“I Have a Dream”: 10 Martin Luther King Day Lesson Plans

Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most influential leaders in U.S. history. Each year, on the third Monday in January, we remember his life and legacy. Teachers can create MLK Day lesson plans and classroom activities about justice, equality, and the civil rights movement to introduce Dr. King’s story to 3-12 students in ELA and social studies.

Today, we’re sharing resources to help you teach about MLK Jr. in your classes, like:

• Martin Luther King Jr. biography resources for students
• MLK Day social studies lesson ideas
• “I Have a Dream” speech activities
• Civil rights videos and articles
• ELA text sets, novels, and poetry connected to Dr. King
• Extension activities for students who want to learn more

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Jump to:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day social studies lesson plans
• ELA texts, speeches, and civil rights literature for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

[Martin Luther King Jr. Day social studies lesson plans](id-ss)

Key takeaways:

• Focus social studies lessons on Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, legacy, and lasting impact on civil rights.
• Paired texts and primary sources can help students understand how MLK Jr. inspired modern political leaders.
• Use events like the March on Washington to help students analyze historical significance.

What can students learn about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy?

Introduce students to Dr. King with age-appropriate biography resources and inquiry-based activities:

• Watch an interactive video about how Dr. King’s experiences shaped his fight for justice.
• Read singer Harry Belafonte’s first-person account of hearing the famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
• Learn how the family tradition of fighting for civil rights lives on through King’s granddaughter, Yolanda.

For students in grades K-2, use the elementary history text set for a more simplified MLK Jr. biography and age-appropriate resources.

What do students need to know about the historic March on Washington?

The 1963 March on Washington drew more than 200,000 people to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It marked a turning point in the civil rights movement and was the site of Dr. King’s now-famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Students can explore:

• An interactive video that explains what the March on Washington was and why it mattered.
• A copy of the original event program from August 28, 1963.
• A 2013 article about how people celebrated the 50th anniversary of the event with a rally on the National Mall.

How did Martin Luther King Jr. inspire modern politicians?

Dr. King’s legacy shaped the careers of many Black leaders in U.S. history. Students can:

• Learn about the historic campaign and presidency of President Barack Obama, the first Black president. 
• Explore the careers of Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, who broke barriers in national security and diplomacy.
• Examine how Vice President Kamala Harris made history as the first woman, Black, and South Asian person elected to the position.

[ELA texts, speeches, and civil rights literature for Martin Luther King Jr. Day](id-ela)

Key takeaways:

• Focus ELA lessons on Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches, letters, and messages about justice and equality.
• Compare texts like the “I Have a Dream” speech and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to analyze themes, tone, and historical impact.
• Use poems, videos, and civil rights literature to show students how words inspire change and shape history.

What do students have to say about MLK Jr.’s legacy?

Last year, we invited students to compete in a winter writing contest and craft opinion essays exploring what it would look like to live out Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in today’s world. Share the winning essays with your students and ask them to write their own opinion pieces on the topic:

• “Carrying the Torch” by Ellie Cutler
• “The Man with a Dream” by Meredith Roberts
• “Living out the Legacy of Dr. King” by Isabella Park
• “Dr. King’s Ideals and the Issue of Violence Against Indigenous Women” by Sofia Huerta

What impact did Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches and letters have on the civil rights movement?

Dr. King’s words inspired change and continue to resonate with people today. Your ELA lessons can help students understand the power of language in shaping history. Use the following activities:

• Read and annotate the “I Have a Dream” speech to explore its themes.
• Watch a video recording of the speech to explore tone, emotion, and delivery.
• Compare MLK Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” with the “I Have a Dream” speech to analyze the common themes and arguments.
  

How did the civil rights movement affect American society?

Fights for civil rights shaped many areas of American culture and history. Students can explore milestones like:

• The Great Migration, which set the stage for the 1960s civil rights movement.
• How singing and music played a key role in spreading messages and building community during the civil rights movement.
• Preservation of historic sites like Mount Zion AME Church, where Dr. King launched the civil rights movement.

Are there videos I can share with students about the civil rights movement?

The civil rights movement began almost a decade before the March on Washington and lasted into the late 1960s. Students can learn about key events in this period using engaging videos on topics like:

• Facts about Martin Luther King, Jr.
• The Birmingham Children’s Crusade of 1963 and the role of young civil rights leaders.
• Civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, Dr. King’s advisor and organizer.

Did civil rights leaders write poetry?

Civil rights leaders inspired generations of Black artists to share their experiences through writing, music, and art. Try this poetry activity to see their inspiration in action:

• Assign the poem “won’t you celebrate with me” by Lucille Clifton.
• Explore articles and photographs to learn more about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and goals.
• Use the Connect-Extend-Challenge worksheet to connect Clifton’s experiences with Dr. King’s work.

What student-friendly novels have civil rights themes?

Help students put themselves in the shoes of characters navigating civil rights issues with novel and book studies, like:

• “The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963” by Christopher Paul Curtis
• “The Lions of Little Rock” by Kristin Levine
• “Dear Martin” by Nic Stone
• “The Nickel Boys” by Colson Whitehead
• “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson
  

If my students want to learn more about the civil rights movement, how can I extend their learning?

Students who want to explore more about the civil rights movement beyond your lessons can read and research:

• Influential civil rights organizations like CORE and the NAACP
• The history of influential organizations from the civil rights movement, like CORE and the NAACP.
• Black women civil rights leaders who fought injustice rooted in both race and gender.
• How Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent principles inspired Dr. King.

Keep the conversation going with more Newsela activities

Focusing on Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy offers opportunities for meaningful learning. The lessons, paired texts, and activities we’ve shared help students explore civil rights and leadership in engaging, age-appropriate, and relevant ways.

With Newsela’s differentiated content, you can bring these topics to life in every classroom. From interactive articles and videos to paired text sets and ELA activities, Newsela’s subject products provide everything you need to help students connect historical issues to current events.

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