Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and Day of Service

Background Information, Lesson Plans, and

Internet Resources for the Elementary Classroom

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Strength to Love, 1963

Miami Dade County Public Schools Department of Social Sciences

January 2017 (Revised)

THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA

Dr. Lawrence S. Feldman, Chair

Dr. Marta Pérez, Vice Chair

Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Ms. Susie V. Castillo

Dr. Steve Gallon III

Ms. Perla Tabares Hantman

Dr. Martin Karp

Ms. Lubby Navarro

Ms. Mari Tere Rojas

Sebastian M. Lorenzo

Student Advisor

Mr. Alberto M. Carvalho Superintendent of Schools

Mrs. Maria L. Izquierdo, Chief Academic Officer

Office of Academics and Transformation

Ms. Lissette M. Alves, Assistant Superintendent Division of Academics

Mr. Robert C. Brazofsky, Executive Director

Department of Social Sciences

The History of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and Day of Service Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an official holiday which has been celebrated on the third Monday of January since 1986. It is the first new holiday adopted in the United States since 1948, when Memorial Day was created as a “prayer for peace” day. It was one of three new holidays designated during the twentieth century, including Veteran’s Day, created as Armistice Day in 1926. Dr. King is the only American besides George Washington to have a national holiday designated for his birthday (those of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Robert E. Lee and others have been celebrated in some states but not nationwide). Internationally, Dr. King is one of the few social leaders of any country to be honored with a holiday. Generally, such an honor is reserved for military or religious figures. Consequently, this holiday is a powerful tribute to Dr. King’s philosophy and nature. When President Ronald Reagan signed the legislation establishing the holiday in November of 1983, it marked the end of a persistent, highly organized lobbying effort spanning the nation for 15 years. Representative John Conyers (D., Michigan), first introduced legislation for a commemorative holiday four days after Dr. King was assassinated in 1968. The bill became stalled in that legislative session. With help from New York Democratic Representative Shirley Chisholm, Conyers resubmitted the legislation in each subsequent legislative session. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) coordinated a petition drive, which resulted in more than six million signatures being submitted to Congress in 1970. Public support and pressure for the holiday increased during the 1982 and 1983 civil rights marches in Washington, D. C. Finally, a compromise was proposed, moving the holiday from January 15 (Dr. King’s actual birthday), to the third Monday in January, resulting in Congress passing the holiday legislation in 1983. President Ronald Reagan then signed it into law. The King Holiday is celebrated in some form in more than 100 countries throughout the world. In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a "day on, not a day off." The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. The MLK Day of Service is a way to transform Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and teachings into community action that helps solve social problems. That service may

meet a tangible need, or it may meet a need of the spirit. On this day, Americans of every age and background celebrate Dr. King through service projects that strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers, and create solutions.

An Instructional Note to Teachers Each year, on the third Monday in January, the nation observes the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and Day of Service. The holiday and day of service commemorate the enduring vision and legacy of Dr. King to our nation and the world. To assist schools, staff in the Department of Social Sciences has developed this instructional resource guide that includes background information, suggested classroom activities, and Internet resources on the life and legacy of Dr. King. The resources in this instructional resource guide include:

• BACKGROUND INFORMATION - This section of the guide includes detailed background and reference information on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• LESSONS, ACTIVITIES, AND STRATEGIES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

- This section of the guide includes detailed primary and intermediate lesson plans with all support materials needed to teach about the life and contributions of Dr. King.

• INTERNET RESOURCES - Related lesson plans, teacher background

information, interactive activities, and downloadable worksheets may be found on the web sites listed in this section of the guide.

• ELEMENTARY CHARACTER EDUCATION RESOURCES – Additional lesson ideas are included in this section of the guide to support the core value of “pursuit of excellence,” which has been designated by the District for the month of February.

Teachers are highly encouraged to utilize the resources and lessons found in this instructional resource guide to reinforce the contributions of Dr. King, whenever appropriate throughout the school year. Teachers are further encouraged to select and adapt the resources and lessons to best fit the needs of their students.

Background Information

• Getting Involved - The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

• Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Dr. King’s Achievements

• Timeline of Events in the Life of Dr. King

• Memorable Quotes by Dr. King

• Text of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech

• The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Washington, D.C.

• Photographs of Dr. King

Getting Involved - The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Monday, January 16, 2017 will mark the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. This milestone is a perfect opportunity for Americans to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community. Explore the following website to learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and how you can participate in the Day of Service. http://www.nationalservice.gov/MLKDay What is the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service? After a long struggle, legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a "day on, not a day off." The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. Why Serve on the Day of Service? Dr. King believed in a nation of freedom and justice for all, and encouraged all citizens to live up to the purpose and potential of America by applying the principles of nonviolence to make this country a better place to live - creating the Beloved Community. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is a way to transform Dr. King’s life and teachings into community action that helps solve social problems. That service may meet a tangible need, or it may meet a need of the spirit. On this day, Americans of every age and background celebrate Dr. King through service projects that strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers, and create solutions. How can I serve on MLK Day? People of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities can get involved. To find a service opportunity, click on Volunteer Now at http://www.nationalservice.gov/MLKDay and follow the prompts. Source: http://www.nationalservice.gov/MLKDay

Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a vital figure of the modern era. His lectures and dialogues stirred the concern and sparked the conscience of a generation. The movements and marches he led brought significant changes in the fabric of American life through his courage and selfless devotion. This devotion gave direction to thirteen years of civil rights activities. His charismatic leadership inspired men and women, young and old, in this nation and around the world.

Dr. King’s concept of “somebodiness,” which symbolized the celebration of human worth and the conquest of subjugation, gave black and poor people hope and a sense of dignity. His philosophy of nonviolent direct action, and his strategies for rational and non-destructive social change, galvanized the conscience of this nation and reordered its priorities. His wisdom, his words, his actions, his commitment, and his dream for a new way of life are intertwined with the American experience.

Birth and Family

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born at noon on Tuesday, January 15, 1929 at the family home, 501 Auburn Avenue, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Charles Johnson was the attending physician. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the first son and second child born to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. Also born to the Kings were Christine, now Mrs. Isaac Farris, Sr., and the Reverend Alfred Daniel Williams King. The Reverend A.D. King is now deceased.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s maternal grandparents were the Reverend Adam Daniel Williams, second pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Jenny Parks Williams. His paternal grandparents were James Albert and Delia King, sharecroppers on a farm in Stockbridge, Georgia.

He married Coretta Scott, the younger daughter of Obadiah and Bernice McMurry Scott of Marion, Alabama, on June 18, 1953. The marriage ceremony took place on the lawn of the Scott’s home in Marion, Alabama. The Rev. King, Sr. performed the service, with Mrs. Edythe Bagley, the sister of Coretta Scott King as maid of honor, and the Rev. A.D. King, the brother of Martin Luther King, Jr., as best man.

Four children were born to Dr. and Mrs. King:

• Yolanda Denise (November 17, 1955, Montgomery, Alabama) • Martin Luther III (October 23, 1957, Montgomery, Alabama) • Dexter Scott (January 30, 1961, Atlanta, Georgia) • Bernice Albertine (March 28, 1963, Atlanta, Georgia)

Education

At the age of five, Martin Luther King, Jr. began school, before reaching the legal age of six, at the Yonge Street Elementary School in Atlanta. When his age was discovered, he was not permitted to continue in school and did not resume his education until he was six. Following Yonge School, he was enrolled in David T. Howard Elementary School. He also attended the Atlanta University Laboratory School and Booker T. Washington High School. Because of his high scores on the college entrance examinations in his junior year of high school, he advanced to Morehouse College without formal graduation from Booker T. Washington. Having skipped both the ninth and twelfth grades, Dr. King entered Morehouse at the age of fifteen.

