A curriculum unit aimed at helping secondary students learn more about Latin America is available free from the AFT.  Prepared by the union's international affairs department, "Democracy as a Starting Point: The Civic Journey in Latin America," introduces students to the region and its people, history and traditions.  It focuses specifically on the political and civic lives of Latin Americans and is designed to deepen understanding of their struggle for democracy and human rights.

Students will be asked to examine the status of democracy in Latin America and to assess the conditions that support and threaten it there. They will also examine people's views of democracy in the region and the forces that shape those views.

The lessons, which are highly interactive and student-centered, encourage students to employ higher-level thinking skills.

The teaching unit was developed by the AFT and the Center for Civic Education, with funding from the U.S. Department of Education. A panel of social studies teachers put together by the AFT contributed their expertise and ideas to the project. Free copies can be obtained by writing to the AFT International Affairs Department, 555 New Jersey Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20001, or by e-mailing iad@aft.org.