Hello Reader,
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With Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday coming up on the 15th, you may be deciding how to approach this week.

Not just what to do, but how to do it well.

Here’s what I focus on every year.

I plan for one connected week of instruction instead of disconnected activities.

When your students read, talk, write, and reflect around the same topic, learning sticks and the classroom flow will remain steady.

Let me break down how I structure an MLK week in my classroom:

I use a shared text and build around it intentionally.

Here’s what that looks like across the week:

Day 1: Build background and curiosity:

Introduce Dr. King using biography facts and a short reading.

Students activate prior knowledge with KWL charts and discussion.

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​Day 2: Read and comprehend:

Read Martin’s Big Words together.

Pause to model comprehension, author’s purpose, and key ideas.

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​Day 3: Think and write:

Students respond through writing prompts and reflection.

They choose meaningful words, explain their thinking, and organize ideas clearly.

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​Day 4: Extend and display learning

Students complete writing drafts, assessments, or crafts.

Learning moves from discussion to visible understanding.

This is your lesson plan for the week that you can start today during your reading block.

Same topic.

Clear expectations.

No rushing.

A low-prep way to teach the entire week

To support this kind of instruction, I created the Martin Luther King Jr. Classroom Kit.​

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It’s a complete, low-prep kit designed to cover reading, writing, discussion, and classroom environment without piecing resources together.

The kit includes:

Student Biography & Literacy Components

• Differentiated KWL charts
• Martin Luther King reading biography and facts
• Student biography research and tracking sheets
• Differentiated writing drafts
• Writing assessment and rubrics
• 3-2-1 reflection sheets
• Parent letter

Martin’s Big Words Writing Activities

• Reading comprehension questions
• Writing prompts and goal-setting activities
• “My Word” mini book
• Word search and craft options

Martin Dream Bulletin Board

• Bulletin board kit with multiple color and black-and-white options
• Student writing craft
• Biography posters and decor to anchor learning visually

I’m big on blending everything together easily so instruction feels intentional, not overwhelming.

If you’re teaching about Martin Luther King Jr. this week and want students engaged in meaningful literacy work, this kit gives you the structure to do that without the extra prep.

🤍 View the Martin Luther King Jr. Classroom Kit here

One week.

One connected plan.

Students learning with purpose.

​
Patty

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P.S. This kit is designed so you can teach now and reuse it every year without rethinking your plans.

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