Lesson Topic: Chicana Rights
Grade: High School
Class: American History
Approx. Class Time: 4 class periods
Lesson Objective: The students will research various events relating to the Chicana rights movement in order to analyze the Chicana Caucus Resolutions passed in 1973.
Materials: "National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) Convention, Chicana Caucus Resolutions, February 9-11, 1973."
Activity:
Break the class up into four groups. Have each group research one of the following events: the Talmadge Act, the Women's Education Act of 1973, the Farah or Boycott, the Lettuce Boycott. Students should be able to explain the event and how it relates to the concerns of Chicanas. Then, students should read the resolutions passed in 1973 and illustrate how their event connects to these resolutions. Once the research is completed, one class period should be devoted to a caucus role-play. Have the "delegates" from each group outline for the convention their topic and explain why that topic should be included in a resolution. After each presentation, there should be time for students to debate how they feel about the inclusion of each topic. Then the class should write out their own resolutions.
Discussion Questions:
What are the concerns specific to Chicanas? (as opposed to those of "women in general")
Why was it necessary for the NWPC to concern itself with the Chicana movement?
Based on this resolution and other events, how do you feel race and class fit into the women's movement?
Selected Suggested Readings:
Irene I. Blea, LaChicana and the Intersection of Race, Class, and Gender
(New York: Praeger, 1992).
Anne N. Costain, Inviting Women's Rebellion: A Political Process Interpretation of
the Women's Movement (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992). Back to Steinem Main Page
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