In 1948, he graduated from Morehouse College with a B.A. degree in Sociology. That fall he enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. While attending Crozer, he also studied at the University of Pennsylvania. He was elected President of the Senior Class and delivered the valedictory address. He won the Peral Plafkner Award as the most outstanding student, and he received the J. Lewis Crozer Fellowship for graduate study at a university of his choice. He was awarded a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Crozer in 1951.

In September of 1951, Martin Luther King, Jr. began doctoral studies in Systematic Theology at Boston University. He also studied at Harvard University. His dissertation, “A Comparison of the Conceptions of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman,” was completed in 1955, and the Ph.D. degree was awarded on June 5, 1955.

Honorary Degrees

Dr. King was awarded honorary degrees from various colleges and universities in the United States and several foreign countries. They include:

• Doctor of Humane Letters, Morehouse College • Doctor of Laws, Howard University • Doctor of Divinity, Chicago Theological Seminary • Doctor of Laws, Morgan State University • Doctor of Humanities, Central State University • Doctor of Divinity, Boston University • Doctor of Laws, Lincoln University • Doctor of Laws, University of Bridgeport • Doctor of Civil Laws, Bard College • Doctor of Letters, Keuka College • Doctor of Divinity, Wesleyan College • Doctor of Laws, Jewish Theological Seminary • Doctor of Laws, Yale University

• Doctor of Divinity, Springfield College • Doctor of Laws, Hofstra University • Doctor of Humane Letters, Oberlin College • Doctor of Social Science, Amsterdam Free University • Doctor of Divinity, St. Peter’s College • Doctor of Civil Law, University of New Castle, Upon Tyne • Doctor of Laws, Grinnell College

Career Martin Luther King, Jr. entered the Christian ministry and was ordained in February 1948 at the age of nineteen at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. Following his ordination, he became Assistant Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church. Upon completion of his studies at Boston University, he accepted the call of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He was the pastor of Dexter Avenue from September 1954 to November 1959, when he resigned to move to Atlanta to direct the activities of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. From 1960 until his death in 1968, he was co-pastor with his father at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Dr. King was a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement. He was elected President of the Montgomery Improvement Association, the organization that was responsible for the successful Montgomery Bus Boycott from 1955 to 1956 (381 days). He was arrested thirty times for his participation in civil rights activities. He was a founder and president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1957 to 1968. He was also Vice President of the National Sunday School and Baptist Teaching Union Congress of the National Baptist Convention. He was a member of several national and local boards of directors and served on the boards of trustees of numerous institutions and agencies. Dr. King was elected to membership in several learned societies including the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Awards Dr. King received numerous awards for his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. Among them were the following:

• Selected as one of the ten most outstanding personalities of the year by Time Magazine, 1957.

• Listed in Who’s Who in America, 1957. • The Spingarn Medal from the NAACP, 1957. • The Russwurm Award from the National Newspaper Publishers, 1957. • The Second Annual Achievement Award from The Guardian Association of the

Police Department of New York, 1958.

• Selected as one of the sixteen world leaders who had contributed most to the advancement of freedom during 1959 by Ling Magazine of New Delhi, India.

• Named “Man of the Year, “by Time Magazine, 1963. • Named “American of the Decade,” by the Laundry, Dry Cleaning, and Die

Workers, International Union, 1963. • The John Dewey Award, from the United Federation of Teachers, 1964. • The John F. Kennedy Award, from the Catholic Interracial Council of Chicago,

1964. • The Nobel Peace Prize, at age 35, the youngest man, second American, and the

third black man to be so honored, 1964. • The Marcus Garvey Prize for Human Rights, presented by the Jamaican

Government, posthumously, 1968. • The Rosa L. Parks award, presented by The Southern Christian Leadership

Conference, posthumously, 1968. • The Aims Field-Wolf Award for his book, Stride Toward Freedom.

The above awards and others, along with numerous citations, are in the Archives of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia. Publications Although extremely involved with his family, his church, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, activities for peace and justice, his world travels, and his many speaking engagements, Dr. King wrote six books and numerous articles. His volumes include:

• Stride Toward Freedom, (New York: Harper & Row, 1958). The story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

• The Measure of a Man, (Philadelphia: Pilgrim Press, 1959). A selection of sermons.

• Why We Can’t Wait, (New York: Harper & Row, 1963). The story of the Birmingham Campaign.

• Strength to Love, (New York: Harper & Row, 1963). A selection of sermons. • Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? (New York: Harper & Row,

1967). Reflections on the problems of today’s world, the nuclear arms race, etc. • The Trumpet of Conscience, (New York: Harper & Row, 1968). The Massey

Lectures. Sponsored by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. (Posthumously).

Death Dr. King was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. Dr. King was in Memphis to help lead sanitation workers in a protest against low wages and intolerable working conditions. James Earl Ray was arrested in London, England on June 8, 1968, and returned to Memphis, Tennessee on July 19, 1969 to stand trial for the assassination of Dr. King. On March 9, 1969, before coming to trial, he entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to ninety-nine years in the Tennessee State Penitentiary. On December 8, 1999, a jury of twelve citizens of Memphis, Shelby County, TN concluded in Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King, III, Bernice King, Dexter Scott King and Yolanda King v. Loyd Jowers and Other Unknown Conspirators that Loyd Jowers and governmental agencies including the City of Memphis, the State of Tennessee, and the federal government were party to the conspiracy to assassinate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King’s funeral services were held on April 9, 1968 at Ebenezer Baptist Church and on the campus of Morehouse College, with the President of the United State proclaiming a day of mourning and flags being flown at half-staff. The area where Dr. King is entombed is located on Freedom Plaza and is surrounded by the Freedom Hall Complex of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site. The site is a 23-acre area was listed as a National Historic Landmark on May 5, 1977 and was made a National Historic Site on October 10, 1980 by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Source: Adapted from the King Center at www.thekingcenter.org

Dr. King’s Achievements

During the less than 13 years of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s leadership of the modern American Civil Rights Movement, from December, 1955 until April 4, 1968, African Americans achieved significant progress toward racial equality in the United States. Dr. King is widely regarded as the nation’s pre-eminent advocate of nonviolence and one of the greatest nonviolent leaders in world history.

Drawing inspiration from both his Christian faith and the peaceful teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. King led a nonviolent movement in the late 1950’s and ‘60s to achieve legal equality for African Americans in the United States. While others were advocating for freedom by “any means necessary,” including violence, Dr. King used the power of words and acts of nonviolent resistance, such as protests, grassroots organizing, and civil disobedience to achieve seemingly-impossible goals. He went on to lead similar campaigns against poverty and international conflict, always maintaining fidelity to his principles that men and women everywhere, regardless of color or creed, are equal members of the human family.

Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Nobel Peace Prize lecture and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” are among the most respected orations and writings in the English language. His accomplishments are now taught to American children, and his teachings are studied by scholars and students worldwide. He is the only non-president to have a national holiday dedicated in his honor, and is the only non-president memorialized on the Great Mall in Washington, D.C.

Some of Dr. King’s most important achievements include:

• In 1955, he was recruited to serve as spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was a campaign by the African American population of Montgomery, Alabama to force integration of the city’s bus lines. After 381 days of nearly universal participation by citizens of the black community, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in transportation was unconstitutional.

• In 1957, Dr. King was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an organization designed to provide new leadership for the now growing civil rights movement. He would serve as head of the SCLC until his assassination in 1968, a period during which he would emerge as the most important social leader of the modern American Civil Rights Movement.

