Last updated: March 18, 2022
Lesson Plan
The Power of One, Rangers in the Classroom Program
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Math,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- Fourth Grade: CCSS 4OAA.3; CA History and Social Studies: 4.4.6
Fifth Grade: CCSS 5NBT.A1
Essential Question
How can we, as individuals, effect change to improve justice for all?
Objective
This program introduces students to the story of César Chávez and the United Farm Workers. Students explore how the impact of one person can be magnified through coalition-building and collective actions.
Background
This program is currently set up as a Rangers in the Classroom Program. However, materials can be requested so teachers can use this lesson plan on their own. To request materials, please call 661-579-6134 or email us.
Preparation
Materials:
- Scratch paper and pencils for math problem
- Power point presentation
- Giant dice—8 w/ alternative numbering for math activity
Preparation:
Make enough dice so that each group of 3-4 students will have one.
Procedure
Program Introduction
How many of you would like to make the world a better place? Today we’re going to talk about a person who did just that—made the world a better place—but he didn’t do it alone. His name was César Chávez and he made life better for some very important people. They are the people who harvest the food we eat every day: farmworkers. Cesar worked in the fields and saw that life was very difficult for farmworkers. They worked hard for long hours (slide 2), made very little money (slide 3), lived in poor housing (slide 4), and didn’t have basic things like drinking water and bathrooms in the fields. Cesar wanted things to change—but how?
Becoming a Change Agent
How do people change things? For example, how much time do you have for lunch at school? Now, let’s image that you only have 10 minutes. Is that enough time to eat your lunch and get some exercise? No—you really need 40 minutes. So—what can you do to convince the principal to make lunch longer? Turn and talk to your shoulder partner about ways you might do this.
We will ask for volunteers to respond. Reject any ideas that involve violence, and explain that Cesar was firmly devoted to non-violent action. Delve further into responses via questions, and/or add items as necessary so that some of following are represented:
- Ask your parents to contact the principal
- Create a petition and have lots of students sign it
- Refuse to eat in the cafeteria until lunch is made longer
- Carry protest signs around school
- Contact the local television or radio station and tell them about your struggle
- Meet with the principal and give logical reasons lunch should be longer
How many of your ideas are things that a person can do all by themselves? If one student meets with the principal will things change? If one student refuses to eat lunch in the cafeteria, will things change? If one student carries a sign around school will things change? Two? How many students would it take for any of these actions to succeed?
Tell students that most/all of the ideas they came up with correspond to something that César actually did. As share the rest of the slide presentation, we will draw parallels to the student “short lunch movement” and the experiences of the farm worker’s movement.