A guide for using our resources

Children will recognize that Dr. King's words helped change unfair laws and examine how they can be like Dr. King.

Vocabulary: marches

Social Studies Focus: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

  1. Watch a Video:

    Dr. King: A Leader and a Hero

     

  2. Read the Issue:

    We're Better Together

     

  3. Play a Game:
    Design a Poster

    Skill: nonfiction text features

     

  4. Complete Skill Sheets 

    Reading Checkpoint

    Skill: reading comprehension


    Text Feature Hunt

    Skill: nonfiction text features

     

    Color by Digraph

    Skill: digraphs

     

  5. Lesson Boosters 

  • Paired Text Suggestion: Love Will See You Through: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Six Guiding Beliefs (as told by his niece) by Angela Farris Watkins

  • Syllables: 3 Syllables Search

     

  • Hands-on Activity: Our Dr. King Kindness Jar

CCSS and Similar State Standards: RI.1.1 ask and answer questions; RI.1.2 key details; RI.1.5 text features; RI.1.10 read texts appropriate for grade 1; RF.1.2 sconsonant blends; RF.1.3 digraphs; SL.1.1 participate in collaborative conversations

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

Paired Text Suggestion: Love Will See You Through: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Six Guiding Beliefs (as told by his niece) by Angela Farris Watkins

  • Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece examines six of “Uncle Martin’s” principles and details examples from his life that illustrate each of those values.

Syllables: 3 Syllables Search

  • Challenge students to find the words in the article that have three syllables. As they are found, write the words on the board and clap them out together. Words to find: together, important, everyone, and remember.

Hands-On Activity: Our Dr. King Kindness Jar

Skilsl: social awareness

Materials: Our Dr. King Kindness Jar template, clear container, tape, items to fill the container such as pom-poms, unifix cubes, or counting bears, sticky notes

  • Students earn a special celebration by being kind in the classroom.
  • Place a clean container somewhere that is visible to students throughout the day. Choose a label from the Our Dr. King Kindness Jar template that best fits your container. Cut it out and tape it to the container.
  • Have a class discussion on Dr. King and kindness. Remind students that Dr. King believed in kindness to all people. Explain that when you see a student being kind, you will put an item into the jar! When the jar is full, there will be a class kindness celebration.
  • Throughout the school day, find opportunities to call out kindness and place an item in the jar. Be sure to tell kids the explicit reasons, for instance, "I saw Mia helping Ted put the blocks away" or "Bev invited Leah to join a game."
  • Encourage students to call out kindness when they see it and you can place items in the jar or have them place the item in the jar.
  • For an added dose of sweetness, have kids write down their reasons for putting an item in the jar and display them around the jar to read aloud at the celebration.
  • When the jar is full, have a celebration! It can be a dance party, extra outdoor time, a special snack, or anything you like!