• In 1963, he led a coalition of numerous civil rights groups in a nonviolent campaign

aimed at Birmingham, Alabama, which at the time was described as the “most segregated city in America.” The subsequent brutality of the city’s police, illustrated most vividly by television images of young blacks being assaulted by dogs and water hoses, led to a national outrage resulting in a push for unprecedented civil rights legislation. It was during this campaign that Dr. King

drafted the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” the statement of Dr. King’s philosophy and tactics, which is today required-reading in many universities worldwide.

• Later in 1963, Dr. King was one of the driving forces behind the March for Jobs

and Freedom, more commonly known as the “March on Washington,” which drew over a quarter-million people to the national mall. It was at this march that Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, which secured his status as a social change leader and helped inspire the nation to act on civil rights. Dr. King was later named Time magazine’s “Man of the Year.”

• In 1964, at 35 years old, Martin Luther King, Jr. became the youngest person to

win the Nobel Peace Prize. His acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway is thought by many to be among the most powerful remarks ever delivered at the event, climaxing at one point with the oft-quoted phrase “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.”

• Also in 1964, partly due to the March on Washington, Congress passed the

landmark Civil Rights Act, essentially eliminating legalized racial segregation in the United States. The legislation made it illegal to discriminate against blacks or other minorities in hiring, public accommodations, education or transportation, areas which at the time were still very segregated in many places.

• The next year, 1965, Congress went on to pass the Voting Rights Act, which was

an equally important set of laws that eliminated the remaining barriers to voting for African Americans, who in some locales had been almost completely disenfranchised. This legislation resulted directly from the Selma to Montgomery, Alabama March for Voting Rights lead by Dr. King.

• Between 1965 and 1968, Dr. King shifted his focus toward economic justice –

which he highlighted by leading several campaigns in Chicago, Illinois – and international peace – which he championed by speaking out strongly against the Vietnam War. His work in these years culminated in the “Poor Peoples Campaign,” which was a broad effort to assemble a multiracial coalition of impoverished Americans who would advocate for economic change.

Source: Adapted from the King Center at http://www.thekingcenter.org/about-dr-king

Timeline of Events in the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1929

Born on at noon on January 15, 1929. Parents: The Reverend and Mrs. Martin Luther King, Sr. Home: 501 Auburn Avenue, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia.

1944

Graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and was admitted to Morehouse College at the age of 15.

1948

Graduates from Morehouse College and enters Crozer Theological Seminary. Ordained to the Baptist ministry, February 25, 1948, at the age 19.

1951

Enters Boston University for graduate studies.

1953

Marries Coretta Scott and settles in Montgomery, Alabama.

1955

Received Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic Theology from Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts on June 5, 1955. Dissertation Title: A Comparison of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Wiseman. Joins the bus boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1. On December 5, he is elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, making him the official spokesman for the boycott.

1956

On November 13, the Supreme Court rules that bus segregation is illegal, ensuring victory for the boycott.

1957

King forms the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to fight segregation and achieve civil rights. On May 17, Dr. King speaks to a crowd of 15,000 in Washington, D.C.

1958

The U.S. Congress passed the first Civil Rights Act since reconstruction. King's first book, Stride Toward Freedom, is published. On a speaking tour, Martin Luther King, Jr. is nearly killed when stabbed by an assailant in Harlem. Met with President Dwight D. Eisenhower, along with Roy Wilkins, A. Philip Randolph, and Lester Grange on problems affecting black Americans.

1959

Visited India to study Mohandas Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence. Resigns from pastoring the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church to concentrate on civil rights full time. He moved to Atlanta to direct the activities of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

1960

Becomes co-pastor with his father at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Lunch counter sit-ins began in Greensboro, North Carolina. In Atlanta, King is arrested during a sit-in waiting to be served at a restaurant. He is sentenced to four months in jail, but after intervention by John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, he is released. Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee founded to coordinate protests at Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina.

1961

In November, the Interstate Commerce Commission bans segregation in interstate travel due to work of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Freedom Riders. Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) began first Freedom Ride through the South, in a Greyhound bus, after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed segregation in interstate transportation.

1962

During the unsuccessful Albany, Georgia movement, King is arrested on July 27 and jailed.

1963

On Good Friday, April 12, King is arrested with Ralph Abernathy by Police Commissioner Eugene "Bull" Connor for demonstrating without a permit. On April 13, the Birmingham campaign is launched. This would prove to be the turning point in the war to end desegregation in the South.

During the eleven days he spent in jail, MLK writes his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail . On May 10, the Birmingham agreement is announced. The stores, restaurants, and schools will be desegregated, hiring of blacks implemented, and charges dropped. On June 23, MLK leads 125,000 people on a Freedom Walk in Detroit. The March on Washington held August 28 is the largest civil rights demonstration in history with nearly 250,000 people in attendance. At the march, King makes his famous I Have a Dream speech. On November 22, President Kennedy is assassinated.

1964

On January 3, King appears on the cover of Time magazine as its Man of the Year. King attends the signing ceremony of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 at the White House on July 2.

During the summer, King experiences his first hurtful rejection by black people when he is stoned by Black Muslims in Harlem. King is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10. Dr. King is the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Peace at age 35.

1965

On February 2, King is arrested in Selma, Alabama during a voting rights demonstration. After President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act into law, Martin Luther King, Jr. turns to socioeconomic problems.

1966

On January 22, King moves into a Chicago slum tenement to attract attention to the living conditions of the poor. In June, King and others begin the March Against Fear through the South.

On July 10, King initiates a campaign to end discrimination in housing, employment, and schools in Chicago.

1967

The Supreme Court upholds a conviction of MLK by a Birmingham court for demonstrating without a permit. King spends four days in Birmingham jail. On November 27, King announces the inception of the Poor People's Campaign focusing on jobs and freedom for the poor of all races.

1968

King announces that the Poor People's Campaign will culminate in a March on Washington demanding a $12 billion Economic Bill of Rights guaranteeing employment to the able-bodied, incomes to those unable to work, and an end to housing discrimination. Dr. King marches in support of sanitation workers on strike in Memphis, Tennessee. On March 28, King led a march that turns violent. This was the first time one of his events had turned violent. Delivered I've Been to the Mountaintop speech.

At sunset on April 4, Martin Luther King, Jr. is fatally shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. There are riots and disturbances in 130 American cities. There were twenty thousand arrests. King's funeral on April 9 is an international event. Within a week of the assassination, the Open Housing Act is passed by Congress.

1986

On November 2, a national holiday is proclaimed in King's honor. 36 USC 169j -- (United States Code, Title 36 (Patriotic Societies and Observances), Chapter 9 (National Observances)

Memorable Quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an important leader of America’s modern Civil Rights Movement and a great orator. King is most remembered for his powerful “I Have a Dream Speech” delivered in 1963 during the March on Washington, but he also delivered dozens of additional speeches and sermons. Below is a sampling of his most powerful quotes.

• “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

• “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.”

• “The time is always right to do what is right.”

• “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

• “I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the way our world is made. No individual or nation can stand out boasting of being independent, we are interdependent.”

• “Freedom has always been an expensive thing. History is fit testimony to the fact that freedom is rarely gained without sacrifice and self-denial.”

• “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

• “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.”

• “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others. In dangerous valleys and hazardous pathways, he will lift some bruised and beaten brother to a higher and more noble life.”

• “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”

Quotes continued

• “The nonviolent approach does not immediately change the heart of the oppressor. It first does something to the hearts and souls of those committed to it. It gives them new self-respect; it calls up resources of strength and courage that they did not know they had. Finally, it reaches the opponent and so stirs his conscience that reconciliation becomes a reality.”

• “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

• “When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love. Where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice.”

• “This is the great new problem of mankind. We have inherited a large house, a great ‘world house’ in which we have to live together - black and white, Easterner and Westerner, Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Muslim and Hindu - a family unduly separated in ideas, culture and interest, who, because we can never again live apart, must learn somehow to live with each other in peace.”

