Why teach children about unions and collective bargaining?

For many decades, children labored alongside adults in the factories, stores, and fields of America. The CFT Labor in the Schools Committee has been producing curricula for elementary students so that children will be aware of that history and of the long struggle by unions to achieve child labor laws. Since most children will become workers, we want to make sure they become aware of the world of work, and time-tested methods for worker advocacy and conflict resolution in the workplace, such as collective bargaining. Photo by Lewis Hine, c. 1910

Elementary Curricula

NEW! Let Me Tell You About This Man: Cesar Chavez, Union Organizer
A short biography about the union and civil rights leader. (4th/5th grade)

Along the Shore
A 24 page coloring book depicting the work lives of longshore workers (K-2).

The Yummy Pizza Company
A ten-part, flexible set of lesson plans on work, based on a pizza factory simulation. (grades 1-5)

Trouble in the Hen House
Farmer Brown wants his hens to produce more eggs and feed them less food. A "readers theater" format on collective action in the face of bad working condtions. (grades 1-5)

I, Tomato
A booklet tracing the life cycle of a tomato, from the tomato's point of view, featuring the workers who care for it. (4th grade)

Order these materials (pdf form)

Child Labor Curricula from other sources:

Lewis Hine Photo Gallery, "Let Children Be Children"

A Child Labor Lesson Plan, illustrated with Hine photos