Economics Unit Series: Poverty, Globalization, World Hunger & Food Sovereignty, Economic Empowerment  

Notes on Materials Included: This folder contains four different interrelated units that Dr. Chela Delgado has taught in her 12th grade economics course. Below are highlights from each unit that could be adapted for a 9th grade ethnic studies context. A daily lesson planning calendar is included in the "Poverty" folder and is titled: "ECON Delgado Daily Calendar Spring 2017."

Poverty Unit: What causes poverty? What can be done to end poverty? Who is responsible for solving poverty?

Unit Sequence: 

• Learn about competing theories of what causes poverty through readings, cartoon analysis, take-a-stand discussion & a pictograph assessment

• Learn about competing theories of how to solve poverty through readings, cartoon analysis, full class discussion & a visual representation assessment 

• Group work activity to analyze the history of anti-poverty policies

• Culminating assessment: Essay on "Causes of and Solutions to Poverty"

Globalization Unit: Who does NAFTA benefit and harm? Should the U.S. end NAFTA?

Unit Sequence: 

• Articles and lectures introducing students to concepts of globalization, neoliberalism and capitalism & providing background on origins of NAFTA.

• Group work activity in which students take on different roles in NAFTA debate, create posters representing their perspective and do gallery walk to learn from peers. 

• Culminating assessment: Respond to the following questions in writing: "Do you agree with Trump that we should end NAFTA? Who did NAFTA benefit or harm and HOW?"

World Hunger & Food Sovereignty Unit (La Via Campesina): What is the cause of world hunger? How can food sovereignty be achieved?

Unit Sequence: 

• Lecture on "10 Myths About Hunger"

• Documentary and lecture to introduce La Via Campesina Movement 

• Group work activity in which students study the position of a member organization of La Via Campesina and represent their group in a role play titled: "Respond to A Proposal to Feed the World." The six case study groups are: 

  • • Basque Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (EHNE) 

    • Landless Workers Movement of Brazil (MST)

    • Group of 4 and Dessalines Brigade, Haiti

    • National Peasants Union of Mozambique (UNAC)

    • Korean Women’s Peasant Association

    • Tamil Nadu Women’s Collective

• Culminating assessment: Quiz to demonstrate understanding of the type of economic power (worker power, consumer power, planning power, collective power) exercised by each case study group.

Economic Empowerment Unit: To what extent is Black & Latino economic power a contributing force in Oakland and the U.S.? How has discrimination shaped economic conditions for the Black & Latino communities? How can we build the economic empowerment of our communities?

Unit Sequence: 

• Lecture on "Black & Latino Economic Power in Oakland & the U.S"

• Analyze videos of past and current efforts to build four types of economic power - worker power, consumer power, planning power and collective power.

• Culminating assessment: Creative project (video or presentation) that explores an economic problem in Oakland and makes suggestions for solving it.