Martin Luther King Jr.: Life and Legacy

Updated on February 2019

Inspire your students with lessons about the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This updated collection features lesson plans, class activities and blogs to help your preK-12 students explore his commitment to the labor movement and the fight for economic justice and dignity, as well as his lasting contributions to the civil rights movement.

In This Collection:

General Resources
Elementary School Resources
Middle and High School Resources
Related Collections

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General ResourcesBack to top

This resource includes 4 activities and an overview for students to increase their knowledge and appreciation of the legacy of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. Using primary and secondary...

As an English teacher, I love a good story. As a believer in a higher power, I hope to one day see how the...

Original resource! A handout containing several MLK speeches, including the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike, as well as a series of quotes about the labor movement. MLK_LP

Elementary School ResourcesBack to top

This lesson plan teaches students about Martin Luther King Jr, takes them through the writing process, and ends with the students giving a speech to the class. Uses comprehensive, fluency,...

I made this very simple power point for younger children about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. You could use this as a starting point for discussion or an assembly. Appropriate for Early...

This unit is about historical figures who stood up and fought for causes they believed in, (ex. abolition of slavery, women voting, welfare of migrant workers, etc.) Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor...

This is a third grade ELA Unit - Based of off Martin Luther King and the Dream by R. DuBose-Butler. This is a Introduction to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this unit consists of the first lesson...

This is a third grade ELA Unit - Based of off Martin Luther King and the Dream by R. DuBose-Butler. This is a Introduction to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this unit consists of the second lesson...

This is a third grade ELA Unit - Based of off Martin Luther King and the Dream by R. DuBose-Butler. This is a Introduction to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this unit consists of the third lesson...

This is a third grade ELA Unit - Based of Martin Luther King and the Dream by R. DuBose-Butler. This is a Introduction to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this unit consists of the fourth lesson of...

This is a third grade ELA Unit - Based of Martin Luther King and the Dream by R. DuBose-Butler. This is a Introduction to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this unit consists of the fifth lesson of...

This is a third grade ELA Unit - Based of Martin Luther King and the Dream by R. DuBose-Butler. This is a Introduction to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this unit consists of the sixth lesson of...

This is a third grade ELA Unit - Based of Martin Luther King and the Dream by R. DuBose-Butler. This is a Introduction to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this unit consists of the seventh lesson of...

This is a third grade ELA Unit - Based of Martin Luther King and the Dream by R. DuBose-Butler. This is a Introduction to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this unit consists of the eighth lesson of...

Middle and High School ResourcesBack to top

#2 Blog of 2018

Civil rights and social justice activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of unity is relevant more than ever today. Students watch this short 1-minute film, an excerpt from "Peace on Earth,"...

Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered for his achievements in civil rights and for the methods he used to get there — namely, nonviolence. More than just a catchphrase, more than just the “absence...

Standards aligned

Contains selected resources from The Meaning of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a educational e-book edited by Amy and Leon Kass. The e-book is part of series from What So Proudly We Hail which...

Every January, Not In Our Town honors Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy by sharing the real life stories of people who are applying Dr. King’s principles today. Though the political...

Nonviolence is introduced to students as a concept with a history that reverberates in the present. The power of nonviolence as a catalyst for change is a function of both its philosophical...

The focus of this lesson is to understand different approaches to the Civil Rights Movement---notably the contrasting styles between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The aim of this...

People Power is a multi-media resource that fosters student exploration of how engaged citizens change the world. All six sections are common-core connected and also available on...

A group task for individuals to identify their allocated image and then research that particular event within the movement. When research is complete the students re-group; feedback their findings...

The March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famed “I Have a Dream” speech were pivotal events in the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. Day presents an important...

Use in preparation for them giving their own speeches.You will need a copy of MLK speech and you can find the video on youtube. Aligned with Common Core Standard: W.6.1, W.7.1, W.8.1 MLK_LP

In March 1968, only a few months before his death, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech to the SCLC entitled "...

In this lesson, students are introduced to one of the most important parts of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution—the equal protection clause. When your students finish this lesson, they...

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This lesson can be adapted to further differentiate. Aligned to Common Core Standard: SL.6.3, SL.7.3, SL.8.3 MLK_LP

In March 1968, only a few months before his death, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech to the SCLC entitled "...

Martin Luther King

This lesson introduces students to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolence and the teachings of Gandhi that influenced King's views. After considering the political impact of this...

PPTX FORMATTED LESSON PLANS

Students engage with King’s text as a persuasive essay, continuing to build skills for close reading and rhetorical analysis as well as developing their ability...

#7 Member Lesson of 2018

Common Core

In March 1968, only a few months before his death, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech to the SCLC entitled "A...

This kit explores the ways in which King and his legacy have been portrayed in various media forms. The first lesson follows a chronology of King’s life through interactive decoding of rich media...

Use this resource from the Encyclopaedia Britannica to learn about Black History. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, April 4, 1968. MLK_LP

Related CollectionsBack to top

On August 28, 1963, approximately 250,000 people participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which is considered to be one of the largest peaceful political rallies for human...

This February, start your Black History Month lesson planning with Share My Lesson’s expanded collection. You’ll find lessons, worksheets and activities to teach your preK-12 students about key...

On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law. Originally proposed by President Kennedy in 1963, this landmark piece of legislation made discrimination based on...

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Martin Luther King Jr.: Life and Legacy

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