Yay for MLK!

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we spent time in third grade learning about his great accomplishments and reflecting on his vision for America. We read the book Martin's Big Words, a book that takes us through the life of MLK using kid friendly language. After a discussion of the message Dr. King wanted to share with us and the impact he had on our lives, we brainstormed what words came to mind when hearing his message. In the book, the author highlights "big words" or influential statements. As a class, we brainstormed our own big words, like peace and friendship. Then, we discussed how they, as third graders, could make life a better place, like Dr. King. We used the IPads to create a poster to display the powerful messages and how he or she can incorporate them into their lives.  

The students were very interested in learning more about Dr. Martin Luther King and his story. We watched a few videos by Kid President, one of my personal favorite public speakers! Robby Novak plays the role of a kid president to deliver messages to other kids in a fun, energetic way. We listened to his video about his dream for the world, in reference to King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Kid President mentioned that many inventions would not be created nor would the world be what it is today if people did not pursue their dreams. Then, each student had the chance to draw and write about a dream that they have to make the world a better place, just like Dr. King. They students were extremely passionate about this day of reflection, and their caring personalities shined during these activities!