CFT Labor in the Schools Committee

Part of the California Federation of Teachers, the CFT Labor In the Schools Committee helps teachers reach students with information about the labor movement in history and today. The CFT Labor in the Schools Committee has produced free downloadable lessons for students from pre-school to college.

Two Example Lessons

Trouble in the Hen House: A Puppet Show
Elementary lesson based on a play/puppet show about hens organizing against an unfair farmer. Read as a story to K-1 students; grades 2-3 children can stage the puppet show; grades 4-5, use in a ‘readers theater’ format or students can stage play for a younger group. Students can learn about the potential for power in collective action. 20 pages. Download PDF.

The Yummy Pizza Company: A Labor Studies Curriculum for Elementary Schools
Ten lessons for elementary students (grades 2-5) introducing them to the world of work in a pizza factory simulation. Students learn how to apply for jobs, to retail their wares, to bank their earnings, and to resolve conflicts through organization and negotiation.  30 pages. Download PDF.