How do you celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with your kiddos? It’s always interesting to share with my kiddos, that during the time period when Dr. King was an adult, some of them would not have been in my class.  They might not be friends with the classmates that they’re friends with now.
I’ve created a product with the following items to enhance your teaching of the accomplishments of this amazing man.

1. Word Wall Words-
Begin by introducing the vocabulary pertaining to Martin L. King, Jr. and his work for civil rights. You may be surprised by the words that your kiddos are familiar with or have a deep understanding of the related concepts.2. Describe Him–  Using the provided descriptions, cut out and glue on the recording sheet to tell about him and his character or write words or short phrases to describe him.

3. Class Book– The cover and introduction pages for a class book using the My Dream writing prompt are included.

4. Writing Prompts with different font sizes- 4 versions of writing prompts to increase knowledge and make connections to him and his accomplishments.
a. A Special Gift What kind of birthday gift would you give Dr. King.
b. All Alike Draw a picture of someone different from you and then write about how the two of you are alike.
c.  My Dream What they would want to do as an adult and why that would be important to them.
d. Making Dreams Come True Just because you want something, you should think about what’s needed and how to get it.

5. Word Search Puzzles- 2 versions, one with 5 words and one with 11 words from the vocabulary pertaining to Martin L. King, Jr. and his work for civil rights.

6. ABC Order– 2 versions, one with 5 words and one with 11 words from the vocabulary pertaining to Martin L. King, Jr. and his work for civil rights. 

The activities address the following TEA Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Social Studies:
Kindergarten:
Identify and read at least 25 high-frequency words from a commonly used list.
Use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters.
Explain the reasons for national patriotic holidays such as Presidents’ Day, Veterans Day, and Independence Day
Identify contributions of historical figures, including Stephen F. Austin, George Washington, Christopher Columbus, and José Antonio Navarro, who helped to shape the state and nation.
Identify contributions of patriots and good citizens who have shaped the community.

First Grade:
Identify and read at least 100 high-frequency words from a commonly used list.
Alphabetize a series of words to the first or second letter and use a dictionary to find words.
Write brief comments on literary or informational texts.
Use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters to construct known words.
Use resources to find correct spellings.
Describe the origins of customs, holidays, and celebrations of the community, state, and nation such as San Jacinto Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day
Identify contributions of historical figures, including Sam Houston, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr., who have influenced the community, state, and nation.
Compare the similarities and differences among the lives and activities of historical figures and other individuals who have influenced the community, state, and nation.
Distinguish among past, present, and future.

Second
Identify and read at least 300 high-frequency words from a commonly used list.
Alphabetize a series of words and use a dictionary or a glossary to find words.
Write brief comments on literary or informational texts.
Use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters to construct unknown words.
Use resources to find correct spellings.
Explain the significance of various community, state, and national celebrations such as Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving.
Describe the order of events by using designations of time periods such as historical and present times.
Identify contributions of historical figures, including Thurgood Marshall, Irma Rangel, John Hancock, and Theodore Roosevelt, who have influenced the community, state, and nation.
Explain how people and events have influenced local community history.

Third
Alphabetize a series of words to the third letter and use a dictionary or a glossary to determine the meanings, syllabication, and pronunciation of unknown words.
Write responses to literary or expository texts that demonstrate an understanding of the text.
Use knowledge of letter sounds, word parts, word segmentation, and syllabication to spell
Use print and electronic resources to find and check correct spelling.
Describe how individuals, events, and ideas have changed communities, past and present.
Identify individuals, including Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, Benjamin Banneker, and Benjamin Franklin, who have helped to shape communities.
Use vocabulary related to chronology, including past, present, and future times.

Follow links to suggested read alouds:
                

Hop on over to my store and get your activities.
Peaceful thoughts until next time,