http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/martin-luther-king-delivered-20281.html
Contribute to ReadWriteThink / RSS / FAQs / Technical Help / Contact Us
- About IRA
- About NCTE
- About Verizon Thinkfinity
- Standards
- Our Advisors
- Our Authors
- Community Stories
- News
What’s Happening This Week
There is much more to explore in our calendar. Find other important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, each with related lessons and resources.
Looking for age-appropriate book recommendations, author interviews, and fun activity ideas? Check out our podcasts.
Home › Classroom Resources › Calendar Activities
August 28
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.
E-mail
/
Share
/
Print This Page
/
Print All Materials (Note: Handouts must be printed separately)
| Grades | 7 – 12 |
| Calendar Activity Type | Historical Figure & Event |
A crowd of more than 200,000 people assembled at Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, for the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom"-though most of us think of it as the date that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. The speech was the culminating event of a day of singing, talking, and political activism.
One of the projects that Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech has inspired is the "I Have a Dream" Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides tutoring and mentoring to children from low-income areas.
Have your students explore the Foundation's website, and brainstorm ways that they can help others at your school-or even themselves-achieve their educational dreams. Have students create a list of three to five goals to work toward and keep track of their progress during the year. Goals might range from establishing school reading projects to organizing homework help for younger students. Students can use the ReadWriteThink Printing Press to create flyers or brochures that promote their projects and encourage others to meet their educational goals.
- We Shall Overcome: Lincoln Memorial
One of the "historical places of the Civil Rights movement," the Lincoln Memorial was the site of many civil rights demonstrations. This webpage includes details on Dr. King's speech and the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom."
- Behind the Scenes of the March on Washington
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the March on Washington, this NPR Morning Edition series provides numerous audio files and photographs that document the event.
- The Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University
No matter what you're looking for regarding Dr. King's life, you're bound to find it on this Stanford University site, which includes an interactive chronology of his life, an encyclopedia of related resources, lesson plans, and much more!
- 200,000 March for Civil Rights in Orderly Washington Rally; President Sees Gain for Negro
The New York Times Learning Network offers this historical article about the March on Washington in which King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.
Grades 3 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Minilesson
How Big Are Martin’s Big Words? Thinking Big about the Future
Inspired by the book Martin’s Big Words, students explore information on Dr. King to think about his "big" words, then they write about their own "big" words and dreams.
Grades K – 2 | Lesson Plan | Recurring Lesson
Living the Dream: 100 Acts of Kindness
This lesson provides the “action piece” for any study of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In this project, students participate in Dr. King’s dream by doing 100 acts of kindness.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Entering History: Nikki Giovanni and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Nikki Giovanni’s poem “The Funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr.” is paired with Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, taking students on a quest through time to the Civil Rights movement.
Grades 9 – 12 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Exploring the Power of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Words through Diamante Poetry
Students explore the ways that powerful and passionate words communicate the concepts of freedom, justice, discrimination, and the American Dream in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech.
