May Day Curriculum Building Resources
Table of contents (click on the links below to jump to the content)
This pivotal event in labor history saw tens of thousands of people taking action in 1886 to win the 8-hour workday and facing off against government repression. It’s observed by millions of workers around the world as International Worker’s Day, and it all began in Chicago. The history features prominent contributions from scores of immigrant labor organizers, radical Black, Mexican, and Native unionist Lucy Parsons, and more.
You can read a brief summary of the event here. Below are some collected resources that could be used to build curricula to use the Haymarket Affair and some related subjects to teach students about collective action, civic participation, economics, media narratives, the criminal legal system, labor, power, immigration, race, and much more.
In 2006, millions of people protested in response to a proposed bill that would raise penalties for undocumented immigration and classify undocumented immigrants and anyone who helped them enter or remain in the US as felons. The apex was the “the Day Without an Immigrant” on May 1st 2006, where immigrant organizers called for immigrants to boycott all schools and businesses to call attention to immigrants’ contributions to everyday life and the economy. Over 500,000 protested marched in Chicago and many more in cities across the United Staets, including immigrant Latinx communities as well as “immigrants of Polish, Irish, Asian and African descent.”
This was one of the largest protests in US history, and students can study it to learn about local history, immigration, boycotts, strikes, other forms of civic action, and more. Below are resources that could be used to build lessons about the 2006 May Day mobilization.
Unions, worker centers, immigrant organizations, anti-war organizations, and many more protesters marched throughout Chicago last year in the middle of the work day. Across the country, communities mobilized in the largest May Day demonstrations in many years in the US.
1. Introduce concept–(5-6 min)
Show where May 1 falls on the calendar. Explain: May 1 is also called May Day or International Workers Day. On this day we will celebrate and honor the people who do the work (important jobs) in our home, in our school, in our community. Ask students to think/pair/share a kind of job they think is important.
2. Create an idea map during a whole group or small group discussion (10-15 min.)
-Guiding Question: Who are the workers around us?
-Discuss and use chart paper to create an idea map with students. Older students can act as scribes.
-Support students to develop categories: For example, who are the workers in our school? In our home? In our neighborhood? How do they help us? (Younger students may need more specific categories–Who are the workers who help us feed us? Help keep us healthy? Help clean up the school?, etc.) Build in the special interests of your students too–Who are the workers that take care of animals? Pick up the garbage? Build skyscrapers? Make sure to add teachers to the list of important workers!
3. Independent or small group activity–Make signs thanking the workers in your school and/or neighborhood. (15-20min)
Use poster board, cardboard, etc. and markers or paint to write messages honoring workers. Take a school-building or neighborhood walk to tape up signs before May Day. Let families and other workers in your school building know about this activity and invite them to add their own signs.
4. Read-Aloud to Keep the Discussion Going (10-15 min.)
PreK-K Whose Tools are These? by Sharon Katz Cooper. A great choice because students will have to use deductive reasoning to learn about interesting jobs like hairdressers, doctors, etc.
Gr. 1-2 “Marvelous Cornelius” by Phil Bildner. A great choice because it’s a true story of a real-life sanitation worker in New Orleans, cleaning up his community with the help and solidarity of others in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
1. Introduce concept–(5-6 min)
Explain that on May Day many people will be marching in the streets with signs about things they think are unfair. They want to change the way things are being done to make them more fair for everyone. Show 2-3 kid friendly photos of protests–notice signs, how people seem to be feeling, what they’re doing.
What do you think these marchers believe is unfair? What do they want to change? (Accept a variety of answers–what’s important is to encourage student’s thinking about how people try to change things that they think are unfair, not to teach the history of the movements in the photos.)
2. Read Aloud (10-15 min.)
Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell (animated read aloud available here https://vimeo.com/56772821)
Questions to ponder: What kind of work did the duck have to do? Why didn’t the farmer help do the work? Was it fair that the duck had to do all the work on the farm? How did the other animals help the duck? What would you say to the farmer if you were the duck? What is a more fair way to do the work?
3. Independent or small group activity–Make your own protest signs!
Use poster board, cardboard, etc. and markers or paint to write a sign about something you think is unfair and want to change. Brainstorm ideas with students and let them choose their own issue to be passionate about–it doesn’t have to be a social justice issue that adults are passionate about, although it may be. More recess time? Longer lunchtime? Longer weekends? Stop littering? No bullying? Be nice to animals? More dance parties? Fewer tests? Accept a variety of ideas but challenge students to think about and articulate why their idea would be more fair and/or help their community, school, classroom, or family. If several students want to work on one idea together, use butcher paper to make a banner. Students should be encouraged to express their ideas through developmental writing and drawing.
