Definition:

To be hopeful means to believe that something good can happen, even when it

Definition:

A combination of hope and courage are virtues that are needed for dreamers and achievers. Children need a vision for their future, and the willingness to take risks in order to achieve that vision. Dream big and take healthy risks.  Believe that something good can happen.

In short:

Believe that something good can happen.

In short:
Believe that something good can happen.

Summary:

When Cesar Chavez was a boy, his family lost their big ranch in Arizona because of a drought (when it doesn’t rain for a long period of time). They moved to California and became migrant workers and worked on other people’s farms there. Even though he was just a boy, Cesar helped his parents in the fields. It was rough work and there wasn’t enough income to buy back their ranch. Cesar was discriminated against in the schools he attended and he dropped out after completing 8th grade. When he was twenty years old he decided to dedicate his life to addressing the mistreatment of migrant workers. He called the movement “La Causa” and guided his followers to use peaceful means, such as marches and strikes, to support their cause.   

Learning Objectives: 

1. Teachers guide students in a discussion about how Cesar Chavez managed to successfully confront the unfairness migrant workers experienced using peaceful means. 
2. Students discuss their own experiences of unfairness and brainstorm how to handle it peacefully.  

Guiding Questions: 

1. The Chavez family lost their farm and became migrant workers - what was the cause of this?  
2.  Describe what farm work was like for Cesar. 
3. Would you agree that Cesar Chavez was a hopeful person? Explain your answer. 
4. What were some of the ways migrant workers were mistreated?
5. How did Cesar get started in carrying out his dream to support migrant workers? 
6. A strike is when workers refuse to work until their demands are met. Describe what happened when workers refused to pick grapes. 
7. If a person doesn’t have hope, do you think they’d even try to solve a problem? Explain your answer.  
8. Is there something that you feel is unfair, and can you think of anything you can do about it? 
9. What do you think the advantages are of solving a problem peacefully rather than by violence?  
10. Have you ever worked on a farm or in a factory? If so, what was it like? If you haven’t, ask someone who has.