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The Short Handled Hoe vs. the Long Handled Hoe (Grades 4 - 12) (Activity)

INTRODUCTION:

Many elder farm workers can remember the harsh working conditions in the fields before César E. Chávez, Dolores Huerta and the U.F.W. brought about many improvements in the sixties and seventies. One of the worst experiences for workers was the use of the short handled hoe. Many disabilities and pains can still be directly connected to bending or stooping down to weed the fields with the short handled hoe.

OBJECTIVE:

Students will be able to understand one aspect of the harsh working conditions in which César E. Chávez, Dolores Huerta and the U.F.W. movement helped stop.

MATERIALS:

Masking tape, yard or meter sticks, 12 rulers, box of  Cheerios  (or other small flat objects).

PROCEDURES:

1. Mark off two taped lines about 15 to 20 feet long. Place another set of parallel lines about 3 feet away from the first line.
2. Discuss the practice of the short handled hoe in the fields of years past.

Why was the short handled hoe used?
Why would the short handled hoe physically hurt the workers?
Why was standing up or talking forbidden by the supervisors?
What simple alternative could have been used?

3. Split up the class into two groups. Explain that they will be weeding in the field. The group that completes the job the best will win.

4. Sprinkle half of the cereal, (you can also use pennies or other small flat objects), on one side of both lines. The students will have to use their hoes to push the weeds across the life 3 feet away. One team will be given the yard sticks and the other the 12 rulers. Time the groups and look for efficiency. The teacher may ask the students to switch hoes after the first session.

5. Discuss the results:

Which group did a better job?
Were there any physical pains?
Could the students with the short handled hoe stand up faster after a few minutes of work?
How did the short handled hoe work different than the long handled hoe?
What other practices have been changed or should be changed?

FOLLOW UP:

• Create a mini dramatization with the children where they would act out this lesson for other classes.
  
• Invite a person who had worked in the fields years ago to talk about the working conditions.

Denis O'Leary
Bilingual Teacher
Rio School District
Oxnard, California
©2001

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