Introduction
Can We Create the Change?
By Ashley Kunkle- Montgomery Middle School
As a class, we have been reading the novel Esperanza Rising. In the novel, Marta wants to change the conditions fo the workers at her camp. What do you think is the best way to accomplish this goal?
Students will research and compare and contrast the use of strikes and boycotts as a form of protest to fight for individual and group rights. Students will look at examples from articles, literature, and media to develop and support their opinion!
Task
Students will research strikes and boycotts as a form of protest. After your research, you will write a letter to Marta from Esperanza Rising defending your opinion on whether striking or boycotting is a better way to figth for a change in working conditions for migrant farmers.
Use this webquest, as well as your novel, to complete the research necessary to form your opinion.
Process
Step 1: Research the life of a Migrant Farm Workers.
It is important to know what you are fighting for in a protest. Marta and the other migrant workers want better conditions. Take time to learn about the life of migrant workers now and in the past. Fill in the chart in your Webquest packet for each source (minimum 2 sources plus ER). Include information about living conditions and pay.
1. As you read Esperanza Rising, fill out the chart with the information provided by the characters in the camps.
2. "The Circuit"- Autobiographical story of a young boy who is a part of a migrant farmer family
3. Migrant Farm Workers in the Depression
4. Conditions of Farm Workers in 1963 - this source is divided in to sections, read the sections you need!
5. Harvest of Shame- Then and Now Video
6.Migrant Workers struggle today--- video
7. Farm Workers TODAY!- This is a great resource to see how the Migrant Farm Workers are still contributing to our economy and country today. You can also see how the rights and lives of the workers have changed... or stayed the same.
Step 2: Strikes as protest
Use the following websites to research different strikes throuhgout history. On your iPad, create a popplet (graphic organizer) about three strikes you research. Include at least one example of a strike from Esperanza Rising. In your popplet, create a bubble with the name of the strike. Then, create another bubble for the following information for EACH strike you research: dates, why the strike happened, how it happened/the event of the strike, and the results of the strike. Then, under the popplet answer the following questions: Was the strike successful? Is striking an effective form of protest to fight for better working conditions?
You should have the ER examples and two more examples from history.
2. Top Ten Stirkes in U.S. History- links are included on the webpage fro more information! Choose specific strikes for your popplet
3. Andrew Carnegie and Homestead Stirke- video about a steel-worker strike and conditions
Step 3: Boycotts as Protest
Read the information about Cesar Chavez and the Grape Boycott for the migrant farm workers. This was one of the most influential and powerful boycotts in American history. It was average people making a huge change in our country.
On your iPad, create a popplet (graphic organizer) about three boycotts, including the grape boycott led by Cesar Chavez. Create a bubble with the name of the boycott. Then create a bubble for the following information for EACH boycott you research: dates, why the boycott happened/goals of the boycott, how it happened/the events of the boycott, and the results of the boycott.Then, under the popplet answer the following questions: Was the boycott successful? Is holding a boycott an effective form of protest to fight for better working conditions?
1.Cesar Chavez reading- background information about Chavez and the Grape Boycott. Fill out the guided notes sheet as you read through the information.
2. Video of Chavez and the importance of Boycotts
3. Ten Fmous American Boycotts
5. Montgomery Bus Boycott Video- 1960's Civil Rights Movement; Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
Step 4: In your journal, fill out the Venn Diagram comparing the pros and cons of boycotts and strikes. At the end of the comparison, summarize which form of protest you think is the best way to create change. Give three reasons why.
Evaluation
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Migrant Farm Worker Research |
Student included in depth research and facts about migrant workers Student researched two additional sources Student included 5 or more examples of migrant worker life from Esperanza Rising |
Student included basic research and facts about migrant workers Student researched two additional sources Student included 3-4 examples of migrant worker life from Esperanza Rising |
Student included some research and facts about migrant workers Student researched one additional source Student included 1-2 examples of migrant worker life from Esperanza Rising |
Student included very little research and facts about migrant workers Student researched one or no additional source Student included no examples of migrant worker life from Esperanza Rising |
| Strike Research |
Student included examples of 1 or more strikes from Esperanza Rising Students fully reasearched three other strikes from history Student completed a popplet with dates, why, how/events, and results for all four strikes |
Student included examples of 1 or more strikes from Esperanza Rising Students did basic reasearch on three other strikes from history Student completed a popplet with dates, why, how/events, and results for three strikes |
Student included examples of 1 strike from Esperanza Rising Students did basic reasearch on two other strikes from history Student completed a popplet with dates, why, how/events, and results for 2-3 strikes |
Student did not include examples of 1 strike from Esperanza Rising Students little or no reasearch on other strikes from history Student completed a popplet with dates, why, how/events, and results for 1 or none of the strikes |
| Boycott Research |
Student included in depth information about the Grape boycott led by Cesar Chavez Students fully reasearch on two other boycotts from history Student completed a popplet with dates, why, how/events, and results for all four boycotts |
Student included some information about the Grape boycott led by Cesar Chavez Students did basic reasearch on two other boycotts from history Student completed a popplet with dates, why, how/events, and results for three boycotts |
Student included little information about the Grape boycott led by Cesar Chavez Students did basic reasearch on two other boycotts from history Student completed a popplet with dates, why, how/events, and results for 2-3 boycotts |
Student did not include examples of the Grape boycott led by Cesar Chavez Students little or no reasearch on other boycotts from history Student completed a popplet with dates, why, how/events, and results for 1 or none of the boycotts |
| Strike and Boycott Comparison |
Students provides multiple pros and cons of both strikes and boycotts Student forms a direct opinion and provides three examples from the research to support thier opinion |
Students provides some pros and cons of both strikes and boycotts Student forms a direct opinion and provides three examples from the research to support thier opinion |
Students provides some pros and cons of both strikes and boycotts Student forms a direct opinion and provides two examples from the research to support thier opinion |
Students provides few pros and cons of both strikes and boycotts Student forms a direct opinion and provides one or no examples from the research to support thier opinion |
Conclusion
Congratulations! Your research is complete! Now it is time to put your own ideas and the research together! What do you think is the best form of protest to create change?
Using your research and examples from Esperanza Rising, write a letter to the character Marta persuading her to organize the form of protest you think is more effective! Good Luck!
Credits
Websites used for the webquest:
Migrant Farm Worker Websites:
http://picturethis.museumca.org/timeline/depression-era-1930s/migrant-f…
http://www.crmvet.org/docs/nsf_farm_workers-63.pdf
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/harvest-of-shame-50-years-later/
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/migrant-workers-struggle-change-23202398
http://www.extension.org/pages/9960/migrant-farm-workers:-our-nations-i…
Strike Research Wesites:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/low-wage-workers-stage-strikes-and-protests…
http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2011/08/09/10-biggest-strikes-in-ame…
http://www.history.com/videos/andrew-carnegie-and-the-homestead-strike#…
Boycott Research Website:
https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/bundles/189746
http://listverse.com/2011/09/03/10-famous-boycotts/
http://www.pbs.org/now/society/boycott.html
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement/video…
Teacher Page
Teacher and Creator: Ashley Kunkle
School: Montgomery Middle School
The webquest is used in conjunction with reading the novel Esperanza Rising. In the novel, Esperanza moves from being a "princess" in Mexico, to a migrant worker in the United States. We focus on the change as the theme of the unit. We look at the change of individuals and then tranistion in to how individuals can create change in the world!
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