A new student who just moved here from Indonesia wants to know why we have Martin Luther King Day off of school? We overheard him in the lunchroom talking about it. He wondered who he was and why was he so famous that he got a holiday named after him. Your job is to jump into Martin Luther King, Jr.’s shoes. Remember, he was a kid once too. Please read the following books and watch the videos so you can explain why he made such a difference in the world and why we honor him in January.
Essential Questions
Why do we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday? What can we learn from his life?
Task
First, you will learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. through reading books and watching videos with your Leap Buddies.
Then, you will take notes on the key details that you learn during your research.
Next, you will create a likeness of MLK, Jr. in a portrait.
Additionally, you will use your iPads and access a website called Blabberize.com.
Finally, in Blabberize, you will photograph your portrait of MLK, Jr.; record your voice, giving information about the life of King, as if you were him; and post the work on Seesaw.
Do you think our new student will understand why we honor Martin Luther King Jr., in January? He dreamed of a world more tolerant than the one in which he lived. He was an important part of the Civil Rights Movement, and he is important to all Americans. By stepping into his shoes, and learning about his life, we hope you learned about why we honor his legacy.