Achieve3000 - Lesson Speaking Out For Change 8 30

8/27/22, 6:41 AM Achieve3000: Lesson
Printed by: DIANA DOUGLAS

August 27, 2022
Printed on: August 27, 2022
Speaking Out for Change
Ready
Today's article is about Emma Tenayuca. She helped workers in the 1900s. What do you think of this idea?
How can we make work fair and safe? Listen to what the workers say.
Agree
Disagree
Explain why you voted the way you did.
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Teacher Recommendations
Reading Strategy: Cause/Effect
Lesson Summary: Emma Tenayuca raised her voice as a teen, and her passion for the rights of Mexican American
workers sparked a labor movement that resounded for decades.
Introduce the Lesson: Share the article's image and caption with students and discuss what inferences can be made
from them (e.g., the people present are likely Mexican American workers, they are looking to Tenayuca for direction).
Mention that students will find out more about Emma Tenayuca as they read today's article.
To support students in the Read and Write steps, which focus on cause/effect text structures, have them take
structured notes on the Multiple Causes, Multiple Effects Graphic Organizer (https://doc.achieve3000.com/article/Multi
pleCausesMultipleEffects.pdf).
Lesson Vocabulary
Key Terms
Great Depression: a period lasting from late 1929 through the 1930s when many U.S. businesses collapsed and
many Americans were unemployed
strike: when people stop working because they don't like the way things are at work
union: a group that organizes workers so their rights can be protected
Challenge Terms
compound: to make (something, such as an error or problem) worse: to add to (something bad)
marginalized: assigned to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group
recognize: to say that something is true or important
Read
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Achieve3000, June 20, 2022). How do you bring
about change? Emma Tenayuca used her voice. She wanted to help
Mexican American workers.
Tenayuca was born in 1916. She grew up in San Antonio, Texas. She was
just 13 years old when the Great Depression began. It was a time when
many people lost jobs and money. Tenayuca's family and neighbors
struggled to get by.
Things were especially hard for Mexican Americans. The government

made programs to help people find work, but Mexican Americans were left Photo credit: San Antonio
out of them. They often could not join labor unions, either. Labor unions are Light/UTSA/San Antonio Express-
groups that fight for workers to be treated fairly. News/ ZUMA
Called "The Passionate One," Emma
Tenayuca tirelessly fought for the
Tenayuca saw how the workers were treated, and she knew it was wrong. rights of Mexican American workers.
So, she set out to change it. At the age of 16, she took part in her first
strike. It was at a cigar factory. The workers there wanted better pay. But
the police broke up the strike, and Tenayuca was arrested. Still, she didn't give up. In fact, she wanted to change things
even more.
Tenayuca began working with many labor unions. She fought for Mexican American workers.
She gave speeches and led strikes. Workers throughout the city began calling her "La Pasionaria de Texas" (The
Passionate One of Texas). In 1938, a group of pecan shellers decided to organize a strike. And they chose Tenayuca to
lead them.
Pecans are a kind of nut. And they were a big business in San Antonio. The city had 400 pecan factories. Most of the
workers were Mexican American women. They worked for long hours in rooms with few windows. Because of this, many
of the workers got sick. Their pay was already very low, and then it was cut in half. That's when hundreds of shellers
walked off their jobs.
Tenayuca led the workers through the streets. With her help, the strike quickly grew from a few hundred workers to
12,000. It was the biggest strike in San Antonio's history. Three months later, pecan factory owners finally agreed to pay
their workers more money.
This was a big win! Tenayuca's work helped start a movement. It continued for many years. Things got better for
Mexican American workers.
Some say the story of "La Pasionaria de Texas" is an important reminder. Tenayuca showed what young people can do
when they raise their voices.
Think about and discuss these questions:
What passages in the article help you better visualize, or picture, the events described?
What qualities or skills do you think helped Tenayuca become a labor leader?
Dictionary
movement (noun)
work by a group of people who are all trying to get the same thing done (such as change laws)
passionate (adjective)
full of feeling or showing strong feelings
program (noun)
something that is set up to fix a problem or get something done, often to help people
reminder (noun)
something that makes people remember
strike (noun)
when people stop working because they don't like the way things are at work
As students read the article at their independent level, encourage them to use Notes to record their ideas. They
should take note of main ideas and details from the text. Students will use this text-based evidence when they
respond to the Thought Question in the Write step. Remind students to click on Save for Later after they draft their
responses so that they can add any new evidence they gather from the more rigorous Stretch article.
Discussion Questions
To increase rigor, engage students in discussions about the article using these Depth-of-Knowledge (DOK) questions.
(Note that students reading the lowest-level articles may not be able to answer all questions. Consider having them
read parts of the Stretch article.)
Why was Tenayuca given the name "La Pasionaria de Texas" (The Passionate One of Texas)? (DOK 1)
What facts would you select to show the unfair treatment of Mexican Americans during and after the Great
Depression? (DOK 2)
Why do you think Tenayuca chose to continue participating in strikes and other labor actions even after she was
arrested? (DOK 3)
Can you assess the value or importance of Tenayuca's efforts for Mexican American workers? Elaborate. (DOK 4)
Prep for GMEOC-E11
Have students practice the strategies needed for success on GMEOC-E11.

