School of Education
Service *Leadership*Competence*Character
WRITTEN LESSON PLAN
Teacher Candidate – Chelsea Hasenpflug _____________________________________________ School – _____________________________________________________________________
Mentor Teacher – _______________________________________________________________ University Coordinator – ________________________________________________________
Grade/Subject – 2nd Social Studies_________________ Title – Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights (Past  Future) _________________________________ Date – ________________________
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EALRs
4. HISTORY The student
understands and applies knowledge
of historical thinking, chronology,
eras, turning points, major ideas,
individuals, and themes in local,
Washington State, tribal, United
States, and world history in order to
evaluate how history shapes the
present and future.
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Learning Targets
GLEs
4.4 Uses history to understand the
present and plan for the future.
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Assessment – What will students do to demonstrate competence
specific to learning?
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Objectives
Students will
understand who Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was and about his dream for a world
without hate.
learn about civil rights and the protests that occurred during MLK Jr.’s time.
use Martin Luther King Jr.’s theme of nonviolence to discuss how they can implement
nonviolence in solving disputes in their lives.
work together to use a Bubble Map to brainstorm.
Learning Experiences – What learning experiences are the
students engaged in to demonstrate the learning target’s
knowledge and skills?
Be sure to align all assessments with their corresponding learning experiences.
Engagement (5 mins): Have all the students close their eyes and
Discussion of the story Happy Birthday, Martin
think about what they dreamed about last night. If they didn’t
Luther King and concept of civil rights. Students
dream last night, the night before….or maybe some time that
must identify MLK’s dream.
they had a special dream.
Brainstorm together, using the history of civil rights
and Martin Luther King Jr.’s example, to plan for a
Students pair-share with a neighbor.
future of solving school problems with non-violence.
o Brainstorm in table groups
Exploration (15 mins): Teacher explains that another kind of
o Fill in Bubble Map as a class
dream, is dreaming about something that you wish would
Create their own dream for future students, write
happen in the future. Teacher introduces Martin Luther King
about it and draw it.
and says that he was a man who had one of these special kinds
of dreams. Teacher also explains that this story is about a
different time and a community that is different than theirs
today.
Teacher reads: Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean
Marzollo. Students to listen closely to figure out what his dream
was and what was different between his community and theirs.
Teacher reads and pauses to clarify or discuss important points.
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Discuss how MLK must have felt that he couldn’t
play with his white friends because he went to a white
Strategies for Creating an Inclusive, Supportive Learning
Community – What strategies will be used to facilitate effective
classroom management at key points during the lesson?
Students always sit in table groups when at their desks, or at the
rug together for story time.
Students pair-share during discussion, so everyone gets to share
without taking too much class time.
Class will work together by table group on ideas for the Bubble
Map – nonviolent ways to solve problems.
Students will work individually while at table groups on their
“My Dream” work.
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school.
Was this fair? Why or why not?
How was the community different between then and
now?
What was MLK’s dream?
Teacher explains “civil rights” – guaranteed rights of citizens
regardless of race, color, religion, or sex. Discuss how it is
today that all children can go to school, no matter the color of
their skin. African-American children were not allowed to go to
white schools.
Explanation (10 mins): “Exclusion” Activity: - All the students
with a certain feature (ie: brown hair, green eyes, or red shoes)
stand up and go to one side of the room, say “because you were
born with ____ (brown hair) you cannot be a part of our
classroom. Repeat with other features until everyone has been
taken out.
Ask students how they feel about not being
allowed to go to school.
Discuss, what can we learn from the way that
MLK was treated? How should we treat other
people?
MLK believed in solving problems not by using violence, but
peacefully.
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Discuss: do students do this?
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How can we solve problems peacefully at school?
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On the playground?
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At home?
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In the lunchroom? (how can we use what we learned
from history to shape our futures?)
(10 mins) Teacher leads class in filling in a Bubble Map –
Brainstorm different ways to solve problems in a nonviolent
way.
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Each table group is given a different situation, and
must come up with a solution for it.
4 situations:
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While you are playing basketball on the playground, a
kid from a different class comes up and steals the ball.
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While you are standing in the lunch line, a kid cuts in
front of you and takes the last tray of nachos.
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When you are playing soccer, some of the kids on the
other team are cheating.
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While you are in the library reading a book, an older
kid comes up and calls you a “nerd.”
Extension: Activity – “I Have a Dream” – students brainstorm
their dream for the new community of children in the future,
draw a picture, and write about it.
Evaluation (5 mins): Conclusion – Group sharing time, teacher
invites some students to share their “dreams” with the group.
Teacher reminds students about practicing nonviolent problem
solving at home, as well as at school.
Grouping of Students for Instruction
Instructional Materials, Resources and Technology
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Students will work together with their table groups of 3-4 students.
There will be roles assigned for the “Getter” whenever materials are needed.
Students will come together on the rug for the story reading time.
Accommodations and Modifications
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For students who have trouble writing, they can still draw the picture and do their best
writing.
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All students will use their best “kid writing” on the “My Dream” sheet (it doesn’t have
to be perfect, like a journal entry).
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Students will work in groups to brainstorm nonviolent solutions - they can feed off of
group-mates’ ideas if they get stuck.
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Ensure special assistance provided for students as needed.
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo.
Large Bubble Map drawing – different situations for each table group
“My Dream” worksheets, pencils, colored pencils, and crayons
Family Involvement Plan
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Announce plans for honoring Martin Luther
King Jr. and teaching about him and civil rights
in the monthly newsletter.
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Explain the “exclusion” activity, so that parents will understand if students discuss it at
home.
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Ask parents to acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as more than just a day
off of school by taking time to talk about it at home or celebrate in an appropriate way.
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Recommend other books parents could read to their children about different ethnic,
religious, or cultural groups/
o Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco
o Peace Begins With You by Katherine Scholes.
o Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michelle Surat.
o A Picture Book of Rosa Parks by David Adler.
o Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport.