January 15th

One holiday we celebrate

Honors a special man,

Who taught us to be fair

To everyone we can.

He said, “Do not fight.”

Solve problems peacefully.

Think about how others feel …

Kindness is the key.

Who is this special man,

Whose name you hear us sing?

Whose holiday we celebrate?

It’s Martin Luther King!

Martin Luther King  was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.

The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968.

President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later.

At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays.

It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

Activity Ideas

WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS?

Ask your children to name something they would wish for our world. Give  some examples to get children thinking. Next, let each child draw a picture to  show his or her wish.  At the bottom of  each picture, write a few words to explain the child’s wish. Finally, bind the  pictures into a class booklet titled “Our Dreams for Our World.”  Review the booklet with children, then leave in your book corner for  individuals to share.

COMING  TOGETHER

Read to children The Crayon Box That Talked, by Sharon Derolf. Help children  understand that people who are different from one another can, with respect and  understanding, enjoy great friendships together. Then give children spray  bottles filled with different colors of water. Let children spray a bed sheet  and watch as the different colors run together to form a beautiful display. Explain  that although all the colors are different, they blend together nicely, just as  people can.

THE  SAME PLANET

Help children make this simple snack to demonstrate that we all share  the same Earth. Use a round cookie cutter to cut circles of bread. The circles  represent our Earth. Give one circle to each child. Give each child about five  chocolate chips, five white chocolate chips, and five butterscotch chips. The  chips represent the different people that live in our world together. Help  children press their chips into their bread circles and enjoy their “diversity  snacks.”

MAKING  PEACE

While peaceful conflict resolution should be promoted all year long,  this center idea helps drive home the idea of peace when celebrating Martin  Luther King, Jr. Set up a table and chairs in a corner of your classroom. Tell  children this is the peace table. Talk with children about Dr. King’s belief in  solving problems without fighting or name-calling. Reinforce the concept of  working out differences by talking and compromising. Invite children to use the  peace table when they need to settle a problem. Praise children for their  efforts and give each one a precut white dove as a peace certificate. Include  each child’s name and a special sticker on his/her certificate.