With Martin Luther King Jr. Day fast approaching, I decided to offer a couple of ideas for a unit study for students. Since we like to keep it fairly simple around these parts as I am homeschooling a set of three-year olds and a five-year old, the activities will be super easy to build on.
Here we go:
Lessons In Segregation:
1. If you have several boxes of crayons, separate them all by color –
Black with black, red with red, orange with orange and so on. Explain to the children that none of the crayons are able to play with any of the other crayons. Ask them if they think that it is fair.
If you are able to purchase brown eggs and white eggs ahead of the game, you can participate this way as well.
Have the children explain the characteristics of the eggs. Color, shape, etc. Ask them if they think that the eggs have the same thing inside? Let them know that back in the days that Martin Luther King lived, brown eggs wouldn’t have been able to go places that white eggs could, and vice versa. Ask if they think that is fair.
Printables:
This is a great printable set from Differentiation Station Creations, and is currently free! Just click the photo to be taken to the site.
Video:
Brain Pop Jr. has a video that can be streamed for free on their site as well. I find it goes over well with the ladybug.
Literature:
As always, check out your local library for current child friendly favorites, and titles that you may have never thought to use:
Some of our favorites are:
I Have A Dream by Kadir Nelson – wonderful artwork as usual!
The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore
A Picture Book of Martin Luther King Jr. by David Adler
My Uncle Martin’s Words for America by Angela Farris Watkins Ph.D
Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport
So, how will you be celebrating the life of Dr. King? A day of service? Let me know in the comments below!
Mine kiddos are all quite little, so I’m not quite ready to introduce this topic yet, but you have some great ideas (love the eggs!) and the books look great! I’ll have to save this post for later. Thanks!
I don’t have any kids, so I don’t need these lessons, but I do think sometimes adults need reminding of this too. Like when I have to remind myself that it’s just as safe to smile and say “hi” when I pass our minority students on their way to class. I know it’s something that should come naturally to me, but growing up in rural America there were never a lot of people who didn’t look like me. It’s very sad really, because some of my favorite people are people of color. So, even thought I don’t have kids to share this with, I’m glad to see it. If/when I have kids I hope they don’t have to remind themselves that everyone is the same. I want them just to know.
Thanks so much for sharing my freebie! It is a forever freebie 🙂 Love your blog and ideas.
Laura
Differentiation Station Creations
I love the brown/white egg idea! What a great visual illustration for little ones! (And big ones, too!)