Guilford County Schools ACES Program
Weekly Theme: Have a Dream – Centers Activities
Art Center
Martin Luther King, Jr. Collage
Make a collage that celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.
Freedom Banner
Using a piece of bulletin board paper, write the word “FREEDOM” in the center of the paper and
have students draw pictures that they feel represent freedom.
Design a Postage Stamp
Design a postage stamp in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Chains for Freedom
Make the classic paper chains using black, white, red, yellow, and brown construction paper to
represent the various skin tones found across our nation. Show students the symbolism behind
the craft: each link represents a hand, and our chain reminds us that Dr. King joined hands with
people of all colors when he marched for freedom.
People Collage
Allow students access to magazines to cut many different people from many cultures and races
to make a People Collage.
Board Game Center
Make Your Own Match Game
Use the quick facts below or other Martin Luther King, Jr. facts to make matching cards for your
match game.
Building/Manipulatives Center
Build a Rainbow
Build a rainbow with LEGO® bricks or blocks to symbolize Martin Luther King, Jr. dream.
CATCH Kids® Games
CATCH Kids-(K-5)-#31, #47, #48, #49, #56 (Add additional “student choice” activities for the
remainder of the week)
Computer Center/Computer Lab
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scavenger Hunt
http://www.sites4teachers.com/links/redirect.php?url=http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/ja
nuary/mlk.html
July 2008
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Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
I Have a Dream Fill in the Speech
http://www.sites4teachers.com/links/redirect.php?url=http://www.windmillworks.com/games/drea
m.htm
I Have a Dream Speech
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
Dramatic Play Center
My Dream
Student can practice and give their own speech on “their dream” for the future.
Gross Motor Center
Discrimination
Before playing any game, tell your children that only kids with blue shirts will get to play. You will
likely hear a lot of the children comment that that is 'Not Fair!' at this time explain that that is
what discrimination is and that everyone will get to play!
KidzLit®
(K-2)-Bear Snores On
(3-5)-Stickeen
Listening Center
Copy a sound file of Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech for students to hear.
Music Center
Freedom, Freedom, Let It Ring to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"
Freedom, freedom, let it ring.
Let it ring, said Dr. King.
Let it ring from North to South.
Let it ring from house to house.
Let it ring for everyone,
All across the whole nation.
Let it ring for black and white,
Let it ring both day and night.
Let it ring for young and old,
Forever may its song ring bold.
Freedom, freedom, let it ring.
Let it ring, said Dr. King.
Happy Birthday, Dr. King to the tune of "Yankee Doodle"
Dr. King was a man
Who had a special dream.
July 2008
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Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
He dreamed of a world filled with love
And peace and harmony.
Happy Birthday, Dr. King,
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday, Dr. King.
We honor you today.
Harmony and Peace to the tune of "B-I-N-G-O"
Dr. King taught us to live
In harmony and peace-P-E-A-C-E,
P-E-A-C-E,
P-E-A-C-E,
In harmony and peace.
He taught us not to fight or quarrel,
But love one another.
L-O-V-E, Love!
L-O-V-E, Love!
L-O-V-E, Love!
He said to love each other.
Let Us Keep His Dream Alive to the tune of "This Old Man"
This young man had a dream;
In his eye he had a gleam.
We must love each other to survive.
Let us keep his dream alive.
He believed man was good;
He had dreams of brotherhood.
We must love each other to survive.
Let us keep his dream alive.
All join hands, let us sing;
Let the bells of freedom ring.
We must love each other to survive.
Let us keep his dream alive.
We can learn from the past;
Then we'll all be "free at last!"
We must love each other to survive.
Let us keep his dream alive.
Reading Center
K-3
A Lesson for Martin Luther King Jr. by Denise Lewis Patrick and Rodney S. Pate
My Dream of Martin Luther King by Faith Ringgold
A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. by David A. Adler
Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Trudi Strain Trueit
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Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
3-5
I Have A Dream by Martin Luther King Jr.
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo
If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King by Jean Levine
Young Martin Luther King Jr. by Mattern
Printable Martin Luther King, Jr. Book
http://www.littlegiraffes.com/mlk%20jr%20book.pdf
Quick Fact Questions
Who was the first black American to be honored as Time magazine's Man of the Year?
Martin Luther King, Jr.
In what year did Martin Luther King, Jr. win the Nobel Peace Prize?
1964
What are the first four words of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech given at the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington, D.C.?
I Have a Dream
Where was Martin Luther King, Jr. born?
Atlanta, Georgia
In what state was Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinated on the balcony of his hotel?
Tennessee
What federal holiday is held on the third Monday of January?
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Science and Nature Center
Brown Eggs and White Eggs
Have the students each look closely at their eggs. Discuss similarities and differences in the
outside appearance of the eggs---color variations, some are bumpy, some elongated, some
almost round, some are grainy-looking, some have ripples in the shell, some are spotted, etc.
Ask if they think the eggs are different on the inside? Take a sheet of poster board and print
"Same" and "Different" at the top. Have students predict how the eggs will be the same or
different. Crack the eggs open and show how they look inside. Were their predictions right?
This is the perfect time to compare the eggs with people and how they alike and different.
JMG-Gardener Handbook-Ch. 2, pg. 31-Soil Rainbow
July 2008
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Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials