Course

US History; could also be used for Language Arts

• Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
• Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
• Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

1. Access to all materials listed in Resources/Links section.  Teacher may print materials or provide links to students to access on individual devices.  
2. Paper, markers, other supplies for creating a newspaper article.  Students may also create the article digitally if there is access to devices. 

Hispanic Occupations in Trinidad, 1871

Occupational Analysis of Latino-Surnamed Adults in Lafayette, Boulder, Longmont, 1926-1975

Farming and unions in southern San Luis Valley

Farming and Water around 1900

Farming, 1930s Onward

Labor and Union History

Farming, coal mining, and unions in Trinidad/Las Animas County

Farming and Ranching

Coal Mines and Miners

Ludlow Strike and Massacre, 1913-14

Industrial work and unions in Pueblo

Colorado Fuel & Iron Co. (CF&I)

Unions & Strikes

Sugar Beet Workers in Boulder/Weld Counties

Beet Workers Warned not to use Children under the age of 14, 1935

Mexican Agitators Arrested 1932

Jail terms for Mexican Beet Picketers, 1932

County to Deport 75 Beet Workers, 1932

Sugar Beets Brought Early Hispanics to Longmont

Coal Miners in Boulder/Weld Counties

The Columbine Incident, 1927

Coal Miners’ Wages Cut, 1932

Coal Miners’ Wages Cut Denied, 1932 (middle column, bottom)

8000 Colorado Mine Workers on Strike, 1935

Mine Settlement Expected Soon, 1935

Coal Miner’s Pocket Book, 1940s

Miners in Mountains

Migrant Farm Workers in Boulder/Weld Counties

Winter Looking Bleak for Migrants at Ft. Lupton Camp, 1961

Farmers concerned about irresponsibility of migrant workers, 1968

Farm Workers United Worried about Migrant Housing, 1970

Area Farmer Denies Labor Camp Charges, 1971

Valley Farmer Charged with Mistreating Aliens, 1971

Hardship of Migrant Living, 1971

Turkey Processing Plant in Longmont, CO

Hard Work, Low Pay at the Turkey Plant, 1979

An Employment Option for Migrants: The Turkey Plant, 1971

Interior of Longmont Foods Turkey Plant

Turkey Plant Workers 

Turkey Processing 

1. Warm up: Students should get into groups of three.  Each trio should be given a folder with occupational data for Latinos in Trinidad or Boulder County (see links in resources).  Each person in the group should take one of the cities and analyze the data on the spreadsheet. Students should make observations about the data.  What jobs are Latinos working? What trends do you notice? What might the working conditions have been like in these jobs? What was going on in the world at the time that might explain the data?  What do you notice for male and female employment? How do you think this data compares to occupational data for Latinos today? Teacher should use this data to begin a conversation about Latinos in the workplace, working conditions, and types of jobs that minorities traditionally do. 

            OPTIONAL: teacher may instruct the students to graph the data for a visual representation

            of the information. 

1. Teacher should explain that students will act as investigative reporters/muckrakers for a particular occupation that many Latinos worked.  They can use primary sources for one of the places listed above or do research in their own community. Teacher should act as the “editor” of a newspaper and explain that students are the reporters in the field. Their assignment is to write an investigative report that exposes the working conditions and treatment of workers in that particular field.  Students will be under a deadline (determined by teacher) for their article to be published. Students will need 8-10 important facts as well as images. Student should work to find the “angle.” Which issues need to be exposed in the particular occupation that they are investigating? What should the public know? Can you get any quotes/interviews (from people in the articles)?  What context needs to be provided? Students should be sure to focus on working conditions and treatment of workers in their investigation. Teacher can decide if students will work individually or in pairs. Teacher can assign an occupation to each student/pair or let them choose an occupation to study. 
3. Teacher should give students time to work on their article research.  Teacher should support students in their research and in their writing of their article.