Brief Description

This lesson is near the end of a culminating unit on civil rights. We have been learning about Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and The Underground Railroad.  This lesson is an opportunity for students to see, hear, and analyze the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech, I Have a Dream.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 3T-F1. Use prescribed technology writing or drawing tools for communicating and illustrating

• W-F1.Use the writing process, including generating topics, drafting, revising ideas and editing, to complete effectively a variety of writing tasks
• W-F2.Use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and word usage, and good penmanship to complete effectively a variety of writing tasks
• 1SS-R1. Describe how history is the story of events, people, and places in the past

Academic

• After listening to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I Have a Dream Speech students will be able to use the primary source to analyze and discuss the way people lived in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s lifetime compared to our lifetime.
• After our whole class discussion students will be able to use the themes we discussed in class and write a thank you letter to Dr. King

• Students will be able to access a Word template, and write a letter checking their document with spell check and printing it out.

• Students need to know the basic functions of the computer
• How to use the mouse and the keyboard
• The students will need to know how to open a Word document

• Download an audio copy of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech from http://www.king-raleigh.org/history/speeches.htm (you will need Real Player on your computer)
• Download a complete copy of the speech to put on the overhead or T.V. projector http://web66.coled.umn.edu/new/MLK/MLK.html (this is an option)
• Letter paper and pencils
• Crayons for SEI kids

• SEI and learning disabilities: These students will need to be paired up with a fluent English speaker. You may also want to pull these kids at a separate table for extra help while fluent English speakers are working independently. Allow them to illustrate their letters and write simple sentences thanking Dr. King. You can print out the template and have the kids write on a hard copy.
• ADHD/ADD: Provide these students with smaller chunks and a longer time period to analyze the speech and then write their letter.
• Gifted and Talented: Allow the students to search for another speech of Dr. King’s at

http://www.king-raleigh.org/history/speeches.htm and analyze it, write a letter or create a PowerPoint presentation for the class.

1. Go to http://www.king-raleigh.org/history/speeches.htm and download a copy of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s  I Have a Dream speech.

2. Play the entire speech for the kids to hear Dr. King’s inflection, and get the flavor of the situation.

3. Play the speech again; stopping at frequent intervals to analyze what was being said. Compare the times. For example, Dr. King says, “ I have a dream that little black boys and little black girls will walk hand in hand with little white boys and girls.” What did this mean in the 1960’s? Is this still an issue for us now?

4. Do a Venn Diagram with the headings  “1960’s” and  “2003” to compare and contrast the times of the 1960’s to 2003. What kinds of things were the same? All people have feelings. All people have family no matter their color or race.  What was different? Was there segregation in the 1960’s? Is there segregation now? Did everyone have the same rights?

5. Partner students to discuss at least 3 things that Dr. King did to help make our lives better.

6. Brainstorm ideas on the board.

7. Have kids write a letter (a rough draft) thanking Dr. King for the things he did to make our world a better place. The kids need to give details and site at least 2 things Dr. King did to help us. Kids can use the information that they have brainstormed on the board to write their letters.  Have students proofread their work.  Here is a sample letter.

8. Partner students to share/collaborate their work.

9. Have students revise their letter with the suggestions from their peer conference.

Note:   If you are going to use the computer lab make sure to go to the lab ahead of time to download a copy of the template for each computer that the students will use.

10. Give students time to open the Word template to type their letters, use spell check and print it out.

Students will be assessed on the six traits of writing focusing on ideas, content and conventions.  The rubrics can be found at http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/scoring.asp?odelay=3&d=1.