Lesson 4: Children at Work: Lost Childhood

Priscilla Kron

AHTC Summer Institute: 2008

To download as a pdf, please click here.

Abstract:

In this lesson students will respond to photos of child labor today. Students will then brainstorm reasons why child labor should be eliminated in the United States and around the world. They will use these reasons to compose a letter to a legislator about the issue.

Essential Questions/Enduring Understandings:

• What forms of child labor still exist today?

• Why does child labor still exist today?

• How is child labor different from the jobs you might do at home?

• What responsibility do we have regarding this issue?

Assessment:

The students will respond to photos during a Gallery Walk. Students will also

write a letter regarding the issue of today’s child labor.

Setting the Purpose:

Students will join into pairs and rotate through a Gallery Walk of photos of current day child labor, both in the United States and in the world. This will lead to a discussion of why child labor is wrong and should be eliminated. This discussion will guide the students to the final project.

Duration:

One class period.

Procedure:

Part 1: Building Background

• Show the Shoes cartoon, which refers to current child labor issues. Have a brief discussion of what the issue is today. Which students have heard anything about child labor being used to make Nike products or other products? What is their opinion about this issue.

• To get more participation, you might do a quick Think-Pair-Share instead of just a group discussion.

Part 2: Gallery Walk

• Display chart tablet sized papers with a photo of child labor on each. Notations should be made as to where the photo was taken and what the child(ren) are doing. (There should be enough for pairs of students to each be at one.)

Photos are available at:

Stolen Dreams , In Our Own Backyard , and in a document

published by the International Labor Organization.

• Give each pair of students a marker and have them rotate around the room, commenting on the photo on each sheet. They may either write what they see, or what their thoughts about the photo are. (They should avoid using the words “bad, sad, etc”)

• After all pairs have seen most of the photos, have them write a brief reaction in their notebook or journal. This is one way to give students an opportunity to process what they have seen in private.

Part 3: Video Clips

• Show one or two video clips from Stolen Childhoods or excerpts from the documentary Stolen Childhoods produced by ABC’s News Nightline.

• Have students do a Think-Pair-Share based on the Gallery Walk and the video clips. The focus might be What are some of the problems with child labor? What effects does child labor have on the children, their families, and their societies?

Part 4: RAFT

• Explain the RAFT concept, if the students are not already familiar with it.

(R – role; A- audience; F- format; T- topic)

• Role would be a citizen; Audience would be a legislator (provide the

actual title and name); Format would be a letter; Topic might be the

effects of child labor in society or the need for eliminating child labor.

• Have students write the RAFT assignment to be turned in.

Analysis of Primary Sources:

Students will respond in writing and orally to photos and videos. This visual input will be used in the final project.

Attachments:

• Shoes

• International Labor Organization Photos