• “The past is prophetic in that it asserts loudly that wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.”

Source: American Profile, http://americanprofile.com/articles/martin-luther-king-jr-quotes-video/

“I Have a Dream” Speech Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Washington, D.C., August 28, 1963

“I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free; one hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination; one hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity; one hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. So we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was the promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note in so far as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make the real the promises of democracy; now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice; now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood; now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content, will have a rude awakening if

the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the worn threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy, which has engulfed the Negro community, must not lead us to a distrust of all white people. For many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of Civil Rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality; we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities; we cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one; we can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating “For Whites Only”; we cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro in Mississippi cannot vote, and the Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No! no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi. Go back to Alabama. Go back to South Carolina. Go back to Georgia. Go back to Louisiana. Go back to the slums and ghettos of our Northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of

Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I HAVE A DREAM TODAY! I have a dream that one day down in Alabama — with its vicious racists, with its Governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification — one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I HAVE A DREAM TODAY! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low. The rough places will be plain and the crooked places will be made straight, “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brother-hood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. And this will be the day. This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning, “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire; let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York; let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania; let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado; let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that. Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia; let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee; let freedom ring from every hill and mole hill of Mississippi. “From every mountainside, let freedom ring.” And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.”

Source of Text of Speech: Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World, ed. James Melvin Washington (San Francisco: Harper, 1986), 102-106. Web Source: Teaching American History.org, http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/i-have-a-dream-speech/ To view Dr. King delivering his “I Have a Dream” speech, visit the following sites: • Teacher Tube,

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mkl+i+have+a+dream+speech&view=detail&mid=8646A3BD846E0DC6BB818646A3BD846E0DC6BB81&FORM=VIRE&adlt=strict

• School Tube, http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mkl+i+have+a+dream+speech&view=detail&mid=62C7505040B298117ADA62C7505040B298117ADA&FORM=VIRE&adlt=strict

• You Tube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRIF4_WzU1w

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Washington, D.C.

The Stone of Hope

The Memorial On August 28, 2011, a memorial to civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. opened to the public in Washington, D.C. The memorial is the first on the National Mall that honors an African American and the first that honors a person who did not serve as president. The Washington Post describes the memorial like this:

The sculpture, called "Stone of Hope," stands looking onto the basin, across from the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and next to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial. King's head, his upper body and the tops of his legs emerge from stone. Lei Yixin (pronounced "lay ee-shin"), a granite sculptor from China, designed it so that King is part of the stone. The sculpture's name refers to a line in King's "I Have a Dream" speech. "With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope," King said.

His statue is designed to look as if he were once a part of the "Mountain of Despair" but is now the "Stone of Hope."

The memorial was a long time coming. The idea was first presented by a chapter of King's fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha in 1984 and President Clinton signed a congressional authorization for the memorial in November 1996. Today, the Memorial is administered by the National Park Service. The Memorial is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and there is no fee to visit the memorial. The Inscriptions "Out of the Mountain of Despair, a Stone of Hope" is the quotation that serves as the theme of the overall design of the monument. The quotation is from the “I Have a Dream Speech” delivered by Dr. King in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963. The words on the other side of the stone originally read, "I Was a Drum Major for Justice, Peace, and Righteousness,” which is a paraphrased version of a longer quote by King: "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter." The quote was removed from the memorial in 2013. Fourteen quotes from King's speeches, sermons, and writings are inscribed on the Inscription Wall. The quotes are as follows: South Wall

• "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Washington National Cathedral, March 31, 1968.

• "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." Strength to Love, 1963.

• "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Oslo, Norway, 1964.

• "Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in." March for Integrated Schools, April 18, 1959.

• "I oppose the war in Vietnam because I love America. I speak out against it not in anger but with anxiety and sorrow in my heart, and above all with a passionate desire to see our beloved country stand as a moral example of the world." Anti-War Conference, Los Angeles, California, February 26, 1967.

• "If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than

sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective." Christmas sermon, Atlanta, Georgia, 1967.

North Wall

• "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." Letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963.

• "I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits." Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Oslo, Norway, 1964

• "It is not enough to say 'We must not wage war.' It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war, but the positive affirmation of peace." Anti-War Conference, Los Angeles, California, February 25, 1967.

• "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Strength to Love, 1963.

• "Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the best in their individual societies." New York City, April 4, 1967.

• "We are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs 'down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.'" Montgomery, Alabama, December 5, 1955.( Here, King borrows a verse from the Bible, the Book of Amos, which he frequently reused in speeches.)

• "We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience." Montgomery, Alabama, March 25, 1965.

• "True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice." Stride Toward Freedom, 1958

Additional information regarding the Memorial may be obtained from the National Park Service at http://www.nps.gov/mlkm/index.htm. A virtual tour of the memorial may be viewed at: https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=BFF8687B-1DD8-B71C-079BF3CEF357CC01 (This video contains audio video descriptions for users with vision impairments.) Sources: NPS, http://www.nps.gov/mlkm/index.htm; and, NPR http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/npr/139845832/martin-luther-king-memorial-opens-to-the-public

Photographs of Dr. King

Source: http://www.walkingbutterfly.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/martin-luther-king-jr.jpg

Source: http://www.toptenz.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/King-Jr-Martin-Luther.jpg

Source: http://myhero.com/images/guest/g225867/hero63923/g225867_u74421_martin_luther_king_jr_4.jpg

Dr. King delivering the “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963.

Source: https://ametia.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/dr-martin-luther-king-i-have-a-dream-speech4.jpg

Over 200,000 people were present to hear the “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C.

Source: http://i2.wp.com/www.whywegive.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/mlk-martin-luther-king-jr1.gif?resize=620%2C349

Lesson Plans and Classroom Activities

for the Elementary Classroom

• Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - Primary and Intermediate

• Dr. King’s Values - Primary and Intermediate

• Journal Writing - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me - Primary

and Intermediate

• Live the Dream – 100 Acts of Kindness - Primary and Intermediate

• I Have a Dream - Primary

• I Have a Dream, Too – Intermediate

• Additional Activities to Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

GRADE LEVEL: Social Studies – Elementary – Primary and Intermediate TITLE: Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. OBJECTIVES: Objectives from the Florida Standards are noted with FS.

1. The students will describe the life and lasting contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. The students will determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. (FS)

3. The students will ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. (FS)

SUGGESTED TIME: 60 minutes DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES: TEACHER’S NOTE: Separate primary and intermediate reading assignments and questions are provided for this lesson. Teachers may use the reading most appropriate for their students.

1. Show students an image of Dr. King (provided in the Background section of this instructional resource guide) and ask them if they know who he was and why he was important in the history of our country. Introduce the concept of civil rights (rights all citizens of a country have). Explain that in today’s lesson, students will read about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his contributions to our nation, including his work to ensure that Americans were treated equally and with respect, especially African Americans.

2. Have students read the “Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” assignment (provided) and answer the questions about the reading (provided). The questions may be answered in writing or orally. TEACHER’S NOTES: Primary - You may choose to read the biography aloud to primary students. Intermediate – Prior to the reading, discuss the difference between a biography (A story about a person’s life written by another person.) and an autobiography (A story about a person’s life written by that person.).

