Since the early 1950s, several programs have enticed thousands of rural Mexicans to migrate to California and the Northwest to be agricultural workers. The resultant demographic and cultural impacts have been immense. Hood River County (Oregon) schools are over 30 percent Hispanic. There is much ignorance and prejudice regarding the Hispanic community. This unit for sixth graders aims to get students into the community, enable them to understand and relate positively to diverse aspects of their community, develop their own sense of place and community, and accept an active role in positive citizenship. Activities expand student thinking skills through analyzing and evaluating prevalent attitudes of and toward immigrant workers; enhance listening skills through interviews of Mexican farmworkers; and increase knowledge of causes and results of Mexican immigration to the Northwest. The unit supports state benchmarks in history, civics, geography, social science analysis, and writing. Eight lessons cover an introduction, why Mexicans migrated to Oregon, Braceros and other Mexican migrant labor, working and living conditions and social issues, 1989 Oregon reforms of conditions, face-to-face with Mexican immigrant laborers, Mexicans in business and non-agricultural work, and the impact of Mexican immigrant labor on the Mid-Columbia. In a culminating activity, the entire middle school produces a Cinco de Mayo celebration that involves students in art, home economics, drama, and writing and brings Mexican parents into the school as resources. (Contains 22 resources.) (TD)