Guide students to digitally annotate the text using the Digital Highlighting Tool. Students can use the note taking
tool to record evidence that they will incorporate into a Thought Question response.
Use this tips card (available in color (https://doc.achieve3000.com/article/AnnotationTipCard_Summer/AnnotationTi
pCard.pdf) or grayscale (https://doc.achieve3000.com/article/AnnotationTipCardBW_Summer/AnnotationTipCard_G
ray.pdf)) to help guide your students as they annotate text using the Digital Highlighting Tool and prepare for
collaborative discussion around the quality of their evidence.
Respond
PART 1
Question 1
The article talks mainly about __________.
why Tenayuca took part in the cigar factory strike
how Tenayuca helped Mexican American workers
how the Great Depression hurt Tenayuca's family
why workers had a special name for Tenayuca
Question 2
Think about the article. Which happened before Tenayuca was arrested at age 16?
This question asks about when events happened. It does not ask where in the article the events show up. Reread the
article for clues, like dates.
The pecan shellers went on strike.
The Great Depression began.
Tenayuca was given a special name.
Tenayuca began working with labor unions.
Question 3
The article says:
At the age of 16, she took part in her first strike. It was at a cigar factory. The workers there wanted better pay.
A factory is a place where __________.
things are raised
people buy food
people see doctors
things are made
Question 4
According to the article, why did the pecan shellers go on strike?
Because cigar workers were on strike
Because their pay was cut in half
Because they could not join labor unions
Because many people had lost jobs
Question 5
The reader can tell from the article that __________.
Mexican American workers were not treated fairly
pecan factories treated workers better than cigar factories
Tenayuca worked in a pecan factory
many workers thought Tenayuca was too young to help
Question 6
Which means almost the same as program, as it is used in the article?
reason
law
plan
promise
Question 7
Which passage from the article best shows that many workers believed in Tenayuca?
Tenayuca began working with many labor unions.
But the police broke up the strike, and Tenayuca was arrested.
Tenayuca saw how the workers were treated, and she knew it was wrong. So, she set out to change it.
In 1938, a group of pecan shellers decided to organize a strike. And they chose Tenayuca to lead them.
Question 8
The article says:
Things were especially hard for Mexican Americans. The government made programs to help people find work.
But Mexican Americans were left out of them. They often could not join labor unions, either.
The author's purpose for including this passage was to __________.
argue that job programs were useless during the Depression
explain how the government helped Mexican American workers
argue that workers didn't care about fair pay during the Depression
explain the problems that Mexican American workers faced
Test-Taking Strategies
Use the reading comprehension questions as an opportunity to reinforce key test-taking strategies. Encourage
students to refer back to the article for clarification and to find supporting evidence for their answers.
Suggested strategies for students:

Read the question and try to answer it before looking at the answer choices.
Read all of the choices.
Eliminate answers you know are not correct.
Choose the correct answer.
Prep for GMEOC-E11
Equip your students with question strategies (https://doc.achieve3000.com/article/TestPrep3-4/TestPrep3-4.pdf) they

can use to answer various question types.
Reflect
Now that you have read the article, indicate whether you agree or disagree with this statement.
How can we make work fair and safe? Listen to what the workers say.
Agree
Disagree
Explain why you voted the way you did. Then read and respond to what others have to say.
Consider facilitating a whole-class discussion about the poll statement in the Ready step, or encourage students to
discuss the poll statement in small groups.
Analyzing Poll Responses
Graphic Organizer for Middle and High School Grades (http://doc.achieve3000.com/article/debating_poll_responses_

