Sweat and Blood a History of U.S. labor Unions

By: Gloria Skurzynski

From the Civil War to Chinese workers in the central pacific rail road to the stock market crash this book traces the history of unions and laborers in the United States. The chronological recounts of history helps readers understand and organize the information easily. There is also a table of contents and index both of which aid in navigating through the contents of the book. Actual photos with captions bring the history alive and intrigue young readers. If readers didn’t get enough from this book a list of further readings and websites are listed in the back to promote extensive learning on the subject of labor unions in the United States.

Published by: Lerner Publishing Group

Copyright: 2008

 Reading Level:  6 and up

Suggested delivery: Independent read, Whole group, or small group read.

Vocabulary: unions, indenture, revolt, enfranchised, inhabitant, guild, disbanded, posse, militia, strike, bewhiskered, cabinet, bargaining, seizing, corruption, committee, socialist, communist, industrialists, legislation. (There are a lot of historical terms that students might need help with understanding)

Electronic Resources:

http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Skurzynski__Gloria.html this website gives a biography and information about the author including other works by her that the students may enjoy.

http://gloriabooks.com/ this is the authors website with ways to contact her, picture and list of her other books.

http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/la/Labor_union this site gives background information on labor unions and what they are. Students can read this to get more information or teachers can use this to help enforce their students understanding of labor unions. 

Activities to increase comprehension:

Before reading: students can use this book to enforce social studies lessons and projects. It would be beneficial for students to be taught the text structures of this book before they read that way they know how to read it. Some students might not understand the use of a table or contents, index, or the picture captions.

During reading: as students read and come across words that they are unfamiliar with they can write those words down on index cards to look up to further understanding or they can define the words and then put them up on the word wall so that they become familiar with the words as they are reading.

After reading: a RAFT writing assignment would be a great way for the students to get more in depth understanding of the people and events mentioned in the book. Role of the writer includes what you are as a write: the students can take on the role of someone mentioned in the book ex, martin Luther King Jr. or a laborer. Audience includes who you are writing to: the students can better understand the relationship between which they are being and the people around them ex: writing to the union of the workers. Format of the writing ex: a letter or speech. And finally the Topic or what you are writing about and why? This helps the students understand the circumstances of the time and how the people were affected.