Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most important leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. Each year, on the third Monday in January, we remember his powerful words, actions, and the impact he left that keeps people fighting for civil rights today. You can use these Martin Luther King Day lesson plans and activity ideas to recognize the holiday in class with your students:

• Introduce students to Martin Luther King Jr. in social studies
• Explore civil rights books and speeches in ELA

[Introduce students to Martin Luther King Jr. in social studies](id-ss)

Help students learn more about Martin Luther King Jr.’s background, how he influenced some of today’s political leaders, and how the fight for civil rights continues in your social studies classes.

Learn about MLK Jr.’s life and legacy

Martin Luther King Jr. inspired others to change the world. Help your students understand why we honor him every January by exploring his background and accomplishments.

• Watch an interactive video about how Dr. King’s experiences pushed him to fight for justice and civil rights.
• Read singer and activist Harry Belafonte’s memories 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.

Teaching your youngest students about MLK Jr.? Try our Elementary History text set with much of the same great information designed for early learners!

See how Martin Luther King Jr. inspired modern politicians

As a Black leader, Martin Luther King Jr. made an impression on others who came after him. Students can explore how modern Black leaders influence society and how their legacies parallel his.

• Learn about this historic campaign and term of President Barack Obama, the first Black president in United States history. 
• Discover the life and careers of diplomats Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice and how they impacted institutions like the United States military and the State Department.
• Explore how Vice President Kamala Harris broke barriers with her historic election as the first woman, Black, and South Asian person to hold the position.

Teach students about the historic March on Washington

Dr. King gave his now-famous “I Have a Dream” speech to over 200,000 attendees at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The event captured the nation's attention and spurred a sense of urgency for the civil rights movement. Students can learn more about the significance of the event with resources like:

• An interactive video that explains what the March on Washington was.
• A copy of the 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.

[Explore civil rights books and speeches in ELA](id-ela)

Explore the fight for civil rights through fiction and informational texts in your ELA classes.

Discover the power of MLK Jr.’s speeches and letters

One of Martin Luther King Jr.’s most memorable moments was his “I Have a Dream” speech from the March on Washington in 1963. The words of this speech are still powerful and resonate with people today. Explore the impact words can have with the following lesson:

• Read the text of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech and use scaffolds like annotations or a writing prompt to explore its themes.
• Read and discuss Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” written three months before the March on Washington. Have students compare and contrast the themes of the two documents.
• As an extension activity, share a video of Dr. King giving his famous speech. Have students analyze how the text-only version and the verbal version differ in emotion and delivery.

Share videos about the civil rights movement

The civil rights movement started almost 10 years before the March on Washington and didn’t officially end until five years after. Help students learn more about important events during this period with videos on topics like:

• Interesting facts about Martin Luther King, Jr.
• How young people in Birmingham, Alabama, helped advance the civil rights movement with the Birmingham Children’s Crusade of 1963.
• Civil rights leader, LGBTQIA+ pioneer, and MLK Jr.’s trusted advisor, Bayard Rustin.

Look at history through a civil rights lens

Fights for civil rights touched many aspects of American culture throughout history. Students can explore some of these milestones by reading articles on topics like:

• How the Great Migration of African Americans moving north and west set the stage for the 1960s civil rights movement.
• How singing and music played a key role in the civil rights movement.
• Why the National Park Service chose to turn Mount Zion AME Zion Church—where Martin Luther King Jr. launched the civil rights movement—into a museum.

Explore MLK Jr.'s leadership qualities

Martin Luther King Jr. became one of the most influential leaders of his time. Leaders in all historical periods share similar qualities that help them influence other people and make changes in the world. Help students identify good leadership qualities using MLK Jr. as an example.

• Have students read an essay about Martin Luther King Jr.’s leadership qualities.
• Use Newsela or other in-class resources to have students research another important leader in our society and have them complete a Venn Diagram comparing this leader to Dr. King.
• Ask them to complete the writing prompt, “Which leadership qualities do you have, and what is an area you’d like to improve?”

Note: This lesson content is available with the Newsela Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) add-on.

Discover poetry inspired by civil rights leaders

The civil rights movement and its leaders inspired generations of Black artists to share their stories through writing, art, and music. Students can experience one of these mediums with a poetry lesson.

• Assign the poem “won’t you celebrate with me” by Lucille Clifton.
• Have students use the article and linked photographs to learn more about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and goals.
• Use the Connect-Extend-Challenge worksheet to have students connect Clifton’s experiences from the poem with what they learn about Dr. King.
  

Encourage students to explore the civil rights movement during independent reading

Students who are particularly interested in this era of history can explore more information during independent reading time with articles on topics like:

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

Read novels with 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

Keep the conversation going with more Newsela activities

Civil rights lessons aren’t just for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. You can help your students explore these topics year-round using Newsela’s subject products. 

Not a Newsela customer yet? Sign up for Newsela Lite to start your free 45-day trial of our premium products. You’ll have access to all the engaging, differentiated content you need to teach your students about the civil rights movement and beyond!