The Short-Handled Hoe
This lesson uses a simple farming tool, the short-handled hoe, to introduce students to migrant labor in California and the farm worker labor movement.
After a brief introduction to the hoe and the bracero program that brought workers to California from Mexico, students explore a variety of artifacts to understand the context of the hoe’s use, as well as the United Farm Workers’ role in the 20th-century labor and civil rights movement. Students then draw from these varied sources to create an online museum exhibit centered on the hoe.
One of the great strengths of this lesson is that it starts with what seems a simple artifact, the short-handled hoe, but leads students towards more complex thinking, including grappling with the artifact’s larger symbolic and political meanings and its historical significance. The lesson also provides an excellent opportunity for teaching about historical context because placing the short-handled hoe in the context of the other artifacts and documents clarifies the meaning of this particular artifact (labeled a “barbaric instrument” by one doctor).
While the lesson provides only minimal structure, teachers will appreciate the wealth of companion resources, including historians’ commentary, images of other farming tools, and primary sources related to California farm labor, and the work of César Chavez and the United Farm Workers.
Notes
Teachinghistory.org Lesson Plan Rubric
| Field | Criteria | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Historical Content | Is historically accurate? | Yes |
| Historical Content | Includes historical background? | Yes. Brief introduction and additional resources. |
| Historical Content | Requires students to read and write? | Yes. Written documents and written justification required. |
| Analytic Thinking | Requires analysis/construction of interpretations using evidence? | Yes. Students create thesis statements and explain exhibit choices. |
| Analytic Thinking | Requires close reading and attention to source information? | Yes |
| Scaffolding | Appropriate for stated audience? | Yes |
| Scaffolding | Includes scaffolding materials and strategies? | No. May need additional support for struggling readers. |
| Lesson Structure | Includes assessment criteria focused on historical understanding? | No. Teachers must establish criteria. |
| Lesson Structure | Defines clear learning goals and progresses logically? | Yes |
| Lesson Structure | Includes clear directions; realistic for classrooms? | Yes |
