EGP 335/535

Southeast Unit Plan: Martin Luther King Jr.

Mara Kelly

1.0 Lesson Plan Details, Lesson Title, Day Number, Authors, Grade Level
Expected Time: 45 mins
4th grade
Day 7
Concepts:
o Government
o Individuals
o Groups
o Places
o People
o Change
Skills:
o Comparing and Contrasting
o Active listening
o Identifying
o Analyzing
Vocabulary: Civil Rights, Segregation
1.1 Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
Students will draw a picture what they think the definition of civil rights means.
Students will complete the scavenger hunt along with the worksheet provided.
Students will work in small groups to make a Civil Rights Hall of Fame.
1.2 Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography & NCSS Themes I- X with
subthemes
8.3.4.C- Explain how continuity and change in U.S. history have influenced
personal development and identity. (History)
8.3.4.D- Distinguish between conflict and cooperation among groups and
organization that impacted the history and development of the United States.
(History)
CC.1.4.4.C- Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations,
or other information and examples related to the topic; include illustrations and
multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. (Language Arts)
5.3.4.F- Explain how different perspectives can lead to conflict. (Civics)
NCSS Sub-Themes
Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity
NCSS.1.4.b ...help learners to identify, describe, and express appreciation for the
influences of various historical and contemporary cultures on an individuals daily life;

Standard 5: Individuals, Groups and Institutions

NCSS.1.5.b ...help learners analyze group and institutional influences on people, events,
and elements of culture in both historical and contemporary settings;
Standard 10: Civic Ideals and Practices
NCSS.1.10.c ...facilitate learner efforts to locate, access, analyze, organize, synthesize,
evaluate, and apply information about selected public issues identifying, describing, and
evaluating multiple points of view;
1.3 Anticipatory Set
Can anyone tell me what we learned about yesterday? Students should answer
about the civil war. Yesterday, we did learn about the civil war and today we will
be talking about the Civil Rights Movement. Can anyone tell me if they know
anything about the Civil Rights Movement?
Present to students a video on YouTube by Kid President, giving background
information on MLK Jr. I want you to pay close attention to this video about a
very important person during the Civil Rights Movement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xXZhXTFWnE
Now after watching the video, what do you think the civil rights movement means
to you afterwards. Teacher will ask the children to draw a picture on what they
think civil rights is.
The teacher will read a book to the students called, My Brother Martin by
Christine King Farris (Martins sister)
Do you think we have civil rights today? Do you think there are other countries in
the world that dont have civil rights?
1.4 Procedures
Students will be asked to keep their paper about their idea of what civil rights
means to them.
After reading the book, students will be instructed to go on the computer and look
up a website. Students, I am going to ask you to make your way to the laptops,
please gently pick up one of the laptops.
The students will be instructed to go to
https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/freemovies/martinlutherkingjr/
The students will be then given a scavenger hunt worksheet that correlates with
the website. The students will have to answer a series of questions by themselves.
The questions will be on the PowerPoint with links to the information. The student
will have to fill out the answers on the worksheets.
Now students, whoever is done will be put in a small group with other students
who are done as well.

 Students, we have been learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil
Rights Movement, now I want you to think of another Civil Rights Leader during
this time period. Remember, there were other races that were influencing the
rights of African Americans during this time period. The students will then be
required to think of a civil rights leader that was important during this time period
(excluding Martin Luther King Jr.) ex. Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Nelson
Mandela, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, etc.
The students will have the opportunity to do a short research about their specific
leader and draw an illustration of that person including facts. The students will be
directed to go to this website. http://www.biography.com/people/groups/activistscivil-rights-activists
The students will then do a short presentation, with each group presenting.
1.5 Differentiation
Above Level: Students must come up with three unique facts about Martin Luther
King, (using the Scavenger Hunt website) that wasnt asked on the handout.
Below Level: Student will be guided during the scavenger hunt. Students will be able
to draw their answers for the scavenger hunt.
1.6 Closure: Once the students are finished, the teacher will take a picture of the finished
presentations as an assessment and reference. As a closure activity, students will write or
draw what they now think civil rights means after talking about it in class. Boys and
girls, I enjoyed learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. I
hope this gives you a better understanding of the Southeast and the history behind it!
Tomorrow, we will be talking about the ports of Southeast.
1.7 Formative/Summative Assessment of Students
Summative: The teacher will collect the scavenger hunt worksheets along with the
presentations that the students made in class to observe if the students learned more
about the Civil Rights, Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists.
(Learning outcome 2 and 3)
Formative: Ask students to redraw their picture of civil rights. Was it the same? Or
was it different after reading about Dr. King? (Learning outcome 1)
1.8 Materials/Equipment
Computers
Scavenger Hunt Worksheet
SmartBoard
Pencils
Paper
Crayons
My Brother Martin Book
Poster Board

