On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., who fought for civil rights in America.
To honor these essential aspects of Dr. King’s legacy, it’s always a good idea to have some activities ready where students can learn about his life or create projects that address racial inequality. Below you’ll find some ideas from Spirit Magnet for classroom activities on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Have Students Write an Analysis of “I Have a Dream” Speech, Based on their understanding of the Text
Students often quote the “I Have a Dream” speech when asked to write about how Martin Luther King Jr. has affected their lives. It is one of the most widely recognized speeches in American history.
As a teacher, you may want your students to write about their understanding of this historical speech. Or even have them read other speeches that King gave throughout his life as a way for the kids to gain an appreciation and admiration for one of America’s great civil rights leaders!
Write an Essay on Martin Luther King Jr.
A good activity for this day would be to have your students write an essay about how Martin Luther King Jr. has inspired their lives for the better! This will allow kids of all ages, races, and cultural backgrounds to engage with history and learn more about the life of one of America’s greatest leaders who fought tirelessly so that everyone would have the chance to be free!
Watch a Documentary
Another fun activity for kids is to watch a movie or documentary about Martin Luther King Jr. and his life as an African American leader who spoke out against segregation, oppression, and racism in America during the 1960s! Watching these movies can provide great insight into what it was like living at this time in history.
Create a Presentation
Another great activity that can be done for Martin Luther King Jr. Day is to have kids research some of the many quotes he has made throughout his life. They can then put together a fantastic PowerPoint presentation that will allow them to share what they learned with their classmates.
Have Students Share their Dream
Another great activity is getting kids into groups to work together to create their own “dream” for our country. They can give examples about what would make them happy if certain things were changed or improved upon in this country.
After they have had some time to work on this, have each group share their dream with the rest of the class and explain why they think it would be great for our country!
You can make this day even more special for your students by sharing custom accessories designed particularly for this day. You can get custom magnets, custom stickers, custom face masks, custom T-shirts, custom water bottles, and more. Each product can be customized to match the theme of your activities. At Spirit Magnet, we take pride in delivering high-quality, customized products across the USA. Check out our products today and discuss how to take your celebrations to the next level.
