Work in Progress
Please pardon our progress while we refine the look and functionality of our new ALEX site! You can still access the old ALEX site at alex.asc.edu. If you would like to share feedback or have a question for the ALEX Team, you can use the contact form here, or email us directly at administrator@alex.state.al.us.
Lesson Plan

Martin Luther King, Jr. for Early Elementary

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

K, 1

Overview

This lesson is an adaptation of a lesson in Character Education Made Easy. It helps early elementary students (especially kindergartners) learn about the influence of Martin Luther King, Jr., why he is remembered, and the problems he worked to change.

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): KG

SS10.K.11

Identify symbols, customs, famous individuals, and celebrations representative of our state and nation. (Alabama)

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.K.11

Vocabulary

  • symbol
  • custom
  • famous
  • celebrations

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Our state and nation has certain symbols that represent it and its people.
  • There are certain customs common to citizens of our state and nation.
  • There are celebrations common to the citizens of our state and nation.
  • There are certain individuals who are widely recognized as representatives of our state and nation.
  • Vocabulary: symbol, custom, celebrate, celebration, represent, representative, state, nation, Alabama, United States, pledge, allegiance

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify various symbols of our state and nation, including the American flag, Alabama flag, bald eagle, etc.
  • Identify various customs of our state and nation, including reciting the "Pledge of Allegiance," singing the "Star Spangled Banner," etc.
  • Identify various famous individuals of our state and nation, including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., etc.
  • Identify various celebrations of our state and nation, including The Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, etc.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are certain symbols, customs, celebrations, and famous individuals recognized by most citizens of our state and nation.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 1

SS10.1.5

Identify historical events and celebrations within the local community and throughout Alabama. (Alabama)

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.1.5

Vocabulary

  • differentiate
  • identify
  • fact
  • fiction
  • celebrations
  • historical events
  • primary sources
  • secondary sources

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The importance of celebrations and events in the local. community and throughout Alabama.
  • The purpose of primary and secondary sources.
  • Techniques to differentiate between fact and fiction.
  • Vocabulary: fact, fiction, celebrations, historical events, primary sources, secondary sources

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify, discuss, and list celebrations and historical events in the local community and throughout Alabama.
  • Differentiate between fact and fiction when sharing stories or retelling events using primary and secondary sources.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are celebrations and historical events in the local community and throughout Alabama such as the Selma Bridge Crossing, Jubilee, Mardi Gras, Boll Weevil Festival, Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Black History Month.
  • Primary and secondary sources are an important way to differentiate between fact and fiction.

Primary Learning Objectives

Students will develop an awareness of the accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr. and how he worked to foster tolerance and respect for others.

Additional Learning Objective(s)

Students will discuss the meaning of fairness. Students will discuss the meaning of self-respect. Students will discuss the meaning of courage.

Procedures/Activities

Give half of the class a piece of candy.
Tell those with candy to come near the front. Those without candy are to sit in the back.
Tell those with candy they will get to play today. Those without candy do not.
Ask students with candy how they feel. Ask one student with candy how they feel that their friend does not have candy and will not get to play with them.
Ask students without candy how they feel.
Ask students if they think this is fair.
Tell students about the inequality of blacks and whites during Martin's lifetime. Discuss how African-Americans had to sit in the back of buses, drink from different water fountains, go to different schools, etc. Discuss whether this was fair.
Have a student who did not get candy come and tell you how they feel and what they think you should do about it.
Tell students that this took courage. Discuss how Martin felt about his people. Discuss how he had a lot of courage to come forward and tell about his feelings.
Give all the children who do not have candy a piece. Tell the children that after Martin and many others stood up for themselves and worked peacefully to change the unfair laws that everyone became more equal.
Eat the candy!!! Read Young Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" (First-Start Biographies) by Joanne Mattern, or Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, the reinforce to class discussion.
After eating the candy, sing "The More We Get Together". Several of the Greg and Steve music collections have appropriate songs: We All Live Together, Vol. 1, "We All Live Together," Holidays and Special Times, "A Man Named King," and We All Live Together, Vol. 2, "The World is a Rainbow," are good ones.
Give half of the class a piece of candy.
Tell those with candy to come near the front. Those without candy are to sit in the back.
Tell those with candy they will get to play today. Those without candy do not.
Ask students with candy how they feel. Ask one student with candy how they feel that their friend does not have candy and will not get to play with them.
Ask students without candy how they feel.
Ask students if they think this is fair.
Tell students about the inequality of blacks and whites during Martin's lifetime. Discuss how African-Americans had to sit in the back of buses, drink from different water fountains, go to different schools, etc. Discuss whether this was fair.
Have a student who did not get candy come and tell you how they feel and what they think you should do about it.
Tell students that this took courage. Discuss how Martin felt about his people. Discuss how he had a lot of courage to come forward and tell about his feelings.
Give all the children who do not have candy a piece. Tell the children that after Martin and many others stood up for themselves and worked peacefully to change the unfair laws that everyone became more equal.
Eat the candy!!! Read Young Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" (First-Start Biographies) by Joanne Mattern, or Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, the reinforce to class discussion.
After eating the candy, sing "The More We Get Together". Several of the Greg and Steve music collections have appropriate songs: We All Live Together, Vol. 1, "We All Live Together," Holidays and Special Times, "A Man Named King," and We All Live Together, Vol. 2, "The World is a Rainbow," are good ones.
Give half of the class a piece of candy.
Tell those with candy to come near the front. Those without candy are to sit in the back.
Tell those with candy they will get to play today. Those without candy do not.
Ask students with candy how they feel. Ask one student with candy how they feel that their friend does not have candy and will not get to play with them.
Ask students without candy how they feel.
Ask students if they think this is fair.
Tell students about the inequality of blacks and whites during Martin's lifetime. Discuss how African-Americans had to sit in the back of buses, drink from different water fountains, go to different schools, etc. Discuss whether this was fair.
Have a student who did not get candy come and tell you how they feel and what they think you should do about it.
Tell students that this took courage. Discuss how Martin felt about his people. Discuss how he had a lot of courage to come forward and tell about his feelings.
Give all the children who do not have candy a piece. Tell the children that after Martin and many others stood up for themselves and worked peacefully to change the unfair laws that everyone became more equal.
Eat the candy!!! Read Young Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" (First-Start Biographies) by Joanne Mattern, or Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, the reinforce to class discussion.
After eating the candy, sing "The More We Get Together". Several of the Greg and Steve music collections have appropriate songs: We All Live Together, Vol. 1, "We All Live Together," Holidays and Special Times, "A Man Named King," and We All Live Together, Vol. 2, "The World is a Rainbow," are good ones.
Give half of the class a piece of candy.
Tell those with candy to come near the front. Those without candy are to sit in the back.
Tell those with candy they will get to play today. Those without candy do not.
Ask students with candy how they feel. Ask one student with candy how they feel that their friend does not have candy and will not get to play with them.
Ask students without candy how they feel.
Ask students if they think this is fair.
Tell students about the inequality of blacks and whites during Martin's lifetime. Discuss how African-Americans had to sit in the back of buses, drink from different water fountains, go to different schools, etc. Discuss whether this was fair.
Have a student who did not get candy come and tell you how they feel and what they think you should do about it.
Tell students that this took courage. Discuss how Martin felt about his people. Discuss how he had a lot of courage to come forward and tell about his feelings.
Give all the children who do not have candy a piece. Tell the children that after Martin and many others stood up for themselves and worked peacefully to change the unfair laws that everyone became more equal.
Eat the candy!!! Read Young Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" (First-Start Biographies) by Joanne Mattern, or Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, the reinforce to class discussion.
After eating the candy, sing "The More We Get Together". Several of the Greg and Steve music collections have appropriate songs: We All Live Together, Vol. 1, "We All Live Together," Holidays and Special Times, "A Man Named King," and We All Live Together, Vol. 2, "The World is a Rainbow," are good ones.

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will listen to the children's discussion for assessment of understanding.
Students may also be asked to write (or draw) in journals about how they would feel if they were Martin.

Acceleration

The lesson could be extended by reading and discussing additional books or viewing videos on Martin Luther King, Jr.

Intervention

Students who need extra assistance could have the concepts explained one on one by the teacher.

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

0 to 30 Minutes

Background and Preparation

Background/Preparation

Students should have already had the character education lessons on fairness, courage, and self-respect.

Materials and Resources

Materials and Resources

some type of candy (one piece for each child) picture of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Technology Resources Needed

none

Approved Date

2014-04-29
ALSDE LOGO

This site may contain links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THIS SITE.
Alabama Learning Exchange © 2002-2023 by Alabama State Department of Education is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Design by Adaptive Theme