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Lesson Plans
Living the Dream: 100 Acts of Kindness
In this lesson, young students learn about King, then participate in his dream by performing 100 acts of kindness over a month.
How Big Are Martin’s Big Words? Thinking Big About the Future
Upper elementary students read Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., along with other books, and then write original poetry and stories in this lesson plan.
Every Punctuation Mark Matters: A Mini-Lesson on Semicolons
In this lesson for grades 6–8, students explore Dr. King’s use of semicolons and their significance, and then they search for ways to use the semicolon in their own writing.
Exploring the Power of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Words through Diamante Poetry
In this lesson, students in grades 9–12 focus on King’s use of literary devices in his “I Have a Dream” speech, and then create diamante poems.
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Web Links
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
On January 15, 2009, people throughout the world will honor the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Find out how to participate by making this holiday “a day ON, not a day off.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. & the Civil Rights Movement
The Seattle Times provides an extensive collection of resources including articles, transcripts, photos, and information about the holiday in King’s honor.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University
Visitors to this extremely comprehensive site will find a chronology, encyclopedia, biography, videos, lesson plans, and more.
Citizen King
This PBS American Experience website offers a collection of resources, including information on Dr. King’s philosophy of non-violence, video clips, and an interactive map of U.S. Civil Rights hot spots. Also featured is a teacher’s guide to the Citizen King documentary.
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Texts
Rappaport, Doreen. 2001. Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hyperion.
This beautifully illustrated picture-book biography is a wonderful introduction to the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
King, Jr., Martin Luther. 2003. A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. Harper.
This text for older readers includes a collection of Dr. King’s writings, speeches (including his famous “I Have a Dream” speech), interviews, and autobiographical reflections.
Levine, Ellen. 2000. Freedom’s Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories. Penguin Group.
This inspiring young adult book tells true stories about young African Americans and their experiences growing up in a segregated society.
Pastan, Amy. 2004. Martin Luther King, Jr. DK Publishing Inc.
This pictorial biography for older elementary students includes full-color photographs in a lively format.
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January 15, 2009
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on this day in 1929. Following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, he was ordained as a minister in 1948. Dr. King became one of the most important leaders of the civil rights movement in the U.S., advocating a nonviolent approach to fighting for equal rights. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.
