Martin Luther King Jr. Day Actions

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 Activity by 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 Mosaic by CalfordMath

Grades: 8th – 10th | Algebra, Fractions, Geometry  

Martin Luther King March on Washington Civil Rights Bundle – PRINT and EASEL by 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.