Organized Labor and the American Dream

Main idea of the lesson: The story of power, justice, and opportunity is complicated. It is not one of constant or
linear progression and expansion, as young people often think.

Time to complete: 2 – 3 class periods

Enduring Understandings:
 Workers can organize to shift the balance of power.
 Basic economic livelihood and conditions make up a key part of freedom.
 Organized labor works for equality, respect and dignity, often pushing the boundaries of public opinion on
human rights and social justice.

Essential Questions:
 How have power and justice played out over American history?
 How are fair pay and working conditions related to freedom?
 What is the role of government in promoting fairness in economic opportunity?
 Should we be concerned about an ever-widening gap between the extremely wealthy and the working
class? Does this strengthen or threaten the American dream?

Sources:
AFT collective bargaining: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm79z8dzw18&index=4&list=PL-
T5PpTCIN8DJGqqqin6Y7CFVpKlfbkn7

Flint Sit Down description: http://reuther.wayne.edu/node/7092

Image gallery: http://reuther.wayne.edu/image/tid/37

Norman Hill, Remembering Memphis: http://www.shankerinstitute.org/blog/remembering-memphis

AFT Leads on Desegregation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk0lzFgc-ZU&index=3&list=PL-

T5PpTCIN8DJGqqqin6Y7CFVpKlfbkn7

Work, Money and Power: Unions in the 21st Century

https://sharemylesson.com/teaching-resource/work-money-and-power-unions-21st-century-267265

Selling Opulence: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/magazine/selling-airborne-opulence-to-the-upper-

upper-upper-class.html

Lesson Steps:
1. Opening: Post the questions on chart paper around the room, assign a few students to each paper to
discuss and write responses, and then rotate. Duplicate the questions on additional chart paper so that
no more than four students are at each paper. Alternatively, you can ask students to discuss the first
bullet in groups of four and then after a few minutes move to the second bullet point. You could also use
a Google Doc.
 What is the American Dream? Is it equal for everyone? Why or why not?
 What is power? Who holds power in the United States today? Historically?
2. Background: Provide a small amount of background information on the focus of the lesson.
 a. Explain: We are going to look at a couple specific instances of power and the working class. This is
a very complicated topic and these case studies only provide a fraction of information. But they
will help us to understand some of the relationships between government, civil society, and
economics.
b. Frame: We are going to watch a video about teachers during the Great Depression. Take notes
about where you see power in this video and we will discuss what you noticed.
c. Watch together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm79z8dzw18&index=4&list=PL-
T5PpTCIN8DJGqqqin6Y7CFVpKlfbkn7
d. Discuss:
i. Where did you see power in the video?
ii. How did the workers shift the balance of power?
3. Students Develop Hypotheses: We will look at a couple other examples of the working class organizing for
better working conditions. Do you think it is a story of continued progress for working people? What do
you predict will be the case today?
4. Case studies: Either assign the case studies to small groups, have them each become experts, then
number off to form new groups with a representative from each group to explain. Or come back together
in a large group and ask representatives to explain their source. Or read and watch all together to ensure
comprehension.
a. Frame: For now, we are just comprehending what the sources say. We will have a class discussion
after we understand all of the sources. Focus on these questions: What is this source telling us?
Where do you see power? Where do you see justice?
b. Group 1: Flint Sit Down description: http://reuther.wayne.edu/node/7092
And image gallery: http://reuther.wayne.edu/image/tid/37
c. Group 2: Norman Hill, Remembering Memphis:
http://www.shankerinstitute.org/blog/remembering-memphis
d. Group 3: AFT Leads on Desegregation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk0lzFgc-
ZU&index=3&list=PL-T5PpTCIN8DJGqqqin6Y7CFVpKlfbkn7
e. Group 4: Work, Money and Power: Unions in the 21st Century (pages 14 – 21; students may
scan, read pull out texts, and look at graphics)
https://sharemylesson.com/teaching-resource/work-money-and-power-unions-21st-century-
267265
5. Share source information: Form new groups and give time for students to share the information from
their sources. Come back together as a whole group to ensure comprehension and key points.
6. Homework: All students read Selling Opulence which will frame tomorrow’s discussion:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/magazine/selling-airborne-opulence-to-the-upper-upper-upper-
class.html
7. Discuss: Adapt the attached Socratic Seminar instructions or your preferred method for class discussions.
This should probably take place the next day.
 How have power and justice played out over American history?
 How are fair pay and working conditions related to freedom?
 What is the role of government in promoting fairness in economic opportunity?
 Should we be concerned about an ever-widening gap between the extremely wealthy and the
working class? Does this strengthen or threaten the American dream?
8. Reflect: Ask students to complete the following sentence stems to show how their thinking has expanded
as a result of this lesson. Perhaps model your own thinking for them if this is not something your students
are used to doing.
a. I used to think… Now I think…
Common Core State Standards

Key Ideas and Details:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.2
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including
how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the
text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.3
Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which
the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn
between them.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.7
Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person's life story in both
print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account

Comprehension and Collaboration:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas
and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.A
Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on
that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to
stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.B
Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g., informal consensus,
taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual
roles as needed.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.C
Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to
broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or
challenge ideas and conclusions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.D
Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement,
and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new
connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
C3 Framework Standards

D2.Civ.5.9-12. Evaluate citizens’ and institutions’ effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the
local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.
D2.Civ.6.9-12. Critique relationships among governments, civil societies, and economic markets.
D2.Civ.10.9-12. Analyze the impact and the appropriate roles of personal interests and perspectives on the
application of civic virtues, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human rights.
D2.Civ.14.9-12. Analyze historical, contemporary, and emerging means of changing societies, promoting the
common good, and protecting rights.
D2.Eco.15.9-12. Explain how current globalization trends and policies affect economic growth, labor markets,
rights of citizens, the environment, and resource and income distribution in different nations.

History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools – January 2008

The United States since World War II

USII.8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the economic, social, and political transformation of the United
States and the world between the end of World War II and the present by
a) describing the rebuilding of Europe and Japan after World War II, the emergence of the United States
as a superpower, and the establishment of the United Nations;
b) describing the conversion from a wartime to a peacetime economy;
c) identifying the role of America’s military and veterans in defending freedom during the Cold War,
including the wars in Korea and Vietnam, the Cuban missile crisis, the collapse of communism in Europe,
and the rise of new challenges;
d) describing the changing patterns of society, including expanded educational and economic
opportunities for military veterans, women, and minorities;
e) describing how international trade and globalization have impacted American life.

USII.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the key domestic and international issues during the second
half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries by
a) examining the Civil Rights Movement and the changing role of women;
b) describing the development of new technologies in communication, entertainment, and business and
their impact on American life;
c) identifying representative citizens from the time period who have influenced America scientifically,
culturally, academically, and economically;
d) examining American foreign policy, immigration, the global environment, and other emerging issues.