Websites for Students:

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/activists-civil-rights-activists
https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/freemovies/martinlutherkingjr/
Websites for Teacher:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/history/martin-luther-king-jr/
http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-martin-luther-king-jr
http://nhdexample1.weebly.com/early-life.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xXZhXTFWnE
http://projects.seattletimes.com/mlk/bio.html#life
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/civil-rights
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement
Chart
Website

M.IMinor
Influence
or S.ISignificant
Influence
http://dictionary M.I
.reference.com/b
rowse/civilrights
http://dictionary
.reference.com/b
rowse/segregatio
n
(civil rights
definition and
segregation
definition)
S.I
https://www.you

If S.I include
why credible

How easy is it for

teachers to access?

How easy is it for

students to access?

Very easy

Kid president
is well known

Very easy to find

and use

Awesome resource,
students can access it

tube.com/watch
?
v=4xXZhXTFW
nE
(Anticipatory
Set)
http://kids.natio S.I.
nalgeographic.c
om/explore/histo
ry/martinluther-king-jr/
Background
information
about MLK and
life
http://nhdexam
ple1.weebly.com
/early-life.html
(Helped with
little details of
MLK childhood)
https://www.bra
inpop.com/socia
lstudies/freemov
ies/martinluther
kingjr/
(Used for
scavenger hunt)

blogger on
YouTube.
Gives great
information on
different social
studies topics.
It is from the
National
Geographic
website, which
is a very
known history
website

M.I

S.I

Brain Pop is
used in lots of
schools,
credible
because it is a
great
educational
website

http://www.histo M.I
ry.com/news/10things-you-maynot-knowabout-martinluther-king-jr
http://www.histo S.I.
ry.com/topics/bl
ackhistory/civilrightsmovement

Although it
is .com, it is
from a reliable
print source
which is called
History

right from Youtube

Easy to find and use

Very easy for students to

access, and for them to
use!

Easy to find and use

Could be helpful, but it

is just a Weebly. So it
can be seen as not
credible.

Easy to find and

navigate, excellent
information!

Can be a little
confusing, but once they
start navigating its easy.

Had very unique

facts about Martin
Luther King Jr. Very
straightforward

Great resource for

students as well. Has
video on his most
famous speech and fast
facts about MLK that no
one knows about.

Very detailed but

gave lots of
information

It is easy to access for

students but can be

(Background
information of
Civil Rights)
http://www.biog
raphy.com/peop
le/groups/activis
ts-civil-rightsactivists

http://projects.s
eattletimes.com/
mlk/bio.html#lif
e
(gave more
detailed
information
about MLK)

S.I

M.I

Although it
is .com, this
has reliable
biography
about different
civil rights
leaders which
is helpful for
the students
one activity

Very easy to find,

one of the top hits
when searching for
Hawaii and Alaska
Lesson Ideas

Can be confusing trying

to find each leader but it
is doable. Makes the
activity more interesting
and gives students the
opportunity to practice
navigating through
websites.

Very easy to find

Easy to find for

students, somewhat
lengthy for a student
though

References
Berson, M. J. (2007). The southeast today. In M. J. Berson
(Author), Social studies states and regions (pp. 8-13). Harcourt school.
Attach teacher content notes sheet, SEE Appendix A
1.9 Technology
SmartBoard is used for showing the book to the entire class
Laptops are used for students to research and find out the information about the topics
2.1 Reflection on Planning
(two paragraphs)
This lesson was very enjoyable to plan because I had an idea of what I wanted to do before I
even started writing the lesson, so it made the lesson flow nicely. One concern I had with this
lesson plan was relating it to the rest of the lesson. I know that most of the civil rights
movement took place in the Southeast, so I tried to make my lesson according to that, since
that is what the unit plan is about.

