Martin Luther King, Jr. Lesson Plans and Activities

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

You will find various Web Sites on the top portion of this page.
Further down, you will find Lesson Plans & Activities.
At the bottom of the page, you will find Books that you can order directly from Teacher Created Materials & Amazon.com!

You will also find cross-over resources on our Black History Month page.

Visit our January Monthly Unit, Lesson Plans & Activities page for more resources.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday in January, around the time of King's birthday, January 15.

Martin Luther King, Jr Day dates:

January 18, 2010
January 17, 2011
January 16, 2012

Check our January Events Calendar for more important dates

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968) was a Baptist minister who became a civil rights activist. He led the 'March on Washington' in 1963 where he gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. In 1964 he was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial discrimination and segregation. Prior to his death in 1968, King refocused his attention to opposing the Vietnam War and ending poverty. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Visit our January Bulletin Board page to find displays that will make great lessons.

The Teacher's Corner Resources Printable Martin Luther King, Jr. Crossword Puzzle
Create your own Crossword or use our premade word/clue list.

The Teacher's Corner Resources Printable Martin Luther King, Jr. Match-up Worksheets
Create your printable worksheet from your own matchups or use our premade lists.

Printable Worksheets Martin Luther King, Jr. Journal & Coloring Pages
Be sure to check out our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Journal & Coloring Pages!

The Teacher's Corner Resources Printable Martin Luther King, Jr. Word Search
Create your own or use our word list.

The Teacher's Corner Resources Printable Martin Luther King, Jr. Word Scramble
Create your own or use our word list.

The Teacher's Corner Resources Printable Worksheets
Check out our large selection of "make your own" and "premade" worksheets!

Web Sites

About Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Seattle Times has put together a great collection of information.

Birthplace of a Leader
CNN takes you back to Doctor King's beginning, Atlanta.

Classess in Conversation
In 1996, the first year of this Web site, two third grade classes in Birmingham, Ala. and two third grade classes in Kent, Wash., agreed to take part in a dialogue about Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. Find the archive of their letters of introduction, photos and the record of their e-mail exchange.

Happy Birthday MLK! Grades Various
Education World has activities across the grades for learning about the life of the famous civil rights leader.

I Have a Dream Speech
Brought to you by the History Channel.

The King Center
Established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King, The King Center is the official, living memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of America's greatest nonviolent movement for justice, equality and peace.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and African American History
Scholastic Research Tools.

Why We Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Learn the historical perspective of this holiday.

{Return to the top of the page.}

Lesson Plans & Activities

Annie's "Martin Luther King Jr. Day" Page
A collection of activities, resources, and more.

Celebrating Martin Luther King Day - Mini Unit Grades Intermediate
You will need 4-5 days in order to complete this mini unit.

Classroom Crafts
Find some meaningful activities related to Martin King Jr. at this site. They can easily be incorporated into your classroom lesson plans, and might even offer some take-home thought and discussion on civil rights issues for younger children. Projects include black and white collages, milk carton buses, a picture quilt, and more.
Submitted by:Tfgrade5@email-removed

Coloring Page
Let your students use their imaginations to customize this coloring page of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Critical Thinking: I Have a Dream Speech Grades 9-12
The lesson has individual sections divided into vocabulary development, rhetorical structures (figures of speech), understanding the speech, relating to the speech, and an optional opportunity for students to record the speech.

Dr King's Dream Grades K-2
In this lesson, students will learn about the life and work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will listen to a brief biography, view photographs of the March on Washington, hear a portion of King's "I Have a Dream" speech, and discuss what King's words mean to them. Finally, they will create picture books about their own dreams of freedom for Americans today.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. WebQuest Grades Elementary
This timeline activity helps students learn about King's life. It includes a quiz and puzzle.

Enchanted Learning Grades Various
Find reproducibles of puzzles, reading activities, crafts, and more.

Evaluating Web Sites for Bias Grades 6-12
Students use a checklist to evaluate Web content about Martin Luther King Jr. for bias.

Influencing Others in Our World Grade K-5
Many individuals in our recent and distant past positively influenced the world in which they lived. When we study their lives, we can become inspired to also try to make the world a better place.

Learning to Respect Each Other Grades 5-8
The number of minorities in the U.S. increases each year; some Americans distrust those who appear to be different. This is often due to limited shared experiences. Schools and families can educate children about race relations.

Mapping Martin Luther King Jr. Grades 3-8
Students explore places that were important in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Chant Grades Primary
A fun chant that talks about togetherness and overcoming

Martin Luther King: Civil Rights Leader Grades 3-12
Students will review Dr. King's life.

Martin Luther King Day Grades Intermediate
This lesson provides you with the needed background information. Students learn about MLK and the idea of discrimination.

Martin Luther King Jr. Grades Intermediate
Students will recognize the chronology of Martin Luther King's life and become familiar with his speech.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Grades 3-6
Students will interpret poetry and gain an increased awareness and appreciation of Dr. King's fight for equality and justice.

Martin Luther King Jr.: A Clothesline Timeline Grades K-12
Students create a clothesline timeline depicting events in the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.: A Fact or Opinion Activity Grades 3-8
A brief biography of Martin Luther King Jr. reinforces students' understanding of the difference between fact and opinion.

Martin Luther King, Jr. And the Power of Nonviolence Grades 6-8
This lesson introduces students to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolence and the teachings of Mohandas K. Gandhi that influenced King's views. After considering the political impact of this philosophy, students explore its relevance to personal life.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me: Identifying with a Hero Grades K-2
Martin Luther King, Jr. is an American hero, a man who dared to dream. How do we help young children connect their own life experiences to those of Dr. King? This lesson explores ways to help students make connections to Dr. King through reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities that not only provide a glimpse into Dr. King's life, but empower students to help bring Dr. King's dream into reality. Most important, it encourages them to dream their own dreams.

Martin Luther King Jr. Receives the Nobel Peace Prize Grades 6-8
A reading comprehension activity that teaches students about King and his award.

Martin Luther King Jr. Was a Great Civil Rights Leader,
and Rosa Parks Played an Important Role in His Work Grades 1-3
Students understand how Martin Luther King Jr. spoke out for civil rights and led protests and marches demanding fair laws for all people.

The Civil Rights Movement Begins Grades 2-3
Students will understand that long after the Civil War was over many African-American people were not allowed to do things that everyone else could do.

Thematic Unit Grades Various
Here you will find ideas, links to activities, worksheets and lots more.

Unity Handprint Wreath Grades Various
This wreath symbolizes cultural unity. You can adjust the handprint colors for different occasions (for example, you may wish to use handprints in different shades of brown for Black History Month)

Who Was Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.? Grades K-1
Students recognize Martin Luther King Jr. as a great leader who worked to get equal rights for all people.

Write Your Own "I Have a Dream Speech" Grades K-12
Students use a fill-in-the-blanks work sheet to write speeches that imitate the form and content of Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

EMAIL us your favorite Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Activity!

Visit Lesson Plan Search for great Martin Luther King, Jr. lessons and activities. Click HERE

{Return to the top of the page.}

Books

Teacher Resources