DIAL-A-TEACHER
NATIONAL HOLIDAY LESSON PLAN

Labor Day

GRADE LEVEL / SUBJECT:
6-12 / Social Studies

PURPOSE:
To present activities to be used at a variety of grade levels and classroom situations in order to enhance student understanding of the Labor Day celebration.

OBJECTIVES:
Students will be able to:

  1. Understand the events which led to the observance of Labor Day as a National Holiday. SSS: {6-8}H1,4(1,3),5;{9-12}H1,3(7- 10);5(1,2,4,8).    CBC: {M/J} G(IIA5),H(IIA);{HS}H(IIA)AG(IIE)

  2. Identify the influence of particular individuals on the events listed. SSS: {6-8}H4(3),5(2); {9-12}H5(2), G2,E1.    CBC: {M/J}G(V2), H(IIIB); {HS} H(IIIB),AG(VA),E(IIIA)

  3. Locate the places which relate to these events. SSS: {6-8}G1,2; {9-12}G1, 2.    CBC: {M/J}G(IC4e);{HS}G(IA)

  4. Analyze the role of labor unions in the establishment of the Labor Day observance. SSS: {6-8}H1,4(1,3),5; {9-12}H1,3(7-10),5(1,2,4,8).    CBC: {M/J}C(IIA4b),(IIIB); {HS}H(IIIB),AG(IIIA)

  5. Evaluate the role of government in the establishment of this holiday. SSS: {6-8}C1(2,6); {9-12}C1(1,4).    CBC: {M/J}C(IIB2)H(IVAa)

  6. research Labor Day celebrations in other nations. SSS: {6-8}H1,3(5)G2(1);{9-12}H1(2),3(8,9),G1(4), 2(1-5),C1,(1,4),E2(1,6).    CBC: {M/J}: C(VIA1,3){HS}: H(VC)

  7. Compare and contrast labor movements in different parts of the world; at different times. SSS: {6-8}H1,3(5)G2(1); {9-12}H1(2),G1(4),2(1-5),C1,(1,4),E2(1,6).    CBC: {M/J}G(VI3,5); C(VIA), H(VIA); {HS}H(VIB);AG(VIA), E(VIB).

  8. Synthesize the role of labor unions in American History, past and present. SSS: {6-8}H1,5(3)C2,E2(3); {9-12}H1, 3(8-10),5(1,4),C1(4),C2(1,2,3,6,7).    CBC:{M/J}C(IIIB,C),H(IVB); {HS}H(IIC),E(IIB)

MATERIALS:
Background information provided by Dial-A-Teacher web site.

ACTIVITIES:
May be assigned as group activities or as individual tasks at teacher's discretion.

  1. Develop a time-line listing the events which led to the observance of Labor Day as a national holiday.

  2. Illustrate important locations related to the history of Labor Day on a map of the United States; a map of the world. What conclusions can you draw about these places and why they are important in the labor movement?

  3. Research biographical data about the people who made Labor Day a reality. Illustrate their life and contributions through a written paper or a poster with pictures, time-line and a map of the places where that person lived and worked. Can one person make a difference? What made this person different or similar to you?

  4. Hold a formal debate for or against organized labor in the present; the past; the Pullman strike.

  5. Hold a formal debate for or against the role of government in industrialization and/or the labor movement.

  6. Research the role of the Socialist and Communist parties in the labor movement, and the Labor Day observance in the United States and in other countries; then and now.

  7. Use any and all of the above research to publish a newspaper dealing with labor issues; a pamphlet simulating activist literature of the time on both sides of the issue; a newspaper of the future dealing with labor issues.

  8. Share activities which have worked for you.

EVALUATION:
Individual assignments should be graded by the teacher using the M-DCPS grading scale.

Group activities, presentations and projects may be evaluated by teachers and students using the following criteria and scale:

Content
Creativity
Clarity

1=Superior (A)
2=Excellent (B)
3=Good (C)
4=Fair (D)
5=Poor (F)

Just Click on

For Cyber-help with your home work