Title: Amber Cox
1Martin Luther King, Jr.
1929-1968
I Have a Dream . . .
Amber Cox ED 417-A02
2Rationale for Lesson Our curriculum must
encompass African American history and the
struggles endured. The key concept for third
grade will be to understand that Martin Luther
King, Jr. made significant contributions to
American society and holds an important place in
American history.
Unit Getting to know Martin Luther King,
Jr.
Grade Three Goal of Lesson The lesson will
introduce third graders to Martin Luther King,
Jr. and his part in the Civil Rights Movement.
3Lesson Objectives
The students will
- Give specific biographical information on
Martin Luther King, Jr..
- Explain Martin Luther Kings role in the Civil
Rights Movement
- Explain the meaning of selected quotes from
speeches given by Martin Luther King, Jr..
4- Read stories about Martin Luther King, Jr..
- Interpret a poem and relate it to Martin Luther
King, Jr..
- Define the following terms segregation,
equality, boycott, integration, Civil Rights
Movement, Nobel Peace Prize, assassinate.
- Discuss the impact of the Civil Rights Act of
1964.
- Participate in activities related to Martin
Luther King, Jr..
5 Web Sites for Martin Luther King, Jr.
http//www.pps.k12.or.us/district/depts/itss/buckm
an/timeline/kingframe.html
http//www.mlkonline.com
http//seattletimes.nwsource.com/mlk/
http//www.lifemag.com/Life/mlk/mlk.html
http//users.massed.net/tstrong/Martin.html
6Materials
- Several pictures of Martin Luther King, Jr. at
different ages
- Shel Silverstein poem No Difference
- Recording of I Have a Dream speech
- Books about Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Martin Luther King A Man and His Dream
Filmstrip
- Ingredients to bake a birthday cake
7Student Activities This lesson will occur the
five days preceding the Martin Luther King, Jr.
holiday commemorating his birthday. There will
be one activity per day. This activity will
take place during our social studies time.
8- Day One
- Have students listen to last part of I Have a
Dream speech - Ask students of they can identify speaker
- Show pictures of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Read Martin Luther King, Jr,-A Picture Story by
Margaret Boone-Jones to reinforce concepts - For homework, ask children to write the names
- of the people in his or her family back to the
great- - grandparents, if possible, for tomorrows
activity. -
- Students without information on families will do
an - alternative assignment.
9- Day Two
- Review information about Martin Luther King, Jr..
- Discuss how important family was to Martin
Luther King, Jr. and why family is important to
most people. - Have children use construction paper, markers,
scissors, and glue to create their own family
tree. - For homework, students will read several quotes
from Martin Luther King, Jr.s speeches and be
prepared to discuss them in class.
10- Day Three
- Use homework to have a small group discussion.
- Give each group of four students two quotes.
Have them first discuss the quotes in their
group, then have each group present their
quotes and their conclusions to the class. - Have a large group discussion with the class.
Use a chart to write down observations to remind
the class of Martin Luther King, Jr.s influence
on them. - For homework, have students write a personal
journal reflection on how learning about Martin
Luther King, Jr. has affected their life thus
far.
11- Day Four
- Present the poem No Difference by Shel
Silverstein. - Have students write a short essay comparing
Martin Luther King, Jr.s beleifs with the
philosophy presented in the poem. - Have students watch Martin Luther King A Man
and His Dream. After the movie, discuss the
importance of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus
Boycott. Encourage children to critically
think about segregation and integration and how
would life be different if it hadnt been for
the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther
King, Jr..
12- Day Five
- Play a Jeopardy style review game with the
children to culminate lesson. The game will
review all information learned during class. - To celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.s birthday,
have students bake a birthday cake. - On a sentence strip, have the children write
their own dream, prompting the sentence with I
have a dream. My dream is. This activity
will conclude our lesson on Martin Luther
King, Jr..
13Getting to know Martin Luther King, Jr.
14- Biographical Information
- Born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia to
Martin Luther King, Sr, and Alberta Williams King - His father was the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist
Church - He had an older sister, Willie Christine, and a
younger brother, Alfred Daniel - Martin was called M.L. and Alfred was called
A.D.
15- As a child
- Martin and his family lived with his maternal
grandparents on Auburn Street - Martins first two friends were white and they
played together all the time - When they went to school, Martin went to a
school for blacks and his friends went to a
school for whites - Martin was not allowed to play with his white
friends any more after school started - This was Martins first experience with
segregation
16Martin was born in this house in Atlanta,Georgia.
17- Martin Grows Up
- Martin graduated from high school when he was
fifteen years old - After high school Martin went to Morehouse
College, a black college in Atlanta, Georgia - Martin became a minister when he was only 19
years old - Martin attended Crozer Theological Seminary to
learn more about being a minister - Martin became a Doctor of Philosophy at Boston
University
18- Martin Has a Family
- Martin married Coretta Scott in 1953
- They moved to Montgomery, Alabama
- Martin became the pastor of Dexter Avenue Church
- They had four children Yolanda, Martin Luther
III, Dexter Scott, and Bernice Albertine
19Martin and his family frequently traveled
together fighting for equality among all
Americans.
20- Montgomery Bus Boycott
- The buses in Montgomery, Alabama used to be
segregated - Blacks had to sit in the back of the bus and
give their seats to white people when the bus
was full - On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give
up her seat to a white person and was put in jail - Martin and other black leaders organized a
boycott of the buses - The Supreme Court eventually ruled that bus
segregation was unconstitutional - Martin decided to spend his life fighting for
integration and equality
21Rosa Parks played an important role in the Civil
Rights Movement with Martin.
22- The Civil Rights Movement
- The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a turning point
in the Civil Rights Movement - Martin remembered his mother telling him he was
as good as anyone, black or white - Martin used speeches and other nonviolent means
to protest inequality - Martin traveled all over the United States
helping people who were working to change unfair
laws - In 1964 Martin was given the Nobel Peace Prize
for his work to build peace among all Americans
23Martin and Coretta at the Nobel Peace Prize
ceremony.
Martin continues to preach peace.
24- The Civil Rights Act
- In 1963 President Kennedy proposed a Civil
Rights Act to Congress - A march was organized on Washington D.C. to
support the bill - On August 28, 1963, more than 200,000 people
gathered in Washington, D.C. - Martin gave his I Have a Dream speech
- President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of
1964 on July 2, 1964
25Martin would never see the Civil Rights Act
passed.
26- Martin Luther King Dies
- Many people loved Martin, but some people hated
him for fighting for equality - During his fight for freedom he received many
threats against him and even experienced some
violence - On April 4, 1968, Martin was assassinated on the
balcony of the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis,
Tennessee - The assassin was James Earl Ray
- James Earl Ray was convicted of first degree
murder - Martin was buried April 9, 1968 in Atlanta,
Georgia, where he was born - On his tombstone are the words Free At Last
... from his famous Washington speech
27The world is stunned by the loss of this great
man and leader.
28We celebrate Martins birthday to remember his
struggles and triumphs, and to remind us to live
a peaceful life.helping others.