3. Discuss the answers to the reading questions, with special emphasis given to Dr. King’s efforts to promote fairness and equality for all citizens.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Lesson Plan

4. As closure, consider playing one or more of the on-line speech recordings of Dr. King

to the class. TEACHER’S NOTE: Recordings of Dr. King’s speeches may be found on-line at:

a. The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/search/node/audio

b. NPR, The Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr., http://www.npr.org/news/specials/march40th/speeches.html

c. Dr. Martin Luther King.com, http://www.drmartinlutherkingjr.com/ d. Teacher Tube, http://www.teachertube.com/search/google-

search?query=mlk+speeches&safe=high&search-type=all&head_curriculum=0&head_content_area=0&head_subject=0&head_category=0&head_skill=0#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=mlk%20speeches&gsc.page=1

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY: Completion of the reading and questions. MATERIALS/AIDS NEEDED: Images of Dr. King (provided in the Background section of this instructional resource guide); “Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” (provided); Questions (provided) SOURCES: ABCteach.com, http://www.abcteach.com/free/r/rc_bio_martinlutherking.pdf; and, Social Studies for Kids, http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/martinlutherking2.htm

Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Primary Reading) Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Georgia in 1929. He was a good student in school. He studied in college to be a minister. Dr. King believed all people should be treated equally and fairly. He spent his life working to help others gain their rights, especially African Americans. Dr. King was one of the most important leaders of the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960’s. “Civil rights” are rights that belong to all of the citizens of the country. Dr. King made many speeches and he gave sermons in his church about equality and fairness. He was a great speaker and his speeches are still famous today. His most famous speech was the “I Have a Dream” speech he gave in Washington, D.C. in 1963. Dr. King believed that it was important to fight for what was right without using violence. Although Dr. King had many followers, not everybody liked him. Some people even hated him. Sadly, he was assassinated in Nashville, Tennessee in 1968. He is buried at the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered for his strong beliefs and for his work for equality and peace. He is honored in the United States every year. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated as a holiday in January. Source: Adapted from ABCteach.com http://www.abcteach.com/free/r/rc_bio_martinlutherking.pdf

Questions – Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Primary) Name: _________________________________________________________

1. What did Dr. King study to be when he was in college?

2. What did Dr. King believe? What did he work for?

3. What are civil rights?

4. What did Dr. King often speak about in his speeches?

5. What was Dr. King’s most famous speech?

6. What is Dr. King remembered for?

Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Intermediate Reading)

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Georgia in 1929. He was a good student, and went to college to become a minister. He went on to become a great American civil rights leader.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the main leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States during the 1950s and 1960’s. “Civil rights” are rights that belong to all of the citizens of the country. The Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s focused mainly on equal rights for African Americans. However, Dr. King worked to make things equal for all people regardless of their race or color of their skin.

Dr. King was a minister. He made many speeches and he gave sermons in his church about what was and was not fair. His speeches helped many people to understand these issues. He was a great speaker and his speeches are still famous today. His most famous speech was the “I Have a Dream” speech he gave in Washington, D.C. in 1963.

Dr. King believed that it was important to fight for what was right without using violence. The nonviolent protests that Dr. King organized, including marches and sit-ins, persuaded many Americans that the Civil Rights Movement was right.

Although Dr. King was a powerful leader and had many followers, not everybody liked him. Some people even hated him for working to bring fair and equal treatment for African Americans and others. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968. He is buried at the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered for his famous speeches, for his strong principles, and for his tireless work for equality and peace. He is honored in the United States every year in January. A national holiday, called Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, is celebrated on the third Monday in January.

Source: Adapted from ABCteach.com, http://www.abcteach.com/free/r/rc_bio_martinlutherking.pdf

Questions – Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Intermediate)

Name: ______________________________________________________________

1. What movement did Dr. King become a leader of during the 1950s and 1960’s?

2. What are civil rights? What did the Civil Rights Movement focus on?

3. What was Dr. King’s most famous speech? What issues did his speeches and

sermons address?

4. What types of non-violent protests did Dr. King organize for the Civil Rights Movement?

5. Why was Dr. King hated by some people? When was Dr. King assassinated?

6. What is Dr. King remembered for?

GRADE LEVEL: Social Studies – Elementary – Primary and Intermediate TITLE: Dr. King’s Values OBJECTIVES: Objectives from the Florida Standards are noted with FS.

1. The students will cite examples of the core character values held and demonstrated by Dr. King.

2. The students will describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. (FS)

SUGGESTED TIME: 60 minutes DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES:

1. Explain that in today’s lesson, students will be discussing the values (beliefs, ideals, or principles) that Dr. King’s supported during his lifetime of work, including fairness and equality. To illustrate the importance of fairness and equality, read and discuss the following scenario:

“John belongs to the science club with his best friends Jose, Kevin, and Maria. Paul is the president of the club. John, Jose, Kevin, and Maria worked together to plant a beautiful garden near the school’s library. The principal and teachers wanted to thank the club members that helped with the garden. Paul told the principal that John did not help with the garden. Paul did this because he was mad at John. John was not thanked by the principal for helping to plant the garden. John’s feelings were hurt.”

Ask: a. What is fairness and equality? (Treating all people with honesty and respect;

treating people the same - equally.) b. Was John treated fairly by Paul? Why or why not? c. What would you do to make the situation fair and equal? d. What would you say to Paul?

2. Apply the importance of fairness and equality to the work of Dr. King by re-reading and

reviewing the biography of Dr. King from the previous lesson. Cite examples in the reading where Dr. King worked for fairness and equality.

3. To further illustrate the values held and demonstrated by Dr. King, read aloud, if

available, Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Lesson Plan

TEACHER’S NOTE: A video presentation (advertising included) of the entire book may be found on Teacher Tube at http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=martin%27s+big+words+video&view=detail&mid=747FB941A0AC57D3D523747FB941A0AC57D3D523&FORM=VIRE&adlt=strict

4. As a follow up activity, list and discuss other important values demonstrated by Dr.

King (e.g., respect, responsibility, honesty, integrity, responsibility, pursuit of excellence).

TEACHER’S NOTE: Miami-Dade County Public Schools adopted nine core character education values in 1994-1995. The nine values and definitions are provided for your information and reference for this lesson.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY: Discussion MATERIALS/AIDS NEEDED: “Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” (provided in previous lesson); Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport (if available) or the video presentation of the book found on Teacher Tube at http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=martin%27s+big+words+video&view=detail&mid=747FB941A0AC57D3D523747FB941A0AC57D3D523&FORM=VIRE&adlt=strict; “M-DCPS Nine Core Character Education Values” (provided). EXTENSION ACTIVITY: To illustrate the values demonstrated by Dr. King, have students collect pictures illustrating several of his core values (beliefs). Consider adding courage to the list of values. SOURCES: http://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/beverlywoodsES/Documents/Janjustice.pdf

Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Nine Core Character Values Citizenship: Helping to create a society based upon democratic values; e.g., rule of law, equality of opportunity, due process, reasoned argument, representative government, checks and balances, rights and responsibilities, and democratic decision-making.

Examples: Obeying classroom and school rules. Forming a representative government in school; i.e., student government.

Cooperation: Working together toward goals as basis as human survival in an increasingly interdependent world.

Examples: Practicing cooperative learning activities in the classroom. Being a member of the team on the athletic field.

Fairness: Treating people impartially, not playing favorites, being open-minded, and maintaining an objective attitude toward those whose actions and ideas are different from our own.

Examples: Taking turns in a game/activity. Treating people the same, no matter what their ethnicity, race, religion, gender, or physical condition may be.

Honesty: Dealing truthfully with people, being sincere, not deceiving them nor stealing from them, not cheating nor lying.

Examples: Doing one's own work when taking a test or working on an individual assignment. Telling the truth although it may place a person in a negative circumstance.

Integrity: Standing up for your beliefs about what is right and what is wrong and resisting social pressure to do wrong.

Examples: Expressing one's conviction in a group of peers although it may not be popular with the majority. Not joining fellow students who are abusing drugs when "everyone" is doing it.

Kindness: Being sympathetic, helpful, compassionate, benevolent, agreeable, and gentle toward people and other living things.

