How Do Americans Celebrate?
Learn what Labor Day is and what it celebrates. Then, design unique badges to represent Labor Day.
Free Lessons
Download a free hands-on activity and start teaching in minutes.
The Labor Movement
Read about how labor unions were formed, as well as the problems they sought to address. Then, play a game to demonstrate why it was beneficial, but often difficult, to form unions.
Human Capital and the Labor Market
Conduct research on worker exploitation and immigrant labor and use it to develop an informed stance. Then, write a blog post or opinion article supported by the reading and research.
Biographies
Learn about six labor leaders. Consider assigning a group to read each and share what they’ve learned.
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May Chen (1948—)
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Nelson Cruikshank (1902—1986)
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Gilberto Gerena Valentín (1918—2016)
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Dolores Huerta (1930—)
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Larry Itliong (1913—1977)
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Rose Schneiderman (1882—1972)
Additional Resources
See these collections for additional Labor Day ideas.
History of the Holidays: Labor Day | History
Watch a video to learn about what inspired Labor Day and what events led to its creation.
A Brief History of Unions
Learn about the history of organized unions in two minutes with this animated video presented by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.