4. Read Aloud 2: We March by Shane W. Evans
A great follow-up to the sign-making activity. The simple text and bold images help younger learners understand how people have come together to win change and make the world more fair through peaceful protest and purposeful action. Based on the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington D.C.
1. Introduce concept–(6-8 min)
Explain that in Chicago we have neighbors that come to our city from all over the world. Talk about how this makes our city such an exciting and beautiful place, where we can share food, music, languages, and ideas from all around the world. Share 3-4 pictures that showcase different immigrant communities in our city. Ask students to share their ideas about the images or to share their own experiences regarding immigration. If you have an immigration story in your family, share it.
Explain that moving to new places can be hard, and people can sometimes feel lonely if they had to leave their friends or some of their family behind when they moved. Ask students to brainstorm ideas about how to welcome new neighbors or classmates.
2. Watch and Discuss the Big Ideas for Little Humans Video (5-6 min) “Immigration for Kids: Belonging, Kindness, and New Beginnings”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwqwc8Jydp0
3. Read and Discuss a book about the immigration experience (15-20 min.) https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/immigration/
4. Listen to music from around the world in many languages
Playlist with beautiful animation and artwork by the Secret Mountain
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4cpbJiOEdlkHYMZZkYdF4sWkSUxezbTd
Playlist by Putamayo Kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOlK08ZYrKU&list=PLloxRkIwt8TMci-H3LqSIMGiFZWi4R9Rs
5. Ask families to share stories of immigration and/or home cultures with the classroom.
Explain to families that you are teaching about immigration in Chicago. Students or a family member can be invited to share an artifact–photograph, object, song, book, clothing, map, etc.—from their family’s country of origin. School staff members could also be invited to share.
1. Introduce concept–(5-6 min)
Listen and dance along to the song “Stand Up For You” by the Alphabet Rockers Stand Up for You | GRAMMY-winners Alphabet Rockers Make Music that Makes Change | Sing Dance Empower
After sharing the song, ask students if they know what “unity” means (in a whole group or small group discussion.) Explain that unity means standing together and helping one another. Unity means everyone is important and everyone can find a way to get along with each other. Ask students
2. Read Aloud (10-15 min.)
The Colors of Us by Karen Katz is just one of several books that celebrate the many skin colors of humanity.
After the read aloud, ask children which color in the book reminds them of their skin color. You can model looking at your hand next to a page that reminds you of your color.
3. Small Group Art Project (15-20min)
Use skin colored crayons or markers (commercially available from many sources) and paper cut in the ovals. Have children choose a color that matches their skin. Provide hand held mirrors so students can really examine their color, their face, their hair. Color the ovals. Now provide black markers and ask children to add the facial features…eyes, nose, etc. If you have time and resources, provide a variety of yarn in many hair color shades. After all students have had a chance to create their self portraits, display them in an arch (rainbow shape) on a bulletin board or white board.
4. Celebrate Your Classroom Rainbow (10-15 min.)
After displaying the rainbow of skin colors, explain that there was an important man named Jesse Jackson who lived in Chicago. Tell students he was a friend of Martin Luther King! Tell students Jesse Jackson did many important things but one of the most important was that he helped build unity between people and tried to help all the people feel proud of who they are. Share this video of Jackson from Sesame Street leading children in the “I Am Somebody” chant. Jesse Jackson performs "I Am — Somebody" on Sesame Street
May Day is About Celebrating Who We Are, Where we Live,
and Who We Love
Celebrating Differences
Todd Parr has a great selection of books that can support engaging students in guided conversations around social justice issues.
It’s Okay To Be Different This is a book that celebrates people’s differences. The Family Book celebrates many different kinds of families.
Guiding questions to generate conversations with younger learners:
-What is something that makes you (or your family) special or unique?
-What is something you can do to be a good friend? A good family member? A good neighbor?
-What do you think the world would be like if everyone was exactly the same?
Environmental Issues
I Love The Earth This book by Todd Parr is a great read to discuss social justice issues centered around the environment (e.g., saving water, recycling, reusing, and adopting habits that keep the planet healthy).
Potential questions to generate conversations with younger learners:
-What does it mean to take care of the Earth?
-How does keeping the earth clean help animals, trees, and plants?
-What is one way you can help the Earth?