Examples: Particpating in a class project to help lost or stray pets. Helping a fellow student who has been injured.

Pursuit of Excellence: Doing your best with the talents you have, striving toward a goal, and not giving up.

Examples: Putting forth one’s best effort when taking an exam or doing homework. Trying one's hardest when participating sports.

Respect: Showing regard for the worth and dignity of someone or something, being courteous and polite, and judging all people on their merits. It takes three major forms: respect for oneself, respect for other people, and respect for all forms of life and the environment.

Examples: Practicing acceptable manners in the school cafeteria. Not damaging or defacing property (graffiti) belongs to someone else.

Responsibility: Thinking before you act and being accountable for your actions, paying attention to others, and responding to their needs. Responsibility emphasizes our positive obligations to care for each other.

Examples: Fulfilling one’s part of an assignment in a group project. Performing a community service project.

Source: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, adopted 1994-1995

GRADE LEVEL: Social Studies – Elementary – Primary and Intermediate TITLE: Journal Writing - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me OBJECTIVES: Objectives from the Florida Standards are noted with FS.

1. The students will compare and contrast their lives to the early life of Martin Luther King, Jr., through their journals (using pictures and words as developmentally appropriate).

2. The students will produce writing in which the development and organization are

appropriate to task and purpose. (FS) SUGGESTED TIME: 4 or 5 periods of approximately 20 minutes each DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES:

1. Explain that this activity will help students compare their own lives with the early life of Martin Luther King, Jr. To begin, review the information already gathered on the life of Dr. King from previous lessons, including “The Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” and the book, Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport. If available, also consider reading My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers by Christine King, Dr. King’s sister. (A video presentation of the book is found on Teacher’s Tube at http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=My+brother+martin+video&view=detail&mid=76606447E5BE19DCEB5176606447E5BE19DCEB51&FORM=VIRE&adlt=strict)

2. Distribute the “Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me Journal” assignment and help students

begin their journals by completing the first entry together (i.e., Who We Are).

TEACHER’S NOTE: Younger students may use photos or pictures and words to complete the journal. Students may also be given the opportunity to complete the journal assignments with their family at home.

3. Each day, introduce and discuss the next journal entry. Provide students with time to work on their journals.

4. As closure, let students share and discuss their final journal entry, “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Dream.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Lesson Plan

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY: Completion of the journal assignment. MATERIALS/AIDS NEEDED: “The Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” (provided in previous lesson); Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport (video link provided in previous lesson); My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers by Christine Kin (video link at Teacher’s Tube at http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=My+brother+martin+video&view=detail&mid=76606447E5BE19DCEB5176606447E5BE19DCEB51&FORM=VIRE&adlt=strict ); and, the “Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me Journal” assignment (provided). EXTENSION ACTIVITY: Assemble a class book on Dr. King. The last two journal entries are perfect for this class publishing activity. SOURCES: Adapted from NCTE/IRA, http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson257/mlk_journal.pdf

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me Journal

By: _________________________________________________________________ Who We Are Name: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born: January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia Parents: Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King Sister: Christine King Brother: Alfred Daniel King

********************************************* My Name: _______________________________________________________ Born: ___________________________________________________________ Parents: _________________________________________________________ Sisters: __________________________________________________________ Brothers: ________________________________________________________

Our Families Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents were the Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. He had one sister named Christine and one brother named Alfred Daniel. His father was a minister and his mother was a musician.

****************************************

Here is my family. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Books and Stories Martin Luther King, Jr. loved to have his Aunt Ida and his grandmother read books to him about adventures and "wonderful places in the world" and to tell him stories about when they were children.

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I like books and stories, too! These are my favorites: ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

What We're Good At Doing Martin Luther King, Jr. loved singing, music, reading, learning new things, and sharing his ideas with others. He was good at those things.

***************************************** I'm good at: ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Hurt Feeling and Sadness Martin Luther King, Jr. and his brother Alfred Daniel were hurt when their white friends couldn't play with them anymore. At that time in the United States, there were places where black children and white children couldn't go to school together and were not even allowed to play together or be close friends. That made Martin very sad.

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I was sad when: ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Birthdays Martin Luther King, Jr. has been honored as a great American hero. He believed all people should be treated fairly and with respect. He worked to change laws that were unfair. He won the Nobel Peace Prize. His birthday is now a national holiday and people all over the United States celebrate his birthday to honor him.

**************************************** Here is how I like to celebrate my birthday. ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Dream Dr. King spent his life preaching, giving speeches, leading marches, and helping change laws so that all people would be treated fairly and with respect. He was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Civil rights are the rights all citizens should have. Dr. King’s most famous speech was his “I Have a Dream Speech.” He made the speech in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963. In his speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said he had "a dream that one day...little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and little white girls as sisters and brothers."

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What do you think Dr. King meant with these words? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ How can you help Dr. King's dream come true? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Source: Adapted from NCTE/IRA, http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson257/mlk_journal.pdf

GRADE LEVEL: Social Studies – Elementary – Primary and Intermediate TITLE: Live the Dream – 100 Acts of Kindness OBJECTIVES:

1. The students will identify ways that they can make a difference with their choices and actions.

2. The students will participate in Dr. King's dream by caring for, helping, and supporting

others. SUGGESTED TIME: Ongoing DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES:

1. Use the January and February school calendars to count the days between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and Valentine’s Day. This will determine the number of days for this on-going project.

2. Explain to students that in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King’s work and the annual Day of Service in his honor, you are challenging the class to complete 100 acts of kindness before Valentine’s Day.

3. Ask students to brainstorm things that they think they can do. Record their responses on the board. Encourage students to think of ways they can help others such as recycling, collecting food for a local food pantry, gathering toys for the homeless shelter, helping their parents or grandparents at home, helping younger brothers and sisters at home, helping one another at school, and so forth.

4. Explain that students will complete and turn in a card called “I Caught You Being Kind” to report the kind acts they observe being done by classmates. Explain that students cannot report their own acts of kindness. Pass out copies of the “I Caught You Being Kind” card and explain how it is to be completed. Provide each student with multiple copies of the card and be sure to have an ample supply of extras in the classroom.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Lesson Plan

TEACHER’S NOTE: You may wish to involve parents and family members in the project. Compose a letter to send home to families explaining the project and how families can participate. A sample letter is provided.

5. Display all of the “I Caught You Being Kind Cards” in the classroom. Also develop a chart to record the acts of kindness completed by each student.

6. As a culminating activity, consider planning an age-appropriate school-site service activity as a class.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY: Student participation in the project. MATERIALS/AIDS NEEDED: “I Caught You Being Kind Cards” (provided); Letter to parents (sample provided) SOURCES: Adapted from NCTE/IRA http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/living-dream-acts-kindness-259.html?tab=4#tabs

I Caught You Being Kind

Your name __________________________________________________ Classmate who was being kind? _______________________________ When? ___________________________________________________ What kindness did you see? __________________________________ __________________________________________________________

I Caught You Being Kind

Your name _______________________________________________ Classmate who was being kind? _______________________________ When? ___________________________________________________ What kindness did you see? ___________________________________

SAMPLE LETTER TO PARENTS Date Dear Parents and Family Members, We recently studied about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and learned that Dr. King had a dream where everyone would be kind, helpful, and respectful of others. We have begun a special project to celebrate his birthday, which was January 15th. From Dr. King’s birthday until Valentine’s Day, we are going to see if our class can complete 100 acts of kindness. Our rule is that you cannot report your own act of kindness; someone else has to report something nice that you did for them. At school, children are going to be watching one another to look for those acts of kindness. We want to invite parents, grandparents, friends, and neighbors to participate, too. For example, if your child helps you with the laundry, carries out the trash without even being asked, or does an especially nice thing for you, please tell us about it. If you as a family recycle, do service projects in our community, or help at the food pantry, write and share that too. We are looking for those kind things that warm your heart. Share these acts of kindness with us! Attached is a form to return to school with your child. You can report the act of kindness on the form. We are ready to start now, so help us watch for those special acts of kindness. Thanks for your help and participation. Together we can make Dr. King’s dream come true! Sincerely, Teacher’s Name

GRADE LEVEL: Social Studies – Elementary – Primary TITLE: I Have a Dream OBJECTIVES:

1. The students will recognize Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech as an important moment in history.

