comparison and contrast PPT based on the similarities and differences of these
strikes. In general terms PPT must include the following basic information:
Name, date, location (This requires of the student a basic
knowledge of location and its potential impact on the labor dispute.
The time element allows for a greater understanding of the scope
and sequence of the labor movement.)
Major opponents, industry in which the strike takes place
(Personalities usually play a significant role in emotionally charged
events like labor strikes and the knowledge of these personalities is
crucial to understanding the event. Knowledge to the industry and
the history of labor in that industry is equally important.)
Causes (Perceptions as to the causes of the labor dispute are
crucial and must be presented from both sides of the dispute to
present the true picture.)
Goals of both sides (Management and labor often had opposing
goals at the heart of the labor dispute…management trying to
maximize the profit margin and labor trying to secure a portion of
spoils.)
Major players both sides (Players outside the event often play a
major role in its conclusion whether it was a president using the
military to break a strike or a judge issuing a court ordered
injunction breaking a strike.)
Events of the strike (Chronology of the dispute is crucial to
understanding the ebb and flow or action and reaction that drives
the strike and an analysis of “what if” serves to raise the thinking
level and challenge the students.)
Resolution…winners/ losers.. long term impact? (Equally important
to the causes are the long-term results or impact of the strike: Who
won and what happened as a result and conversely who lost and
what impact did that have?)
3. Students will be given time in the computer lab to conduct their research,
including the use of the resources below:
http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/tm/labor.html
http://www.niu.edu/~rfeurer/labor/indexpage.html
http://www.albany.edu/history/history316/LaborMovementHistory1.html
Closure: Students will share their PowerPoints with the class so that students may
learn about a diverse number of strikes both pre-1950 and post-1950.
Assessment: Students will be evaluated upon meeting the criteria listed above for their
PowerPoints, plus their presentations to the class.