Monday, January 16, 2017

Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day {with Children}

Becca here with some ideas to help honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with your children.  Several of the resources we use are available online, so even if you don't have a plan for today yet, you can still easily add one of the audiobooks, videos, or activities into your schedule!

These are books we own and love.

Riding to Washington is a fictional story told from the perspective of a young girl riding the bus to hear Martin Luther King Jr. speak in Washington DC.  "As the bus travels across cities and farm fields to its historic destination, Janie discovers firsthand the injustices that many others are made to endure.  She begins to realize that she's not so different from the other riders and that, as young as she is, her actions can affect change."

First Facts about American Heroes is a factual synopsis of various lives that have impacted our history.  I like that it has highlights of their life in a bulleted list, a nice, full page photo (or drawing if photo wasn't available at the time), excerpts of their famous words, etc.  All on two facing pages.

Who Was Martin Luther King. Jr.? Is from one of our favorite series.  Although my kids' don't love the look of the cartoonish covers, and think they seem a bit disrespectful, we have read and/or listened to dozens of books in this series, and we all learn something new.

10 Days, Martin Luther King Jr., highlights what the author considers to be the ten most critical days of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life, from 1944, to 1983, when today became a national memorial day in his honor.  I would say it is a 3rd grade or so reading level.



Other resources we are using include:

Who Was Martin Luther King Jr.? Audiobook (we have previously listened to, and recommend)

An American Girl Story: Melody, 1963 (we have not watched yet, but I have heard several glowing recommendations). It is on Amazon, and free to everyone to stream today.

Reading Rainbow Martin Luther King Jr.  (Includes storytime, as well as information and photos from the time period)

Martin Luther King Jr. "My Own Two Hands" Blank Printable 

Lots of great and free Martin Luther King Jr. Printables on a Variety of Skill Levels (this is my favorite website for meaningful printables, that are more than just "busy work"

Kid President on Martin Luther King Jr.

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