2. The students will and identify a personal dream (goal, hope, or wish) in keeping with Dr. King’s work and legacy.

SUGGESTED TIME: 1 hour DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES:

1. Explain to students that they are going to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous “I Have a Dream Speech” and his dream for the future. Students will also think about their own dreams for the future.

2. Review the information previously covered regarding Dr. King’s work in the Civil Rights Movement. (See the previous lessons.) Play a portion of a recorded version of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech so students can get a sense of Dr. King's delivery and of the excitement the speech generated.

TEACHER’S NOTE: Recordings of Dr. King’s speeches may be found on-line at:

a. The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford

University, http://freedomsring.stanford.edu/?view=Speech b. National Archives, https://archive.org/details/MLKDream c. Bing,

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=recordings+i+have+a+dream+speech&FORM=VIRE1&adlt=strict#view=detail&mid=814E68639CEBA95C0B93814E68639CEBA95C0B93

A copy of the full-text of the speech is also found in the Background section of this instructional resource guide.

3. Discuss with students Dr. King's dream for the country as outlined in his speech.

Using the “I Have a Dream” activity sheet (provided), write out a few examples of the dreams that Dr. King expressed in his speech. Post these for students to see.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Lesson Plan

4. Ask students to think about their own dreams for the future. Note that dreams can also be a hope, wish, or goal someone is trying to reach.

To guide the discussion away from “material” dreams, such as buying a new bike, ask the following:

• What would you change in your neighborhood in order to make it a better place to live?

• What are some things, you would like to do for others? • Is there anything you would like to learn to do in the future?

5. Explain that each student will create their own “I Have a Dream” activity sheet. Pass

out the activity sheet and have students write out their dream.

6. Consider posting the dream activity responses around the classroom. A classroom banner may be created using craft paper.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY: Completion of the “I Have a Dream” assignment. MATERIALS/AIDS NEEDED: Recording of the “I Have a Dream Speech”; copies of the “I Have Dream” assignment (provided). SOURCE: Adapted from a lesson and activity sheet developed by Scholastic.

I Have a Dream Name: ____________________________

I have a dream. My dream is: _________________________ __________________________

I can help my dream come true by:

__________________________ __________________________

GRADE LEVEL: Social Studies – Elementary – Intermediate TITLE: I Have a Dream, Too OBJECTIVES: Objectives from the Florida Standards are noted with FS.

1. The students will write their own “I Have a Dream” speech, modeled after Dr. King’s original speech.

2. The students will describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly. (FS)

3. The students will produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and

organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (FS) SUGGESTED TIME: 1-2 hours DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES:

1. Explain to students that they are going to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous “I Have a Dream Speech” and his dream for the future. Students will also think about their own dreams for the future and write a speech about them like Dr. King did.

2. Review the information previously covered regarding Dr. King’s work in the Civil Rights Movement. (See the previous lessons.) Play a recorded version of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech so students can get a sense of Dr. King's delivery and of the excitement the speech generated.

TEACHER’S NOTE: Recordings of Dr. King’s speeches may be found on-line at:

a. The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford

University, http://freedomsring.stanford.edu/?view=Speech b. National Archives, https://archive.org/details/MLKDream c. Bing,

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=recordings+i+have+a+dream+speech&FORM=VIRE1&adlt=strict#view=detail&mid=814E68639CEBA95C0B93814E68639CEBA95C0B93

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Lesson Plan

A copy of the full-text of the speech is also found in the Background section of this instructional resource guide.

3. Discuss with students Dr. King's dream for the country as outlined in the speech, and

ask why people might consider the speech great. Ask students to think about their own dreams for the future.

4. Prior to having students complete the "I Have a Dream, Too!" assignment, complete a

sample speech together so that students can see how the assignment is structured.

5. Have students complete the "I Have a Dream, Too!" assignment (provided).

6. Consider sharing the assignments orally or posting them in the classroom. ASSESSMENT STRATEGY: Completion of the “I Have a Dream, Too” assignment MATERIALS/AIDS NEEDED: Recording of the “I Have a Dream Speech”; copies of the “I Have Dream, Too” assignment (provided). SOURCE: Adapted from Education World, http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/02/lp248- 04.shtml

“I Have a Dream, Too!

Name: ___________________________________ Date: __________

Directions: Create your own "I Have a Dream, Too!" speech by filling in the blanks. Write on the back if you need additional space for your answers.

I have a dream that one day this nation will_____________________________

I have a dream that one day ________________________________________

I have a dream that one day ________________________________________

I have a dream that _______________________________________________

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day ________________________________________

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day ________________________________________

This is my hope and faith. With this faith we will be able to ________________

________________________________________________________________

This will be a day when ____________________________________________

Additional Activities to Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

The following are additional ideas for teaching about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The ideas should be adapted to meet the age and abilities of students. Poetry (All grades) Invite students to write poems about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Read Aloud and Timeline (Elementary) Read aloud one of many Martin Luther King, Jr. biographies to motivate interest in creating a timeline of his life. Your school and local libraries are sure to have several to choose from. Select a handful of the most important events from the book to start your timeline. Let students fill in other events as they use other books and online resources to learn more. Teachers at the lower grades might focus on books that emphasize a "getting along" theme, such as The Land of Many Colors by the Klamath County YMCA (Scholastic, 1993), Together by George Ella Lyon (Orchard Paperbacks), and The Berenstain Bears and the New Neighbor (about the bears' fears when a panda family moves in next door). Multiculturalism (Elementary) A simple class or school project can demonstrate the beauty of diversity. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream was to see people of all countries, races, and religions living together in harmony. Gather seeds of different kinds and invite each student to plant a variety of seeds in an egg carton. The seeds of different shapes, sizes, and colors will sprout side by side. Once the plants are large enough, transplant them into a large pot in the classroom or in a small garden outside. Each class in the school might do the project on its own, culminating in the creation of a beautiful and colorful (and diverse!) school-wide garden. (Source: Richard Ellenburg, Orlando, Florida -- Learning Magazine, January 1994.) Geography (Upper elementary and secondary) On a U.S. map, highlight places of importance in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Place a pushpin at each location and extend a strand of yarn from the pin to a card at the edge of the map. On the card explain the importance of that place. More Geography (Upper elementary and secondary) On March 21, 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama to focus attention on black voter registration in Selma. More than 3,000 people began the march. By the time the marchers arrived at the state capitol in Montgomery, their ranks had swelled to 25,000! Five months later, President Lyndon Johnson would sign into law the Voting Rights Bill. The march started at Brown’s Chapel in Selma, crossed the Edmund Petras Bridge, and headed down route 80 to Montgomery. On a map, invite students

to find the route the march traveled and to figure out approximately how many miles many of the marchers walked. History/Role Playing. (Upper elementary and secondary) Make a list of events that are included on your Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. timeline (e.g., Rosa Parks' bus ride, integrating Little Rock's schools, a lunch counter protest, the "I Have a Dream" speech). Let students work in groups to write short plays in which each group acts out one of the events. Writing (Upper elementary and secondary) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, "I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most famous and often quoted speeches of all time. Read the speech aloud. Invite students to listen to the speech. Write on a chart some of the "dreams" that Dr. Martin Luther King expressed in it. Ask students to think about the things they dream for themselves, their families, their country, and the world, and to express those dreams in their own "I Have a Dream…" essays. (See the “I Have a Dream, Too!” lesson in this instructional resource guide.) Discussion (Upper elementary and secondary) After learning about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., invite students (first individually, then in pairs, then in small groups) to think about and to respond to the question: “Why do you think so many people look upon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a "true American hero"? Then pull the entire class back together and let each group share one idea that came out of its discussion. OPTION: Provide a different question for each team. Invite them to research and prepare a report that answers the question. Possible questions: Who was Mohandas Gandhi? How did he influence Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? or Dr. King led the fight against laws that were unfair to black people. What were some of the laws and situations that Dr. King wanted to change?

