Lesson: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Published on January 13, 2026

Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

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📝 Overview

This Lesson Plan (LP) guides students to practice their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills by learning about the U.S. holiday honoring the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will learn about King’s life and how he made an impact as a powerful speaker. They will study King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, practice their own public speaking skills, and reflect on their dreams for their own communities.

🎯 Student Goals

As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

strengthen communication, creativity, and collaboration skills
learn about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
practice using public speaking techniques such as pace, tone, volume, and gestures
write about their dreams for their own communities

Two photos: A large colorful poster of a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and a photo of a street sign with the name Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard

📖 Key Vocabulary

Below, you can find key vocabulary related to the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.. You will find a glossary of definitions on pages 3 and 4 of the downloadable lesson plan.

courage
discrimination
stood up for
protest movement
marches
civil rights
inspiring
content
character
judged

A close up photo of the MLK, Jr Memorial: A Tall statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr carved out of granite standing with his arms crossed

Birthday_of_Martin_Luther_King_Jr_Celebrate_Lesson_Plan_7.pdf