Lesson Plans for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

On January 19^th we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. However, just because the schools are closed on January 19^th doesn't mean that our students shouldn't learn about Dr. King. Quite the contrary, in fact-too many students are unfamiliar with his works, and here are a few potential lesson plans for teachers to use or adapt, as necessary.

Now we all know that Dr. King has delivered some of the most powerful speeches that anyone has ever heard. An interesting way to have a Martin Luther King, Jr. themed class, mostly for higher level (junior and senior years in high school, or college even) students, would be to dissect one or two of his famous speeches. Play a video (available on YouTube), pass out the transcript, and start.

Here are some questions that go along with this idea: Ignoring the content of his speeches (although it is certainly important), what about the structure of his rhetoric makes it intrinsically good? What elements of Dr. Kings speech patterns (inflection, cadence, etc) work best? What allusions (historical, literary, etc) does Dr. King make in his speeches and what do they imply/how do they mirror the climate of his day? Of today?

This assignment can go as deep as the class wants to take it and encourages both critical and creative thinking. It could potentially lead into either a report on the alluded to material or an argument and persuasion paper.

A second potential lesson plan, this one more geared for younger students, is quite simple. First bake cookies or, if you feel up to it, a healthier snack for your class. Earlier in the day mention some sort of special surprise for the class. At a later time, ideally around a snack time or after lunch, tell the class that it is time for their surprise-and hand out the cookies to half the class. Exclude the other half of the class despite their cries of how unfair it is. Use an arbitrary means (such as gender, since this probably splits the class in roughly half) as your basis for exclusion.

With the stage set, you can now talk about segregation, exclusion based on something arbitrary, and ask them how they feel. Then bring up Dr. King and his work-and make certain to give the other half of the class their cookies.

There is an added facet to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for 2009, one that has never occurred before. The following day, January 20^th, will be Inauguration Day for Barack Obama. He will be, of course, the first African American President of the United States. This provides us with a truly unique opportunity to discuss with the class-have we achieved Dr. King's dream?

Play Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Ask the class if the dream that Dr. King outlines in his speech is reality or if it is still just a dream. This is a great opportunity to have a class wide discussion on civil rights and individual experience. This exercise would probably be more effective with older children, although it could work with younger children (with some extra guidance by the teacher).