Every year on the third Monday of January, we commemorate the life and work of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On MLK Day, we honor Dr. King’s legacy with a nationwide day of service to better our communities. In the classroom, this is a time for students to learn about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, legacy, and contributions to the civil rights movement.
Enrich your Martin Luther King Day lessons by guiding students in service-based learning and meaningful reflection that they’ll remember for years to come. And keep in mind that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is simply a starting point for further discussion. Continue these conversations about Dr. King’s work for racial equality, economic justice, and international peace with your class year-round.
If you’re looking for meaningful MLK Day activities for kids and young adults, check out these resources.
8 MLK Day Activities for Your Classroom
You can incorporate lessons about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. into any PreK-12 subject, from English Language Arts to Social Studies. This collection spans reading passages and writing prompts to interactive digital activities with Easel by TpT™. Add these resources to your lesson plans for Martin Luther King Jr. Day or your lessons on the civil rights movement.
Martin’s Big Words Book by Tanya G Marshall The Butterfly Teacher
Grades 3-4
MLK Day Lesson by Lalula Lifetime Learning
Grades 2-4
MLK Jr. Writing Activity by Nyla’s Crafty Teaching
Grades 3-6
History of MLK Day by Read Like a Rockstar
Grades 1-5
MLK Bundle by Butterfly Chalkboard
Grades PreK-5
MLK Junior Activity Book by Seasonably Primary
Grades PreK-2
MLK Day Webquest by Cheryl Fenderson
Grades 7-12
MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail by William Pulgarin
Grades 7-12
Find more classroom-ready teacher activities on TpT to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with your students.