This coming weekend is Labor Day Weekend in the United States and Canada. For most of us it is a three day weekend. It is the traditional “end of summer” in the minds of many of us. If you’re planning to answer questions about Labor Day or teach any lessons about it, here are some short videos to add to your list of resources.
Why Do Americans and Canadians Celebrate Labor Day? is a TED-Ed Lesson about the origins of Labor Day. In addition to learning about the origin of Labor Day students can learn a bit about changes in labor regulations over time.
History of the Holidays is a series of videos from History. Each installment explains a different holiday. The Labor Day video is embedded below.
PBS Kids offers a short animated overview of the history of Labor Day. It’s not nearly as detailed as the two videos I’ve listed above, but it’s probably adequate for elementary school kids.
For more resources for teaching about Labor Day, take a look at this list compiled by Larry Ferlazzo.
