Martin Luther King Jr. Day Classroom Resources
This website contains several classroom resources that can be used to examine King’s impact on civil rights and his ongoing legacy.
Each year, the United States sets aside the third Monday in January to remember the life and work of legendary civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King’s life ended abruptly when he was assassinated in 1968, but he left behind a generation of leaders who continued fighting for equal rights. Today, many people spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day volunteering in their communities and reflecting on the things King stood for. The NewsHour Classroom resources to examine King’s impact on civil rights and his ongoing legacy.
Instructors can follow recommendations offered in each lesson plan; a flow of sequence, supplemental materials, procedures are provided as well as numerous extension activities and resources. The material is developed for first language English speakers; (although one resource does provide translation of JFK's inaugural speech in 14 languages) - some of the material can be adapted for high intermediate / advanced level language learners and/or can be incorporated into other units designed for language learners. The primary audience is really adults (and HS students) who speak and understand English well.
The lessons are straightforward and could be used for independent reading. Parts of the lessons could be used in a unit about wages or understanding the history of jobs or policies - beyond only the civil rights movement, helping to show that the civil rights movement was not just for Black people but also for poor and disenfranchised people through the US.
The material ranges from written to audio to visual allowing for differing approaches to learning. Items such as the music could be used just as a welcome to the class or used during breaks to begin to acquaint the students with the music and make it a part of the environment so that when put into the framing of the civil rights era it does not seem as foreign.
This resource has a range of uses and applications - from exploring the holiday itself (as a one-off lesson), to a far deeper and extended dive into the country's legacy of racism, violence, striving for civil rights and ongoing efforts to work for social justice. Drawing on Dr. King's work and its impact and the materials can support developing critical thought and analysis through a range of activities and modalities.
The lessons bring in little known parts of the civil rights movement such as the roles of Baynard, the CIA, and women (or the noticeable lack of women speakers) - bring a much-needed context to an era often fantasized about as if the rights movement was welcomed and welcoming which was not always the case.
The links to quizzes and music bring a topic that could feel stale into the here and now. The music could be infused throughout the classroom experience to allow for the students to begin to become acquainted with songs of the rights movements.
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