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 Elementary Classroom
You can incorporate lessons about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. into any elementary subject, from English Language Arts to Social Studies. This collection spans reading passages and writing prompts to engaging, interactive activities on Easel by TPT™. Add these resources to your lesson plans for Martin Luther King Jr. Day or your school lessons for Black History Month.
Martin Luther King Jr. Emergent Reader & Centers by Limars Stars
Grades: PreK – K | English Language Arts
MLK Jr. Day Bulletin Board and Banner Writing and Drawing Activityby Seasonably Primary
Grades: PreK – 2nd | Social Studies – History
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Bundle by Butterfly Chalkboard
Grades: PreK – 5th | English Language Arts
The History of MLK Day by Read Like a Rockstar
Grades: 1st – 5th | Social Studies – History
Martin Luther King Jr. Math Activity | MLK Color by Number by Ford’s Board
Grades: 2nd – 5th | Math, Arithmetic
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Reading Comprehension & Questions by The Lit Teacher
Grades: 2nd – 6th | Social Studies – History
Book Companion Set for Martin’s Big Words | Black History Month Reading Activity by Tanya G Marshall The Butterfly Teacher
Grades: 3rd – 4th | Reading Strategies
MLK Jr. Writing Prompt by Teachers R Superheroes
Not Grade Specific | Social Studies, Writing
4 Middle and High School Lesson Plans for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
As students get older, they have a deeper ability to analyze, understand, and reflect on Dr. King’s contributions and impact. Dive into MLK Jr.’s legacy with in-depth historical lessons and activities that blend math and ELA with history. These MLK day activities can be used to honor and learn about Dr. King on his dedicated day in January, during Black History Month in February, or any lesson on the civil rights movement throughout the year.
Martin Luther King Jr Digital Interactive Notebook for Google Slides by BVG SLP
Grades: 5th – 8th | English Language Arts, Speech Therapy
MLK Jr. Day Webquest by Cheryl Fenderson
Grades: 7th – 12th | U.S. History
Slope Intercept Form, MLK Google Sheets Collaborative Mosaicby CalfordMath
Grades: 8th – 10th | Algebra, Fractions, Geometry
Martin Luther King March on Washington Civil Rights Bundle – PRINT and EASELby Diana Bailey
Grades: 9th – 12th | U.S. History
Find more classroom-ready teacher activities on TPT to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with your students.
This post, originally written in 2022, has been updated for 2023.