GO.pdf)
Related Links
Note: These links provide additional background information for teachers. Please preview the content before sharing
these links with students.
Smithsonian Latino Center: Emma Tenayuca—A Girl at the Forefront (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smit
hsonian-latino-center/2022/03/04/when-emma-tenayuca-disturbed-the-peace-a-girl-at-the-forefront-of-civil-commoti
on/)
Library of Congress: Labor Unions During the Great Depression and New Deal (https://www.loc.gov/classroom-mat
erials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945/labor-unions-durin
g-great-depression-and-new-deal/)
Write
What were some of the reasons Tenayuca worked with labor unions? How did her work make a difference? Cite evidence
from the article in your response.
Students' Thought Question responses will vary, but strong responses should identify causes and effects such as why
Tenayuca became a labor organizer, and the impact of her efforts. Responses should cite evidence from the article.
For example, among causes, responses may include Tenayuca's awareness of labor issues from a young age, the
unequal impacts of the Great Depression, and injustices in pay, conditions, and assistance for Mexican American
workers. Among effects, responses may include Tenayuca's effective advocacy and organization, wage gains for the
pecan shellers, and the launch of a national movement for worker and civil rights for Mexican Americans.
Prep for GMEOC-E11
Use this graphic organizer (https://doc.achieve3000.com/article/TestPrep4/TestPrep4.pdf) to support students as they

evaluate the quality of evidence they are using in their Thought Question responses.
Poll Results
OPINION STATEMENT: How can we make work fair and safe? Listen to what the workers say.
BEFORE READING AFTER READING
HOW YOU VOTED
Agree Agree
Disagree Disagree
WORLDWIDE RESULTS
Agree 89% Agree 91%
Disagree 11% Disagree 9%
9% changed their opinion after reading the article.
Stretch Read
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Achieve3000, June 20, 2022). On a Sunday

morning in the early 1900s, 10-year-old Emma Tenayuca promenaded with
her grandfather through Milam Park in downtown San Antonio, Texas.
Known at the time as La Plaza del Zacate, this cultural and social center of
the city's Mexican American community abounded with activity; it was a
place where anyone with something to say could stand on a soapbox and
speak to those who gathered. Tenayuca had spent many such mornings
strolling through the greenspace with her grandfather. She listened and
learned as neighbors read newspapers aloud, Mexican revolutionaries
endorsed independence, and labor organizers lobbied for workers' rights.
Photo credit: San Antonio