Identify & LGBTQIA+ Inclusivity (PreK-2)
There are many wonderful books that celebrate LBBTQIA+ identity for younger learners. One of our favorites is
Julian Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love. This book can help generate conversations around identity, belonging, and fostering a child's imagination.
Another key task of educators is seeing and validation of a child's identity.
Potential questions to generate conversations with younger learners:
-Why do you think Julian loves mermaids so much?
-What was Julián worried about when Abuela saw his costume? How did she react?
- If you could dress up as anything, what would it be? Why?
For more Early Childhood book recommendations, you can see “We Are the Builders” about the wide variety of important community organizing roles people fill, and the “First Conversations Series” that helps us responsibly introduce topics of injustice with our youngest learners/
This is the slide deck from a pilot lesson at Curie
This is the graphic organizer students used during the presentation and simulation
This is the Freedom Trainers deck for students fighting authoritarianism that can be broken up into a group project
Notes:
You cannot get through the primary slide-deck in one period. We did 3 questions using the four corners. We did one role play of a stranger kicking a dog and what they would do.
There is another freedom trainer role-play where a protestor confronts a phalanx of police. Each of these requires some set up on the scene and instruction of not getting belligerent.
Letting students work through a group definition of what they thought Authoritarianism means was a very useful way to socialize the definition before even sharing it. Most students already know what authoritarianism looks like e.g. ICE violating rights — but did not know how to define it prior to the lesson.
Ultimately, I think this is 3-4 distinct periods
Name
Response Sheet for the Authoritarian Playbook Presentation
Directions: Take key notes based on the presentation to be accessed later for in class discussion, writing and group work. |
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– Alice Walker | |
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10 What are things you think we can do right now that can work to help people that are hurting? | |
11) Exit Ticket: | |
Name:
BR: What are your red lines that have been crossed? (read the definition on the screen to help you)
May Day Slides for this lesson
Video Clip 1 May Day 2025: 2 Inferences | |
Haymarket Affair via Britanica
Haymarket Affair, violent confrontation between police and labour protesters in Chicago in May of 1886, that became a symbol of the international struggle for workers’ rights. It has been associated with May Day (May 1) since that day’s designation as International Workers’ Day by the Second International in 1889.
On May 3 one person was killed and several injured as police intervened to protect strikebreakers and intimidate strikers during a union action at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company that was part of a national campaign to secure an eight-hour workday. To protest police brutality, labour leaders called a mass meeting the next day in Haymarket Square. That gathering was pronounced peaceful by Chicago Mayor Carter Harrison, who attended as an observer. After Harrison and most of the demonstrators departed, a contingent of police arrived and demanded that the crowd disperse. At that point a bomb was thrown by an individual never positively identified, and police responded with random gunfire. Seven police officers were killed and 60 others wounded before the violence ended; civilian casualties have been estimated at four to eight dead and 30 to 40 injured.
The Haymarket Affair created widespread hysteria directed against immigrants and labour leaders. Amid the panic, August Spies and seven other anarchists were convicted of murder on the grounds that they had conspired with or aided an unknown assailant. Many of the so-called “Chicago Eight,” however, were not even present at the May 4 event, and their alleged involvement was never proved. Nevertheless, Spies and three other defendants were hanged on November 11, 1887, and another defendant committed suicide.
The Haymarket tragedy inspired generations of labour leaders, leftist activists, and artists and has been commemorated in monuments, murals, and posters throughout the world, especially in Europe and Latin America. In 1893 the Haymarket Martyrs Monument was erected in a cemetery in the Chicago suburb of Forest Park. A statue dedicated to the slain police officers, erected in Haymarket Square in 1889, was moved to the Chicago Police Department’s training academy in the early 1970s after it was repeatedly damaged by leftist radicals. An official commemoration, The Haymarket Memorial, was installed on the site of the riot in 2004.
In your own words: May Day is…
2 facts about Lucy Parsons | |
Analyzing what President Trump has done using video or reading
Action Trump has done | |
Impact of action | ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ |
Final Response: Select one of the questions on the screen to respond to in complete sentences. Use evidence from any of the videos or readings to support your answer.
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2. Voting: Over the past year, the Justice Department has demanded that dozens of states turn over sensitive election data — namely, voter registration lists — under the banner of “election integrity.” State officials, however, argue that complying could expose voters’ personally identifying information — including dates of birth and driver’s license numbers — and that the federal government has no right to demand that information. Many have openly defied the department’s order.
