By: Arizona Education Association

Published: August 5, 2021

Labor Day honors the American worker and acknowledges the value and dignity of work and its role in American life. The first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882, in New York. Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. On June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor)

Here are some Labor Resources to help you and your students learn more about our working men and women.

Background

AFL-CIO: Labor History Timeline

This web page provides an annotated timeline for labor history events from 1607 to 2000.
National Public Radio

Listen to a working lesson in American history from Jeff Cowie, a professor at Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, in A Brief History of the Labor Movement. (2006) (audio 5:49 min)
American Labor Studies Center

This web site offer resources for K-12 teachers, including labor lesson plans, labor songs, labor quotes, timelines, biographies, and more.
American Labor Museum

See a video history of The House on the Green (20 min) (the house that is now the American Labor Museum/Botto House) and the 1913 Paterson Strike.
The Triangle Factory Fire

This rich resource provides original text documents, interviews of survivors and witnesses, and photographs and illustrations. From the Kheel Center at Cornell University.

Lesson Ideas

AFL-CIO: A Short History of American Labor

(PDF, 77 KB, 16 pgs.)

Adapted from March 1981 AFL-CIO American Federalist.
ALSC Lesson Guide for "A Short History of American Labor"

(PDF, 513 KB, 4 pgs.)

Prepared by the American Labor Studies Center.
Education World: American Labor Day

This site has numerous lesson ideas and activities for the holiday.
InstructorWeb: American Labor Day

See an excerpt from a lesson plan on Labor Day for grades 3-5. You must enter your email address to download the lesson plan and worksheet.
TeachersCorner: Writing Prompt Activity

(PDF, 165 KB, 1 pg.)

This activity for elementary and middle school students has a photo and prompt about the most important job in your community.
Library of Congress: Child Labor in America

Middle and high school students can see the factors that contributed to the Industrial Revolution in the United States.
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum: Hardball and Handshakes

This instructional unit uses the history of labor relations in major league baseball as a case study to probe the question: Why have professional athletes formed unions? It presents the labor contract and negotiations side of baseball.
American Labor Studies Center: Labor Songs

These labor songs could be used in music classes or regular classes. Some language (profanity) in the music may make it unsuitable for younger students.
YouTube Video: Workers Compensation History

This ten-minute video created by high school students in Houston, Texas, discusses workers compensation, using historical photographs and documents.

Learn More

Do More

1 Creating Bully-Free Schools - Micro-credentials

Subscribe to the AEA Legislative Update and get the latest from the AEA Lobbyist on changes to education policy and funding and receive alerts to take action on legislation that impacts Arizona's students and public school employees.

Labor Day Curriculum Resources

Background

Lesson Ideas

References

Learn More

Do More

Suggested Results

Labor Day Curriculum Resources

Background

Lesson Ideas

References

Learn More

Do More

Subscribe to the AEA Legislative Update

The AEA Foundation for Teaching & Learning