Unpublished

What Roles Do Philanthropists Play in Influencing Others? Cesar Chavez and the Farm Worker's Struggle
  1. Strand PHIL.II Philanthropy and Civil Society
    1. Standard PCS 01. Self, citizenship, and society
      1. Benchmark HS.3 Give examples of human interdependence and explain why group formation is one strategy for survival.
    2. Standard PCS 02. Diverse Cultures
      1. Benchmark HS.7 Identify and give examples of the important roles women and minorities have played in the civil society sector in history.
    3. Standard PCS 03. Philanthropy and Economics
      1. Benchmark HS.5 Give examples of stewardship decisions throughout history and in current events.

To enable students to list the conditions which led César Chávez to direct the farm workers' struggle for economic wellbeing and to evaluate current issues facing farm workers and the American consumer today.

Duration: 
PrintOne 50-Minute Class Period
Objectives: 

The learner will:

  • list three conditions that led Chavez to form the Farm Worker's Union.
  • cite the main ideas behind Chavez's philosophy and identify various examples of the actions he took to insure the welfare of his community.
  • cite examples of issues that continue to face farm workers today.
Materials: 

Copy of the documentary video: The Wrath of Grapes (see Bibliographical References)

Bibliography: 
Instructions: 
Print
  1. Anticipatory Set: Ask the class how many of them live on farms or know a person who currently farms for a living. Brainstorm a list of concerns they think farmers face today.

  2. View the documentary film, The Wrath of Grapes.

  3. After the film, ask the students to make a list of conditions faced by the farm workers in the mid-80s that resulted in the grape boycott. They should:

    • identify three conditions that led Chávez to form the Farm Worker's Union.
    • cite the main ideas behind Chávez's philosophy.
    • identify various examples of the actions he took to insure the welfare of his community.
    • cite examples of issues that continue to face farm workers today.
  4. In teams, students use the Internet to research articles about air, water, and ground pollution caused by pesticides today, as well as the benefits of pesticides.

  5. Students come to some conclusion about the danger of toxic chemicals on today's food.

  6. Students work with partners to develop an action project to make the community aware of the dangers and/or benefits of pesticides today. An example might be to provide a display in the school or local library on this topic.

Assessment: 

Have the class create a rubric for presentation of ideas created in last bullet above.