Internet Resources

Internet Resources to Support Instruction on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day The following are a few of the many comprehensive websites on the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Additional web sites are also listed as sources on the individual lesson plans included in this instructional resource guide. http://www.thekingcenter.org - The website of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center, provides historical information, a schedule of national events including web cast events, and a means for individuals and groups to volunteer for a community service project. http://www.nps.gov/malu/index.htm - The birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is part of the National Park Service. The website contains information about his birth home, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, and an outline of educational programs which are directed by the Park Service at these sites. http://www.nps.gov/mlkm/index.htm - This National Park Service site provides information on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. http://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/days-service/martin-luther-king-jr-day-service The Corporation for National and Community Service provides resources and tips for creating and enhancing service projects which honor Dr. King’s legacy of tolerance, peace and equality by meeting community needs and making the holiday “a day ON, not a day OFF.” http://www.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mlk - The Seattle Times site includes information about Dr. King, his influence and perspectives on his work from various facets of the community. Also included are lesson plans. http://www.stanford.edu/group/king/ The website of the Stanford University, Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project, initiated by the Atlanta-based King Center, is one of only a few large scale research ventures focusing on an African American. The Project provides documentary information about Dr. King’s ideas and achievements. In addition, the Project includes the Liberation Curriculum initiative which provides high school teachers with educational materials that engage students in active learning and critical inquiry. The Center also provides students with an opportunity to become involved through a King Fellowship Program. http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson248.shtml This teacher-friendly site includes more than 20 lesson plans on Dr. King for grades preK-12.

Elementary Character Education Activities to Support the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Holiday and Day of Service

Elementary Character Education Activities to Support Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and Day of Service

Core Value: Pursuit of Excellence Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is committed to helping all students develop the values and strength of character needed for them to become caring, responsible citizens at home, school, and in the community. To support this goal, character education has been an instructional requirement, grades K-12, since 1995. The foundation of the District’s character education requirement is the nine core values adopted by The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida in 1995. The District’s nine core values are: citizenship, cooperation, fairness, honesty, integrity, kindness, pursuit of excellence, respect, and responsibility. Each month a different core value has been designated for emphasis in all classrooms throughout the District. In January, students need to recognize the importance of the pursuit of excellence. The pursuit of excellence includes challenging yourself to do the best with the talents you have. Students should be challenged to strive toward a goal and never give up. Highlighting this value is a great way to kick off the new calendar year and to encourage commitment to resolutions and goals for 2017. In addition to the enclosed lessons for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and Day of Service, teachers may further emphasize the pursuit of excellence through the following lesson ideas. Pursuit of Excellence:

• Begin the discussion by asking students to work with you to define the value of the month – the “pursuit of excellence.” Work with the students to define the word “pursue” and “excellence.” (Pursue – to follow something so as to make it happen; e.g, “He pursued his dream to play soccer.” Excellence – someone or something that is outstanding; e.g., “She has been recognized for her excellence in math and science.”) For students still having trouble with the definitions, relate the pursuit of excellence to the idea of determination and commitment to a goal.

• To illustrate the “pursuit of excellence” and the importance of determination, ask

students to make a list of the three things in school that are easy for them and three things that seem difficult. Ask each student to write out a plan on what they can do to overcome the difficulties.

• Have students write about an event in their life in where they succeeded at something which was very challenging. Discuss: How did your efforts illustrate the “pursuit of excellence”?

• Brainstorm ways in which students can become more organized and disciplined in

school. Discuss the problems students’ face, such as putting things off and not completing assignments. Make a list of the skills and attitudes needed for students to take more responsibility for their own learning, and to reach their goals.

• Ask students to select someone in the community who has exemplified the “pursuit of

excellence” in their personal and professional life. Invite this person to speak to your class about his/her own background, any obstacles overcome, and the factors that led to his/her success.

• As a group project, have students research Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life. Ask

students to list the general principles they can gather from his personal values and work habits that can be applied to the students’ school work. As a class, make a list of these principles, and display them in the classroom. As a follow-up assignment, research other individuals who have pursued excellence despite difficulties and setbacks such as Thomas Edison.

• Fill a glass halfway with colored water. Ask the students to say whether it's half-empty

or half-full. Quickly, they'll conclude it could be either one. Explain that how you see things, your point of view, is called your "perspective." Your perspective on this glass can be compared to your perspective on almost anything. Another word similar to perspective is "attitude." The glass can be either half-empty (negative attitude) or half-full (positive attitude). Ask for examples of how our perspective and attitude can influence the way we see many things in our lives and how we pursue excellence.

• Have students write a short story about someone who tried to do something difficult

and stuck with it until he or she succeeded. Include some ideas about why the person's attitude toward the problem was important in overcoming it.

Source: Adapted from goodcharacter.com Other On-going Activities to Promote Character Education

• Invite all students and teachers to an assembly/pep-rally in the school cafeteria, auditorium, or P.E. courts to kick-off character education school-wide. Ask a spirited teacher, parent, principal or guest speaker to motivate students and address character education goals and core values for the coming school year.

• Create a character education steering group made up of administrators, teachers,

parents and students that meets regularly to plan activities and events celebrating each monthly value.

• Start a character education book club. Ask the media specialist, language arts or

social studies teacher for book recommendations related to the core value of the month. Students should read books related to a particular topic, subject, or author; e.g., books written by a person striving toward a goal. Students may share, discuss and/or report their findings back to the class. Keep a class or personal log of the books read.

• Make character education a regular part of the school day and curriculum. Incorporate

student homework related to each designated monthly value. A school newsletter may incorporate information on character education and offer daily suggestions for how to demonstrate each month’s value. Morning announcements may also provide an opportunity to support each month’s designated value.

Anti-Discrimination Policy Federal and State Laws

The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida adheres to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment and educational programs/activities and strives affirmatively to provide equal opportunity for all as required by:

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended - prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, or national origin.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 - prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) as amended - prohibits discrimination on the basis of age with respect to individuals who are at least 40.

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 as amended - prohibits gender discrimination in payment of wages to women and men performing substantially equal work in the same establishment.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - prohibits discrimination against the disabled.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) - prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, public service, public accommodations and telecommunications.

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) - requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to "eligible" employees for certain family and medical reasons.

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 - prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

Florida Educational Equity Act (FEEA) - prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, gender, national origin, marital status, or handicap against a student or employee.

Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 - secures for all individuals within the state freedom from discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status.

Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) - Prohibits discrimination against employees or applicants because of genetic information.

Veterans are provided re-employment rights in accordance with P.L. 93-508 (Federal Law) and Section 295.07 (Florida Statutes), which stipulate categorical preferences for employment. In Addition: School Board Policies 1362, 3362, 4362, and 5517 - Prohibit harassment and/or discrimination against students, employees, or applicants on the basis of sex, race, color, ethnic or national origin, religion, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, social and family background, linguistic preference, pregnancy, and any other legally prohibited basis. Retaliation for engaging in a protected activity is also prohibited. Rev. (05-12)