Strength and Struggle is about having the courage to be yourself even in the face of adversity. The unit's two texts portray characters who stand up for themselves and their beliefs in very different circumstances.

In the unit's nonfiction text, Mario and the Hole in the Sky, Mario Molina shares the truth about the impact of aerosol sprays on the ozone layer, even when he is publicly ridiculed and discredited. In the unit novel, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, the main character Piddy must deal with a serious bully at her new school. Difficult decisions made by characters emphasize the complicated negotiations we all must make in life, and the triumphs that occur when we stay true to ourselves and take actions that align with our values.

Working for change focuses on the challenges and resilience of working people. The unit focuses on children and young people who work, from the labor movement of the early 20th century up to the recent fight for a $15 per hour minimum wage.

Students begin this unit by reading the short story "A Boy's Duty" by Sharon Flake, published in the collection Fresh Ink. The short story takes place during WWII and revolves around a 16-year-old who has run away from home, raising questions about to whom and to what we have a duty. Next, students read several chapters from the nonfiction book Kids on Strike by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. This book describes the labor movement of the late 1800s and early 1900s, with a focus on child labor. Finally, the unit's core novel is Fifteen and Change by Max Howard. This novel is written in verse and tells the story of a 15-year-old who starts working at a pizza place, hoping to provide financial help for his mother. The novel touches on working conditions for low-wage workers and raises questions about duty to family and friends.

Students read both nonfiction and historical fiction about the Vietnam War and the shootings at Kent State in 1970. They contrast different perspectives to consider the question: Who decides what’s true?

Students build background knowledge with the nonfiction text The United States and Vietnam: A Complicated History. They then read the historical fiction novel in verse, Kent State. This complex novel incorporates multiple perspectives on the events that occurred at Kent State on May 4, 1970, prompting students to grapple with the question of whose story constitutes the truth.