The People vs. Columbus, et al.
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. 8 pages. Rethinking Schools.
A trial role play asks students to determine who is responsible for the death of millions of Taínos on the island of Hispaniola in the late 15th century. Roles available in Spanish.
Time Periods: Colonization: 1492 - 1764
Themes: Imperialism, Native American
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Presidents and the Enslaved: Helping Students Find the Truth
Teaching Activity. By Bob Peterson. 7 pages. Rethinking Schools.
How a 5th grade teacher and his students conducted research to answer the question: “Which presidents owned people?” Available in Spanish.
Time Periods: 18th Century, 19th Century
Themes: African American, Education, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery and Resistance
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Rethinking the U.S. Constitutional Convention: A Role Play
Teaching Activity. By Bob Peterson. 14 pages. Rethinking Schools.
A role play on the Constitutional Convention which brings to life the social forces active during and immediately following the American Revolution with focus on two key topics: suffrage and slavery. An elementary school adaptation of the Constitution Role Play by Bill Bigelow. Roles available in Spanish.
Time Periods: 18th Century, Revolution & Constitution: 1765 - 1799
Themes: Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Native American, Slavery and Resistance, Women's History
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U.S. Mexico War: “We Take Nothing by Conquest, Thank God”
Teaching Activity. Lesson by Bill Bigelow and student reading by Howard Zinn. 21 pages. Rethinking Schools.
Interactive activity introduces students to the history and often untold story of the U.S.-Mexico War. Roles available in Spanish.
Time Periods: 19th Century, Early 19th Century: 1800 - 1849
Themes: Imperialism, Latinx, Slavery and Resistance, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
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‘What We Want, What We Believe’: Teaching with the Black Panthers’ Ten Point Program
Teaching Activity. By Wayne Au. 7 pages. Rethinking Schools.
How students can use the Black Panther Party's Ten Point Program to assess issues in their own communities and to develop Ten Point Programs of their own. Available in Spanish.
Time Periods: 20th Century, People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974
Themes: African American, Civil Rights Movements, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
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Conexiones Caribenas: La Republica Dominicana
Teaching Guide. By Anne Gallin, Ruth Glasser and Jocelyn Santana. 2005.
Selected readings in Spanish from "Caribbean Connections: Dominican Republic."
Themes: Latinx
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Rights Matter: The Story of the Bill of Rights
Teaching Guide. By Nancy Murray. 2006.
A free, downloadable, student-friendly booklet on the Bill of Rights, available in English and Spanish.
Themes: Laws & Citizen Rights
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500 Años del Pueblo Chicano – 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures
Book - Non-fiction. By Elizabeth Martinez. 1991 (2nd Edition).
Chicano history as told through hundreds of pictures and bilingual text.
Time Periods: All US History
Themes: Civil Rights Movements, Immigration, Latinx, Native American
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Adicto a la Guerra: Por que el E.E.U.U. no Puede Librarse del Militarismo
Book - Non-fiction. By Joel Andreas. 2005.
Spanish-language edition of the expose on militarism in graphic novel format. Accessible for high school and above.
Time Periods: All US History
Themes: Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
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La Otra Historia de los Estados Unidos
Book - Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. Translated by Toni Strubel. 2011 (translation).
A People's History of the United States in Spanish.
Time Periods: All US History
Themes: Labor, Organizing
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A Year Without Sundays (Un Año Sin Domingos)
Book - Non-fiction. By Catherine Murphy. 2014. and DVD.
Photos and stories about the highly successful Cuban literacy campaign of 1961.
Time Periods: People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974
Themes: Education, World History/Global Studies
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The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom
Book - Fiction. By Margarita Engle. 2010. 384 pages.
Bilingual book of historical fiction in verse about Cuba's long fight for independence in the 19th century.
Time Periods: 19th Century, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864
Themes: Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery and Resistance, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History, World History/Global Studies
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Clic, Clac, Muu Vacas Escritoras
Picture book. By Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2001.
A barnyard struggle where the cows go on strike and the farmer is forced to negotiate.
Themes: Labor, Organizing
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Nadarín
Picture book. By Leo Lionni. 1973 (Spanish translation 2005).
A classic tale for young children about the power of organizing. Also in English.
Themes: Organizing
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Pink y Say
Picture book. By Patricia Polacco. 2003.
In Spanish, the narrative of two young boys who meet and help each other during the Civil War for upper elementary.
Time Periods: 19th Century, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864
Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A.
Picture book. By Diana Cohn and illustrated by Francisco Delgado. 2008.
A children's book based on the true story of the Justice for Janitors strike.
Time Periods: 20th Century, Post-Civil Rights Era: 1975 - 2000
Themes: Labor, Latinx, Organizing
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Side by Side/Lado a lado
Picture book. By Monica Brown and translation by Carolina Valencia. Illustrated by Joe Cepeda. 2010.
The life stories and activism of the two founders of the United Farm Workers (UFW), written and illustrated for young children.
Time Periods: 20th Century, People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974
Themes: Labor, Latinx, Organizing
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Somos como las nubes/We Are Like the Clouds
Picture Book. By Jorge Argueta. Illustrated by Alfonso Ruano. 2016.
Poems written in Spanish and English address the struggles of child refugees fleeing Central America for the United States. Grade 2+.
Time Periods: 20th Century, Post-Civil Rights Era: 1975 - 2000
Themes: Immigration, Imperialism, Latinx
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That’s Not Fair! Emma Tenayuca’s Struggle for Justice/¡No Es Justo!: La lucha de Emma Tenayuca por la justicia
Picture book. By Carmen Tafolla, Sharyll Tenayuca, and Celina Marroquin. 2008. 40 pages.
Bilingual (Spanish and English) biography of labor activist Emma Tenayuca for upper elementary.
Time Periods: 20th Century, Prosperity, Depression, & World War II: 1920 - 1944
Themes: Labor, Latinx, Organizing, Women's History
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Granito de Arena/Grain of Sand
Film. Produced by Jill Freidberg. Corrugated Films. 2005. 62 min.
Documentary about teachers, parents, and students fighting to defend Mexico's public education system from the impacts of economic globalization.
Themes: Education, Labor, Organizing, World History/Global Studies
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