Lesson Title: 
Domestic movements - Comparing Daniel Shays to César E. Chávez

Grade Level:
Grade Eight Lesson 6  

Unit of Study:  
The Constitution

History-Social Science Standard: 
8.3.5   Know the significance of domestic resistance movements and ways in which the central government responded to such movements (e.g., Shays’ Rebellion, the Whiskey Rebellion).

Correlation to K-8 California Adopted Textbooks:
Glencoe McGraw-Hill.  The American Journey.  Chapter 7: A More Perfect Union.
Houghton-Mifflin.  A More Perfect Union.  Unit 2: The Constitution of the U.S.  Chapter 3: Toward the Constitution

Setting the Context:
Whenever there is a domestic resistance movement, there are always different interpretations from the media, individuals close to the movement, and the government.

Daniel Shays was a great leader to the people whom he represented.  They saw him as a hero who was willing to take on the government to protect the farmers.  The people who knew Daniel Shays saw a heroic figure in much the same way that those that worked directly with César E. Chávez saw him.  Chávez had the added benefit of also being featured in the national media while Shays may have been supported locally, but the national media vilified him.  Both men were also closely watched by the federal government.  

Focus Question: 
Why are domestic rebellion movements a potential threat to the federal government?

Expected Learning Outcomes: 
Students will explain the tensions that arise from a government willing to allow some domestic resistance.

Assessment: 
Students will create a magazine cover and letters from friends and an FBI-type report to re-discover Daniel Shays.  Students can be measured by how closely their Shays documents correlate to the material available on César E. Chávez.  Informal assessment can be conducted during classroom discussions.  

Key Concepts: 
conflict
rights

Essential Vocabulary:
domestic rebellions
Communism
FBI
Cold War
Articles of Confederation

Primary Sources:
FBI Memorandum dated 10-8-65 from Mr. DeLoach to M. A. Jones
FBI Memo from M. A. Jones to Wisk Memo (Document 124) RE: National Farm Workers Association
Oral Interview with Paulino and Victoria Pacheco

Visuals:
TIME Magazine Cover, July 1969

Procedure

Motivation:
1)	Display the TIME cover.  Have the students answer the following questions on their own paper.  Stress that there are no specific right or wrong answers.  The purpose of this activity is to get them thinking about the man who was César E. Chávez.

What is the first thing that grabs your attention when you first look at this picture?

Why does it do this?

Why would the artist do this?

How does the choice of colors affect the painting?

What materials were used to create this picture?

How are these materials appropriate to the subject?

What can we tell about this man from what he’s wearing?

What can we tell about the man overall?

Describe the painting style?

How does the painting style suit the man?

How does this picture make you feel?  Why

2)	Ask for student responses.  The following are a few possible answers based on artistic interpretation.

What is the first thing that grabs your attention when you first look at this picture?  (Eyes)

Why does it do this?  (Contrast - light against dark)

Why would the artist do this?  (The eyes are the windows to the soul)

How does the choice of colors affect the painting?  (Earth tones, man of the earth, warm)

What materials were used to create this picture?  (Pastels)

How are these materials appropriate to the subject?  (Pastels are made from earth, subject works the land, pastels are naturally rough, as is the subject)

What can we tell about this man from what he’s wearing?  (Not rich, etc.)

What can we tell about the man overall?  (Hispanic, young, healthy, etc.)

Describe the painting style?  (Loose, rough, not exact or photographic)

How does the painting style suit the man?  (He’s rough, a worker, etc.)

How does this picture make you feel?  Why?  (All possible answers)

Making Connections:
Students should be familiar with period of the Articles of Confederation in American history.  Students should be familiar with the plight of the migrant farm workers and the key role that Chávez played within the movement.  In addition, students should understand the role that the FBI played during the cold war period.  

Vocabulary Activities:
Cold War vocabulary and the Articles of Confederation should be taught prior to the lesson.  The information on the concept of domestic rebellions should be discussed at the end of the lesson as a comparison between Shays’ Rebellion and the UFW movement.  

Guided Instruction:
1)	After completing the motivation activity, ask the students to read the Oral Interview of Paulino and Victoria Pacheco.  Have the students volunteer adjectives to describe César E. Chávez according to the oral interview.

2)	Use the same reading activity with the FBI documents.  Students will have to use their inference skills to come up with adjectives.

3)	After reviewing the Critical Period and Shays’ Rebellion, have students create a magazine cover of Daniel Shays, another group conduct an oral interview of two students that lived as farmers during the Articles of Confederation, and finally, an FBI-type report on the activities of Daniel Shays prior to the rebellion. 

4)	Student groups should then display their projects to the class.  

Integrating Language:
Speaking and listening skills will be enhanced during classroom discussions on subject material.  The motivating activity will help students develop a purpose for the reading.  The group doing the FBI report will improve upon expository writing skills.  

Enrichment:
1)	Students can read the CDE middle level biography of César E. Chávez prior to or after the assignment.  

2)	Most textbooks offer a deeper understanding of the cold war period.

3)	Comparing the Constitution to the Articles of Confederation will bring about a greater understanding of the time period, since the Constitution was mainly written to fix the problems with the Articles.

Service Learning:
Domestic rebellions are a result of a lack of dialogue and understanding between the two parties.  Students can research issues where discord is brewing in their community and develop a plan to get the parties to openly share their views in a civic forum.