I loved making another scavenger hunt, also. I think it incorporates technology and then real
life situations students still do in the classroom, like completing a worksheet. I never really
completed a scavenger hunt before, but since we did it before for another assignment, I
enjoyed doing it. So, I wanted to incorporate it into my lesson for the unit plan.

Content Outline: Appendix A

1) Who is Martin Luther King Jr.?
a) Born on January 15, 1929
i) Raised in Atlanta, Georgia
b) Parents-Alberta Williams and Reverend Martin Luther King
i) Had two siblings, an older sister Christine and younger brother named Alfred
King
2) Childhood
a) Named originally Michael, his father and him were inspired by a German
Protestant leader named Martin Luther.
b) Attended Booker T. Washington High School
i) Skipped most of high school, entered Morehouse College at 15
3) Teen Years
a) Graduated from Morehouse with a degree in sociology
i) Later went to a seminary school in Chester, PA
b) King married Coretta Scott on June 18, 1953
i) They had four children, Yolanda, Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott, and
Bernice
ii) Became a pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery,
Alabama in 1954
4) Life During MLK Jr.
a) Civil War ended slavery but African Americans still struggled for equal rights
i) No voting rights, segregations
b) MLK was important leader in the civil rights movement
i) Gave speeches and led non-violent protests (sit-downs and protests with silent
walks)
ii) Considered one of the greatest public speaker
c) King was arrested many times for his protests
i) Joined black college students in a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter
ii) JFK helped MLK get released from jail
iii) Credited to helping JFK become President
d) Bull Connor

i) City Commissioner of Public Safety

ii) Used excessive force
5) I Have A Dream Speech
a) Boosted public support for civil rights
i) Was given at steps of the Lincoln Memorial
(1) In Washington, DC
b) In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act
i) Outlawed racial segregation in publicly-owned facilities
(1) President Lyndon B. Johnson shook hands with MLK
(2) The same year MLK received a Nobel Prize for Peace
(3) Jim Crow laws- segregation in the South with whites and black
(a) New rules helped exterminate these rules
6) Unknown facts about MLK Jr.
a) Received his doctorate in systematic theology
i) Attended graduate school at Boston University, received his Ph.D. degree
b) I Have a Dream speech was not his first at Lincoln Memorial
i) Spoke for freedom on May 17, 1957
(1) Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom
(2) Was his first national speech
(3) Crowd of 15,000 to 30,000 people
c) King was jailed 29 times
i) Arrested for acts of civil disobedience
ii) Once jailed for driving 30 miles per hour in a 25 zone
d) King escaped an attempted assassination attempt a decade before
i) Izola Ware Curry
ii) September 20, 1958
(1) Harlem, book signing
iii) Went under emergency surgery
e) King and Washington are the only Americans to have their birthdays celebrated as
holidays
i) Bill was signed in 1983
(1) By Ronald Regan
7) Civil Rights Movement
a) Civil Rights Act of 1964
b) Voting Rights Act of 1965

i) Opportunities for women, minorities, disabled individuals and other victims of

discrimination
c) Montgomery Bus Boycott
i) Rosa Parks
(1) Arrested for not giving up her seat
(2) December 1, 1955
d) Birmingham and March on Washington
i) SCLC protest achieved success in 1963, launched major campaign in
Birmingham, Alabama
ii) Nonviolent protests but resulted in police with clubs, fire hoses, police dogs
iii) Gained northern sympathy
(1) Prompted John F. Kennedy to push for passage of new civil rights
legislation
(2) August 28, March on Washington
(a) 200,000 participants
e) Selma to Montgomery March
i) SCLC, March 7th planned march from Selma to state capitol in Montgomery
(1) Police used tear gas and wielding clubs attacking protesters
(a) Bloody Sunday
f) MLK Accomplishments
i) Pacem in Terris Award (1963)
ii) Nobel Peace Prize (1964)
8) MLKs Assassination
a) Assassinated on April 4, 1968
i) By James Earl Ray
ii) Balcony of Lorraine Motel
b) Martin Luther King Jr is honored the third Monday of January each year
c) Washington and MLK only Americans to have their birthdays celebrated in
America
d) Unions and MLK worked together
1) After death rewards
a. Marcus Garvey Prize for Human Rights (1968):
b. Grammy Award, Best Spoken Word Recording (1971)
c. Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977):
d. Honorary Degrees- recipient of more than 20 honorary doctorate degrees
from colleges and universities both in the U.S. and abroad.