Happy Martin Luther King Day

I have kindergarteners this year. So I wanted to do a little bit of the activities I've done in the past but just make them a little simpler. My Martin Luther King posts from the last few years are HERE and HERE. These little guys did such a good job. I told them some of the stories of the civil rights movement, and nobody thought anything sounded AT ALL FAIR. It is amazing the adults of the time thought things were when 5 and 6 year olds can tell they weren't.

They did a great job writing some Dr. King quotes and phrases for Martin Luther King Day. 

I will put their art and writing up on the bulletin board! It is awesome! 

I can't believe these kiddos are only 5 and 6 years old. 

I told the kids all about how blacks had to ride in the back of the bus, drink out of their own drinking fountains, and be refused service in restaurants. Nobody thought it was fair at all! 

I told them about the fire hoses that were sprayed on people who were marching peacefully with signs because they didn't like the unfairness of it all. They didn't think that was very nice either. 

I told them about the marching people did in large groups holding signs. They wanted to change things for blacks. It wasn't fair the way things were. The key was that the marches were peaceful. Dr. King helped people to dissent without violence. Boy do we need some of Dr. King's influence these days!!! 

So maybe Dr. King day comes at a good time in our country. America needs to feel more unified and peaceful after the recent events in Ferguson and other places in our world. There is so much violence! 

Show that you care......what a great sentiment! 

Dr. King would be proud of these students who really got his message. 

This one kind of resembles Al Sharpton! How did that happen? lol 

I thought this one turned out great too. 

We had a good day learning about a Great American Hero. Dr. King lives on even though he was assassinated. 

Treat people kindly. That is one of his messages and a great take away from today's discussions. 

Happy Martin Luther King Day! 

We will try to follow his example this week and this month and always! 

Martin Luther King day is this coming Monday, January 19th. 

I like this writing paper I found on TPT as a freebie. I like the dotted lines for my little kinders to help them form good habits and proper handwriting. It is HERE at TPT. There were some cute coloring pages also.

Martin Luther King, Jr. art and writing for K-2. We read the poem and wrote phrases from it in Kindergarten today. 

I liked these activities for Dr. King Day too. Check them out HERE at TPT.  Another cute one with an "I Have a Dream" header for a bulletin board or a shared writing is HERE  from TPT. A cute wordsearch is HERE too. Some writing stationery is HERE. All are freebies.

 

Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream quote was a springboard for writing our dreams for the world. 

DIRECTED DRAWING of Dr. King.......INSTRUCTIONS: I do it on the board then turn and walk around to see who needs help. Some kids will have to try the head a few times to get the right shape. The directed drawing I did was easy. Tell the kids to use a brown, black, red and blue crayon only. Tell them to watch you do it first and listen carefully. Then they do what you did and WAIT for you to go on to the next instruction.  Tell them to color in light even strokes using the side of the crayon. 1. First draw a large oval with the brown crayon. Find the middle of the oval and Add a nose that is like 2 small mountains or a capital M with a C on the left and a backwards C on the right. NO top on the nose. 2. Then in between the top of the head and the nose draw in 2 black eyes dark and round, but leave a little circle of white in the very middle. Then draw a half-circle arch above each eye in black. 3. Then above the eyes draw 2 bushy black eyebrows kind of like a caterpillar. 4. Then under the nose draw bushy black mustache like a caterpillar. 5. Then in between the nose and chin we will do a mouth kind of shaped like a rounded-at-the-bottom heart. Color it in light brown with a hint of light red. 6. Then put 2 ears on each side of the head even with the nose and color them in with brown. 7. Then use black and make circular swirls of black hair all around the head like a short afro cut. 8. Then draw a  suit coat with a V neck in black but then color it in with blue, in an even direction. Be sure it is BLUE and not aqua. 9. Inside the v neck draw a red tie kind of diamond shaped. Then draw a small black W right under the chin, so it will look like a white shirt collar. 10. Then add some fireworks shaped like a plus sign and an X in blue and then go over it also in red. 11. Then put the name on top Dr. King. 12.  Older kids can also draw an American flag on a pole.

Martin Luther King was a great American leader. We have so few that really stand out these days don't we. I hope all the kids catch a glimpse of him on T.V. this weekend. Happy Martin Luther King Day!