We all have dreams. Whether or not we put forth the effort to turn those dreams into a reality is another story.
A long time ago, a very special man had a dream of his own. The actions he put forth to turn that dream into a reality many years ago is what makes this special man even more remarkable.
That man was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and because of his perseverance and peaceful disposition, his dream of African American civil rights became a reality. Because of this pivotal point in our American history, I try to make it a priority to teach and celebrate the life of Dr. King in our homeschool each year.
Today I’m going to share some of the ways we studied Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this year.
Books about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I recently found a copy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by National Geographic Kids at the Dollar Tree, so I scooped it up immediately.
This book had the perfect amount of information for my girls to digest and didn’t take too long for them to read. The images were colorful and included definitions and even a timeline of events.
If you’re looking for more great book suggestions, consider checking out the following books:
- The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. Board Book by Patricia A. Pingry
- My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. By: Martin Luther King Jr. III
- Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.? By: Bonnie Bader
Martin Luther King Jr. Express Lapbook
Since we can’t get enough of completing lapbooks in our homeschool, I discovered this great Martin Luther King Jr. Express Lapbook from A Journey Through Learning.
The girls worked on this lapbook as I read through the book above. The lapbook also included a bunch of clickable web resources and videos that aided in teaching the lesson.
Even Lil’ Sis worked on some of the extra activities while her big sisters assembled their own lapbooks.
Since this was an express lapbook the girls were able to complete it pretty quickly, which made for a fun day project.
I love how thorough the lessons in these lapbooks are and how the colorful booklets keep my girls engaged as they work. According to them, doing the lapbooks from A Journey Through Learning doesn’t feel like work.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Themed Crafts and Activities
Unfortunately, we were house sitting at my parents during an ice storm this day. I had originally planned on making some sort of craft in honor of MLK Jr’s birthday. Not being at home kind of put a damper on that plan.
I did find a few really fun activities and craft ideas to share with you today. Here are a few MLK-themed ideas I found on Pinterest:
- Make an MLK Podium (Lovin’ Little Learners)
- Watch Kid President tell the story of Martin Luther King Jr. (Kid President)
- Complete a Martin Luther King Jr. word search puzzle. (Puzzles to Print on Teachers Pay Teachers)
- Teach about diversity using eggs (Carrots are Orange)
Field Trip: Martin Luther King Jr. Visitor Center and Memorial
A couple years ago my family went on a Florida vacation. Since I’m a firm believer that you can turn anything you do into an educational experience, we obviously had to make a few extra stops along the way.
Our travels lead us through Atlanta, Georgia, where we were lucky enough to spend a few hours at some of the many Martin Luther King Jr. Historical sites.
This was such a memorable and emotional experience for my entire family. To this day, my girls still remember many of the things they learned about Dr. King and the civil rights movement that day.
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If you’re ever given the chance to visit these places yourself, I highly recommend it. It’s an incredible place to see, and I still get chills when I think back on how it felt to sit in those Ebenezer Baptist Church pews while listening to Dr. King’s sermon.
How do you study Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in your homeschool?
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I love when a vacation ties in so nicely with some unit we’re studying; either before or after the fact because it always makes such a great real life tie in for all that information!
Visiting from #HomeschoolingNook. Great ideas! I need to incorporate some of these into our studies. I keep saying “next year”. *sigh* One of these years I will get organized for these special days!
Great resources! Thank you!
Ah, I LOVE fieldschooling!