Need Martin Luther King Jr lessons for Martin Luther King Jr Day, MLK project ideas, Black History Month activities for kids, or history lesson plans? Whether you need Martin Luther King Jr lessons for kindergarten, looking for a Martin Luther King Jr. lesson plan elementary ages and up, we’ve got you covered with lesson plans, unit study ideas, MLK book recommendations, teaching guides and resources for MLK Jr. Day!
THE BEST MARTIN LUTHER KING JR LESSONS PLANS AND TEACHING RESOURCES
These lesson plans for MLK Day and classroom learning resources include Martin Luther King Jr day preschool lesson plans through high school and Martin Luther King Jr education activities.
What do you do on MLK Day with kids?
17 Martin Luther King Jr. Lessons and Activities:
- Read books about Martin Luther King, Jr. and other books that demonstrate Dr. King’s beliefs
- Listen (or watch) the I Have A Dream speech and do a teaching activity based on the speech
- Discuss racism
- Participate in local events
- Talk about social justice
- Do civil rights lessons or a unit study
- Volunteer
- Discuss discrimination
- Complete diversity projects
- Visit a museum with civil rights or MLK exhibits
- Take virtual field trips to civil rights museums
- Learn about the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial
- Do some happy birthday Martin Luther King lesson plans
- Create MLK craft projects and Martin Luther King Jr art projects
- Watch and discuss movies about social justice
- Learn about African American history
- Host an American Sunday Supper inspired by Reverend Dr. King
Don’t miss more Martin Luther King Day teaching resources, Dr Martin Luther King Jr worksheets pdf, Martin Luther King Jr project ideas, and MLK activities below!
What day is Martin Luther King in 2022?
MLK Day 2022 is on Monday, January 17, 2022.
Does MLK Day change every year?
The Martin Luther King Day date changes each year. However, it is always on the third Monday of January each year. It was declared a federal holiday in 1983 to honor Doctor King each year.
Why is Martin Luther King Day in January?
Dr. King’s birthday is on January 15, 1929, so the date first started to honor his birthday. However, later, it was moved to the third Monday in January, so the date now varies.
Why is it important to learn about Martin Luther King?
Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most important leaders in the civil rights movement. The movement fought for equal rights for everyone. Dr. King had a dream of an American free of racism and segregation. He was also known for supporting protests without using violence.
What was Martin Luther King’s main message?
Martin Luther King Jr’s main message one was one equality and hope. Dr. King’s life work preached:
- Civil Equality
- Economic Equality
- Justice
- Freedom
- Nonviolence
- Love
What life lessons can we learn from Martin Luther King Jr?
What can we learn from Martin Luther King?
- Help fight poverty
- Serve others
- Fight racism
- Make your voice heard, especially in non-violent ways
- Choose love instead of hate
- Do your research before trying to change things
- Help to educate others on issues
- Help to create a “Beloved Community” with your actions and support
ALSO CHECK OUT:
Podcasts For Black History Month for Children
Rosa Parks On The Bus And Beyond: Lessons For Black History
Martin Luther King Jr Day Of Service
MLK Day is often seen as a day of service and volunteering.
Dr King stated, “Everyone can be great because everybody can serve.”
Why is MLK Day a day of service?
MLK Day is said to be “a day on, not a day off” to encourage people to volunteer and help improve their community as a way to honor Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.’s memory and work in helping others.
Americorps, who is charged with leading the Martin Luther King Day of Service, states “this day of service helps to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, address social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a ‘Beloved Community.'”
MLK Day of Service Ideas for Kids
As part of your lessons on Martin Luther King Jr, be sure to add some service projects and volunteering ideas.
- Volunteer at a homeless shelter
- Donate food to a local food bank
- Write letters, cards, or color pictures for local nursing homes
- Put together “Blessing Bags” of small supplies for the homeless in your community
- Raise money for kids in need
- Take supplies to a local animal shelter
- Put together craft bags for kids in homeless shelters
- Donate allowance to a local shelter
THIS WILL ALSO HELP WILL DR KING’S HELPING OTHERS MESSAGE:
11 Unique Ways Kids Can Help Community From Home
OK!
Now on to the Martin Luther King activities you can use for learning more about this historical figure. Plan your Martin Luther King Jr lesson plan or MLK unit study with these MLK resources.
Martin Luther King Jr Lessons and MLK School Age Activities
• Read children’s books on Martin Luther King Jr. (great before you start your Martin Luther King assignment!) and then discuss: What did Martin Luther King Jr do to change the world?
These are preschool MLK books, but honestly are good for any age:
(FYI: This is a great Martin Luther King biography for young kids and also covers a bit of Martin Luther King Jr early life, but it does briefly discuss how did Martin Luther King Jr die, which made my 4 year old upset when we first read it.)
• Read Martin Luther King Jr.: books for older kids:
National Geographic Readers: Martin Luther King, Jr.
I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World (Great MLK high school lessons for speech class!)
• Read about the March on Washington
• Read and listen to Martin’s big words and then discuss how Martin Luther King Jr accomplishments inspired his life and the speech
• Watch the MLK I Have A Dream speech (one of King’s most famous speeches and one of the most iconic speeches in history)
• Do teaching activities based on the MLK speech
• Complete a Lesson Plan: Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech as a work of literature
• Print a March On Washington free fact sheet printable
• Grab a Martin Luther King Jr lesson plan (The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy of Racial and Social Justice: A Curriculum for Empowerment)
• Read a Martin Luther King Jr article (like this) or research Martin Luther King Jr facts and write about what you learned or answer the question: How did Martin Luther King changed the world?
• Discuss Martin Luther King Jr leadership lessons and do some free what makes a good leader worksheets pdf
• Get free Martin Luther King Jr reading comprehension worksheets
• Watch and discuss this social justice movie for tweens/teens (good for MLK high school lessons)
• Watch and discuss the video: Lessons from Martin Luther King Jr. for today
• Do a What is Discrimination? Lesson Plan
• Add a photojournalism lesson to review and discuss photos of the civil rights (great for Martin Luther King Jr. lesson plans middle school and high school)
• Get a free Martin Luther King Jr writing activity
• Complete a Lesson Plan: MLK Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and the Capitol Hill Riot
• Download free printable Martin Luther King Jr worksheets high school and middle school
• Add this helping hands craft to your Martin Luther King Jr art lesson plan
• Take a virtual field trip to the Martin Luther King Jr memorial
• Grab free Martin Luther King Jr Day worksheets and coloring pages
• Make a Georgia peach smoothie inspired by Martin Luther King Jr’s home state
Let us know what Martin Luther King Jr lessons you added to your studies!
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