These early excursions had a profound impact on Tenayuca, sparking a Light/UTSA/San Antonio Express-
passion for activism. This would impel the future labor leader to fearlessly News/ ZUMA
fight on behalf of San Antonio's marginalized workers. Her efforts would
Called "The Passionate One," Emma
also pave the way for a national movement to bring equity, justice, and Tenayuca tirelessly fought for the
respect to all Mexican Americans. rights of Mexican American workers.
Tenayuca was born in 1916 in San Antonio, Texas. When she was 13, the stock market collapsed, plummeting the U.S.
into the Great Depression. The teen witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts this had on many people living in her
community, some of whom lacked access to even the most rudimentary sanitation and housing.
As the Depression worsened, Tenayuca recognized that the effects of the economic crisis were compounded among
Mexican Americans. People of Mexican descent were prevented from participating in programs aimed at supporting
workers during the crisis. They were denied access to food banks and job recruitment programs, and they were also
often barred from joining labor unions.
Appalled by these injustices, Tenayuca became a vocal champion of workers' rights. She participated in her first strike at
the age of 16, marching in solidarity with workers at a local cigar factory in 1933. The police broke up the strike and she
was arrested, yet rather than discourage her, the experience further ignited her passion for protest as a means of
effecting change. After graduating high school in 1934, she began organizing people through labor unions, focusing her
work on the plight of Mexican American workers.
Over the next several years, Tenayuca's reputation as a formidable advocate and deft orator grew. Some were inspired
to dub her "La Pasionaria de Texas" (The Passionate One of Texas). The moniker was quickly adopted by workers
throughout the city, and in 1938, when a group of pecan shellers decided to organize, they elected Tenayuca to
spearhead their crusade.
Pecans constituted a big business in San Antonio during the early 1900s, with 400 plants processing half of the nation's
pecans. Most of the pecan shellers were Mexican American women who labored for long hours in overcrowded and
poorly ventilated rooms, leading to high rates of tuberculosis among them. When companies cut workers' already paltry
pay from about six cents per pound of pecans shelled to just three cents, hundreds of shellers walked off their jobs.
With Tenayuca at the helm, the strike quickly escalated from a few hundred participants to 12,000—the largest strike in
San Antonio's history. Though police responded with tear gas and made mass arrests, the strikers persevered, drawing
national attention to their plight. Three months later, the pecan factory owners agreed to a pay raise. This victory
sparked a movement that continued into the next several decades and influenced future labor leaders like Dolores
Huerta and Cesar Chavez. "What started out as an organization for equal wages," Tenayuca later recalled, "turned into
a mass movement against starvation, for civil rights, for a minimum wage law."
Yet historian Sandra I. Enríquez believes that Tenayuca's legacy transcends a single movement. Rather, she says that
the story of "La Pasionaria de Texas" is a compelling reminder about what youth can accomplish when they raise their
voices.
Think about and discuss these questions:
What passages in the article help you better visualize, or picture, the events described?
What qualities or skills do you think helped Tenayuca become a labor leader?
Dictionary
constitute (verb)
to form or make up (e.g., seven days constitute a week)
marginalized (adjective)
assigned to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group
rudimentary (adjective)
basic; not advanced
transcend (verb)
to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed
The text of the Stretch article is designed to expose students to more rigorous text. To lead the learning, project the
Stretch article and model for students how to gather additional evidence from the text. Consider dividing students into
small working groups and providing each with a paragraph or two of the Stretch article. Have students work together
to read and locate new information that wasn't in the leveled version of the article. Share this additional information
with the whole class. Afterward, have students revise their original Thought Question responses in the Write step by
including this new evidence.
Discussion Questions
To increase rigor, engage students in discussions about the article using these Depth-of-Knowledge (DOK) questions.
(Note that students reading the lowest-level articles may not be able to answer all questions. Consider having them
read parts of the Stretch article.)
Why was Tenayuca given the name "La Pasionaria de Texas" (The Passionate One of Texas)? (DOK 1)
What facts would you select to show the unfair treatment of Mexican Americans during and after the Great
Depression? (DOK 2)
Why do you think Tenayuca chose to continue participating in strikes and other labor actions even after she was
arrested? (DOK 3)
Can you assess the value or importance of Tenayuca's efforts for Mexican American workers? Elaborate. (DOK 4)
Prep for GMEOC-E11
Challenge your students to find new evidence in the Stretch Article, the grade-appropriate version of the lesson.
Written with greater text complexity and increased academic and cross-disciplinary vocabulary, the Stretch Article
often contains additional details and evidence that can be used for Thought Question responses.
Stretch Respond
PART 1
Question 1
Which of the following sentences expresses the main idea of the article?
Tenayuca was a labor organizer who worked to improve the lives of Mexican Americans.
Tenayuca was influenced by the Mexican American community in which she grew up.
Tenayuca was elected to lead a strike of thousands of pecan shellers in San Antonio, Texas.
Tenayuca was known as "La Pasionaria de Texas" by workers in San Antonio, Texas.
Question 2
Based on information in the article, which of these happened second?
This question asks about when events happened. It does not ask where in the article the events appear. Reread the
article for clues, such as dates.
Thousands of pecan shellers in San Antonio walked off their jobs.
Tenayuca graduated from high school and began organizing.
The stock market crash set off the Great Depression.
Tenayuca was arrested during her participation in a strike.
Question 3
The article states:
Tenayuca was born in 1916 in San Antonio, Texas. When she was 13, the stock market collapsed, plummeting the
U.S. into the Great Depression. The teen witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts this had on many people
living in her community.
In this passage, the word plummet means to __________.
grow or advance slowly
strengthen quickly
rise gradually
fall or drop sharply
Question 4
According to the article, why did the pecan shellers go on strike?
To draw attention to their lack of even the most basic housing
To protest poor pay and harmful working conditions
To promote solidarity with the cigar workers' strike
To demand access to food banks and job recruitment programs
Question 5
The reader can infer from the article that __________.
Tenayuca's youth caused workers to hesitate before they asked her to lead their strike
Tenayuca's grandfather tried to shield her from the challenges facing her community
discrimination against Mexican Americans affected many aspects of their lives
pecan shellers had better working conditions than those working in cigar factories
Question 6
Which is the closest synonym for the word transcend, as it is used in the article?
nurture
include
conceal
surpass
Question 7
Which passage from the article best supports the idea that Tenayuca's efforts launched an enduring crusade for the rights
of Mexican American workers?
[The pecan workers'] victory sparked a movement that continued into the next several decades and influenced future labor
leaders.
People of Mexican descent were prevented from participating in programs aimed at supporting workers during the crisis.
As the [Great Depression] worsened, Tenayuca recognized that the effects of the economic crisis were compounded among
Mexican Americans.
Appalled by these injustices, Tenayuca became a vocal champion of workers' rights.
Question 8
Think about the following statement made by Tenayuca:
"What started out as an organization for equal wages turned into a mass movement against starvation, for civil
rights, for a minimum wage law."
The author's purpose for including this quote was to __________.
describe the negative impacts of labor strikes on Mexican American workers
reinforce the seriousness and scope of the challenges faced by Mexican American workers
suggest that the organization lost effectiveness as its membership and goals multiplied
reveal that the organization lost interest in its original goal of attaining fair pay for workers
Test-Taking Strategies
Use the Stretch reading comprehension questions as an opportunity to reinforce key test-taking strategies. Encourage
students to refer back to the article for clarification and to find supporting evidence for their answers.
Suggested strategies for students:

