The lessons in this 3-part series are intended to provide students with a basic understanding of the relationship between the United States and Mexico, with emphasis on multiple perspectives, conflict and cooperation, and interdependence. This curriculum unit, Part 1, examines two important historical episodes. The first episode focuses on a conflict between the two countries, the Mexican-American War, while the second episode focuses on an instance of cooperation between the two countries, the "Bracero" Program of the mid-20th century. The introduction presents a rationale, state and national history standards, series goals, matrix of lessons, materials needed, time and suggested sequence of activities, and small-group roles. This unit contains three lessons: (1) "Setting the Context for U.S.-Mexico Relations" (contains a questionnaire, 2 handouts, and 4 maps); (2) "The Fight for Texas and the Mexican-American War" (contains 3 timelines, 5 biography cards, 2 handouts, 6 resource sheets, and vocabulary); and (3) "The Bracero Program" (contains a handout, 5 impressions, and 7 writing exercises). (BT)