3. Trump made the revival of “beautiful, clean coal” a central part of his administration’s energy policy — a promise that dates back to his first presidential campaign. In his second term, he has so far sought to further help revitalize the long-struggling industry by modernizing aging coal plants and offering acres of federal land for new mining.
4. Conservatives, who have long argued that unauthorized immigrants are a burden on the U.S. social safety net, more recently have attempted to also purge millions of taxpaying legal immigrants from the rolls of public benefits programs, including free and subsidized health insurance. The first Trump administration, for instance, enacted a Public Charge Rule that penalized legal immigrants who enrolled in Medicaid, making it harder for them to obtain a green card. The Biden administration stopped enforcing the policy in 2021 and rescinded it in 2022. Both policies are expected to have broad, negative effects — both for the health of immigrant families and for citizens enrolled in the same insurance programs. A 2021 study found that Trump’s original public charge rule led many low-income immigrants to avoid using health services, including more than a quarter of legal permanent residents who were not subject to the rule. The rollback of insurance subsidies, meanwhile, is predicted to cause 300,000 immigrants to lose coverage next year because they can’t afford it, according to the nonpartisan legislative scorekeepers at the Congressional Budget Office, with nearly 1 million immigrants going uninsured by 2034. That, in turn, could raise insurance prices for everyone, since immigrants tend to be younger and use fewer health services than the general population.
5. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to fire the “radical left” organizations that oversee U.S. colleges and universities. Schools must be recognized by these organizations, known as accreditors, to receive federal financial aid. Trump and other Republicans have accused the organizations of being too left leaning, and want to bring new accreditors onto the market. The group, now stacked with Trump administration appointees, elected its new chair — a former senior research fellow from the Heritage Foundation, the think tank that authored Project 2025, the conservative blueprint for a second Trump presidency.
6. Trump kicked off his presidency with one of his boldest expansions of power to date: A blanket pardon for hundreds of people who stormed the Capitol in his name on Jan. 6, 2021. The mass pardon itself was extraordinary but the subtler, more radical gambit was what came next. Trump’s Justice Department went to court to argue that the pardon wasn’t just meant to cover crimes that occurred on Jan. 6 but could also cover unrelated crimes committed by Jan. 6 defendants that were uncovered during the investigation of the riot.
7. The Trump administration has gone to great lengths to force U.S. schools at all levels to dismantle their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The administration is now trying a new tactic to probe whether universities are discriminating against applicants based on race.
Trump took office vowing to detain and deport what he claimed were illegal, criminal immigrants. But in July, ICE quietly adopted a policy that radically transformed the treatment of all immigrants living in the United States: Rather than the presumption that they would live freely — unless an immigration judge determined they were dangerous or likely to flee their proceedings — ICE would instead classify them as “applicants for admission,” a legal designation that requires them to be locked up without the opportunity for bond.
Recent administrations, including the first Trump administration, have generally followed an approach to homelessness called “Housing First” — people are provided permanent housing first, along with voluntary supportive services, instead of requiring them to first tackle other problems like drug addiction. Advocates argue that it’s hard for people experiencing homelessness to solve other problems in their lives without the safety that comes from permanent housing. The funding change could put more than 170,000 people already in permanent housing at risk of homelessness as the policy change takes effect. Any cuts to permanent housing will be implemented through the grant application process.
10. However, the Trump administration continues to corrupt the public record and whitewash the history of this country. Through a multipronged strategy that includes purging diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, pushing for changes in school curricula, and censoring museum exhibits, the administration has implemented a series of orders to reduce access to public areas and censor and rewrite historical exhibits, particularly those targeting the history and impact of Black Americans on public lands. For example, the rollback of fee‑free days on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, when parks are free to the public, symbolically limits public access to history and weakens the government’s own acknowledgment that these lands—and the narratives they hold—belong to all Americans.
11. President Donald Trump has dragged the United States into a needless war with Iran—and one with no clear end. His war has already exacted a steep human toll: Six American service members are dead, and President Trump has suggested more will follow. At the same time, hundreds of Iranian civilians, including children, have been killed in Operation Epic Fury strikes. And for what? The war promises to be a strategic disaster that risks long-term instability, with no clear strategy to mitigate Iran’s incentive for nuclear weaponization or establish a pathway to democracy. Who foots the bill for this needless, immoral war? The American taxpayer. Already, the war has cost at least $5 billion and created global economic instability.
The Youngest Marcher: Small But Mighty Storytime
Why do people march?
Who gets to march?