Read the question and try to answer it before looking at the answer choices.
Read all of the choices.
Eliminate answers you know are not correct.
Choose the correct answer.

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8/27/22, 6:41 AM Achieve3000: Lesson

Printed by: DIANA DOUGLAS

Speaking Out for Change

Explain why you voted the way you did.

Reading Strategy: Cause/Effect

Things were especially hard for Mexican Americans. The government

Think about and discuss these questions:

Prep for GMEOC-E11

Have students practice the strategies needed for success on GMEOC-E11.

The article talks mainly about __________.

why Tenayuca took part in the cigar factory strike

how Tenayuca helped Mexican American workers

how the Great Depression hurt Tenayuca's family

why workers had a special name for Tenayuca

The pecan shellers went on strike.

The Great Depression began.

Tenayuca was given a special name.

Tenayuca began working with labor unions.

A factory is a place where __________.

things are raised

people buy food

people see doctors

things are made

According to the article, why did the pecan shellers go on strike?

Because cigar workers were on strike

Because their pay was cut in half

Because they could not join labor unions

Because many people had lost jobs

Mexican American workers were not treated fairly

pecan factories treated workers better than cigar factories

Tenayuca worked in a pecan factory

many workers thought Tenayuca was too young to help

Tenayuca began working with many labor unions.

The article says:

The author's purpose for including this passage was to __________.

argue that job programs were useless during the Depression

explain how the government helped Mexican American workers

explain the problems that Mexican American workers faced

Suggested strategies for students:

Prep for GMEOC-E11

Equip your students with question strategies (https://doc.achieve3000.com/article/TestPrep3-4/TestPrep3-4.pdf) they

Analyzing Poll Responses

Graphic Organizer for Middle and High School Grades (http://doc.achieve3000.com/article/debating_poll_responses_

Prep for GMEOC-E11

Use this graphic organizer (https://doc.achieve3000.com/article/TestPrep4/TestPrep4.pdf) to support students as they

BEFORE READING AFTER READING

HOW YOU VOTED

Agree 89% Agree 91%

Disagree 11% Disagree 9%

9% changed their opinion after reading the article.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Achieve3000, June 20, 2022). On a Sunday

Photo credit: San Antonio

Think about and discuss these questions:

Prep for GMEOC-E11

Thousands of pecan shellers in San Antonio walked off their jobs.

Tenayuca graduated from high school and began organizing.

The stock market crash set off the Great Depression.

Tenayuca was arrested during her participation in a strike.

In this passage, the word plummet means to __________.

grow or advance slowly

fall or drop sharply

According to the article, why did the pecan shellers go on strike?