March 31 is Cesar Chavez Day, commemorating the labor leader and social justice activist. The State Board of Education offers a model curriculum on Chavez’s life and work for multiple grade levels at chavez.cde.ca.gov/ModelCurriculum/Intro.aspx. United Farm Workers (ufw.org) created a supplemental curriculum kit as well; it includes a coloring book, song book, poster and video. A teacher’s guide includes a detailed biography, discussion questions and reproducible handouts.

Classroom activities around the day can include multimedia projects with themes of nonviolence and human rights.

CTA’s Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Education Awards Program provides recognition for educators and their students who demonstrate an understanding of the vision and guiding principles by which Cesar Chavez lived his life. The recipients, both students and sponsoring CTA members, will receive up to $550. Deadline is March 6; for details, go to cta.org/scholarships.