1-2-3 Come Do Some Martin Luther King Activities With Me

Martin Luther King Day is just around the corner, so I decided to post some quick, easy, and fun writing prompt craftivities. 

I don't think I've ever heard a more powerful speech than "I Have a Dream!" With that in mind I designed an MLK writing prompt quilt. 

Wheneve I toss in a bit of craftiness with a writing prompt, my students are eager to get down to business.

There are 9 different quilt squares to choose from. Each style comes in black and white featuring two different pictures of Dr. King.

I’ve also included a set of quilt squares with the clip art in color.

Students choose one, then using a black marker, write down a dream in however many blank sections they want, then lightly color the sections and trim.

You can scatter the individual squares on a bulletin board, punch a hole at the top and suspend back-to-back from the ceiling, or connect all of the squares together to make a classroom “quilt” to be displayed on a hallway wall.

Next up is an entire packet of Martin Luther King craftivities.

Little ones can simply do the craft, while older kiddos complete the writing prompts.

There are 5 activities to choose from.

I combine math & literacy, with the “Mystery on a 100 Chart” activity.

Students follow the directions and color in those numbered squares, which results in Martin Luther King’s initials.

The writing prompt is “You could always count on Dr. King . . .” A worksheet is provided.

There’s also a  super-simple snowflake craftivity (We are all the same; we are all unique like snowflakes); as well as two “danglers”.

The MLK initial dangler can be plain, or filled with dreams and goals.

The other dangler is a dove. It can stand alone for little ones to make.

(The folding of the wings, is especially beneficial for strengthening finger and hand muscles), or add the writing prompt worksheet, which is folded in half.

One side is for the writing prompt, while the other side features Langston Hughes poem, “Dreams”.

For something really different, you may enjoy the mpatapo (em-pa-ta-po) craftivity. 

I came across this West African Adinkra symbol, while looking for something that would not only represent peace, but encompass Dr. King's black heritage as well.

Mpatapo is a knot of pacification-reconciliation, that represents peaceful solutions.

It symbolizes the bond that binds parties in a dispute, to a peaceful, harmonious reconciliation. The knot represents the peacemaking after strife.

The more I researched, the more I thought it was the perfect symbol to represent what Dr. King tried to do, with his peaceful marches, sit-ins and speeches, as he sought nonviolent solutions for abolishing discrimination.

The packet includes several craftivity options.

If you're going to have your kiddos do some fact finding, and write a little report of some sort about Martin Luther King, my Fast Facts packet can even be done by young kinders. 

The packet includes 4 fast fact “craftivities” to choose from:

* A 3-section, horizontal “flip up”, where children find facts relating to the 3 phases of Dr. King’s life: beginning, middle and end.

* A simple, 3-section, vertical “flip over” booklet, which includes a sheet of photo tiles.

* A “Turn While You Learn” MLK fact wheel, where students record a fact on each one of the 6 “pie pieces”. There are 4 cover options.

* A “Flip For Facts File Folder” featuring 8 facts, and 5 cover options.

I’ve also included tips and links for how to do Online citations, plus 8 pages of background information, featuring 95 interesting facts about Martin Luther King.

Today's FREEBIE is a set of 7 Martin Luther King bookmarks. Use them as incentives and pass them out for accomplished tasks.

Challenge students to collect all 7, and then share them with their friends. 

Well that's it for today.  I sincerely hope you found something you can use for your Martin Luther King Day activities. 

My feet have hit the floor running this morning, as I'm watching two little sweethearts today. 

Grandchildren are certainly a blessing.  Wishing you a day filled with lots of  hugs and giggles.

"Grandchildren are like snowflakes.  Each one is beautifully unique." -Unknown