Discuss the color of our skin. We all put our hand together and guess what. Some shades of brown are different from others, some shades of white are different from others. We discussed this and then put a large white paper table cloth on the floor and I squirted out several skin tone shades of paint on the table cloth then children went to work painting smearing you name it. At the end I asked what we should write on the beautiful art the ALL said harmony !!!!!

I bring in a dozen brown eggs and a dozen white eggs. The children break into pairs, observe the eggs, and then open them up. The message is very clear. While the eggs are different on the outside, they are the same on the inside, just like people. We then cook the eggs for a snack. Same idea can be used with apples. Gather different colored apples and eat for snack after discussion of diversity.

Bring in several different presents, some wrapped very pretty, simple and then just a plain box, inside they all have the same gift; I usually put in stickers. The children look at the boxes we talk about them and then open them. Same message while the presents are all wrapped different, the inside is the same; again like people.

We also paint peanuts all diff. colors and again the outsides are diff. but the insides are the same.

An easy explanation for pre-k, of Martin Luther King Day: In some places years ago, the rules were not the same for everyone. Some people could play in the park, drink water from a water fountain, and use public rest rooms. But when other people wanted to do these things they were told "NO!, you can't play in this park! You can't drink water from this water fountain! You have to use the bathroom at home!" There were other unfair rules, too. A man named Martin Luther King, Jr. thought that this was not fair. He wanted everyone to have the same rules. He talked to many people and told them he had a dream for a better world. Some people were so angry about the unfair rules that they wanted to fight. Dr. King told the people not to fight. He said they should be nice to everyone - even people who were not fair. Many people listened to him. They marched together, carried signs, and sang songs to get the rules changed. After awhile, things started to change. Now everyone can play in the park, drink from a water fountain, and use the rest room when they want to! Martin Luther King, Jr. died, but every year on his birthday we remember how hard he worked to make the world a better place.

We read a wonderful book called "We are all alike -- We are all Different" It is very simple and easy for 3's and 4's to understand.

Peace crowns

white paper circle (size of frozen OJ lid)

Small paper plate, cut in half

With one of the half circles, cut again

****The small circle is the dove's head, the half circle is the body, and the two quarter circle pieces are the wings. We glue these together, add eyes and glitter and then staple them to the headbands. Our kids love to wear any kind of crowns!

During the week of MLK's birthday, we talk about peace, brotherhood, and love. We talk about how MLK wanted people to be able to go places together, share food together, and love one another in peace. He worked hard for freedom and helped many people gain it. We sing happy birthday to MLK and have a special snack for his birthday party. We talk a little about the Nobel Peace prize and have the children make small medals to wear.

Make bulletin board "Children have Dreams" and "Parents have Dreams" make cutouts of doves. On far wing write "I have a dream...." on the larger closer one allow the children to write or tell you so you can write what they tell you. Send one home for parents too to put on their board.

King Crowns

Cut out paper crowns for each child. Ask then to draw a picture of their dreams for a better world.

Buddy Prints

Each child paints their hands and makes prints on a large piece of paper I cut them out in funny shapes around them and label each childs handprint than I put them down my door and title it our buddy prints. Parents seem to ahh over them on their way in and the kids know which one belongs to whom.

Hands around and The Room

Cut several long strips on white shelf/butchers paper about 8" wide. Lay the paper on the floor or table. Pour different colors of tempera paint into a shallow container such as a pie pan. Set the paint near the paper. Have the children make pairs of hand prints along the strips, leaving space between the pairs to write each child's name. After the paints have dried, ask each child how they are nice to others and what they do to help others. Write each child's thoughts under their name. Hang the "Hands Around The Room" near the ceiling, at eye level or along the baseboard. When you take it down, cut each pair apart and let the children take them home.

Friendship Wreaths

My class took skin colored construction paper and traced their hands on the paper that best fits their skin tone. We cut out 10 of each child's hand (one for each friend). Everyone exchanged their hand prints and glued the handprints on a paper plate wreath. For the finishing touch, they cut out 3 red hearts and glued them onto their wreaths. Afterwards, we talked about how Martin Luther King was a great man who wanted everyone to get along no matter what their skin color was. And then we go into a discussion of everyone is different. Some people wear glasses, some people have red hair...etc.

Dream Aprons

After discussing that we can be whatever we want to be when we grow up as long as we try HARD and be GOOD "citizens", we made paper body aprons. I printed (in large bubble letters) "I Have A Dream"...each child colored the letters and under them each drew what he/she hopes to be. We had doctors, a "library lady", teachers and even an astronaut!

Friendship Mural

The children make handprints in different colors and make a rainbow shape. The kids really love it.

I Have A Dream Clouds

Give each child a piece of white construction paper....then they can rip and tear it into a shape of a cloud (somewhat) I make a bulletin board for these to go on....each child can decorate their cloud with glitter etc.....leaving the middle blank. I then go around to each child and ask what their dream is and record them onto the clouds. It really turns out cute!!

Friendship Circle

Materials needed: 24 x 24 inch sheet of paper per child, tempera pain in various colors, paper towels

Place paper towels in shallow containers. Pour paint of one color into each container.

On large sheets of paper, lightly draw a large circle as a guide to help younger children.

Let each child pick one color of paint.

Have the first child begin by placing his hand in the chosen color of paint and then making a hand print on the paper of each of his classmates.

The next child picks a color and repeats the procedure.

Repeat so each child has a turn, forming a circle of hand prints.

If necessary to complete the circle shape, add additional hand prints.

Add names when dry.

MLK Bracelets

Materials Needed:

supply of black and white beads

construction paper hearts (hole punched out in center)

yarn

Have each child to string some black and white beads and some construction paper hearts onto their piece of yarn (about 6 inches in length). Tie the ends of yarn together...thus making the bracelet. We wore our bracelets while we sang Happy Birthday to MLK!

Talk about his Nobel Peace Prize then make one out of a hard drying dough that the kids can make, string on a necklace. Then have a contest all day. Whoever is caught doing a peaceful negotiation during the day wins their peace prize. (It has a dove with fully open wings with a olive twig in it's mouth)

Get an outline of his silhouette. Cut out of black. Let kids glue onto white paper and then you list the peaceful ways the kids handle their problems OR have them tell you and you write it for them. To get along better with others I can.....

I can get along with my friends at school by.....

If someone treats me unfairly I can.....

To help a friend who is sad I could.....

What If?

Ask your children "what if?" questions about problems that commonly arise. Try questions like "What if you want to play on the swin, but your friend won't get off?" "What if there's one cookie left and three of you want it?" Help your children come up with peaceful solutions to these problems. The encourage them to think of more problems to solve.

Alphas and Omegas

Before you do the activity, it would be best to explain segregation to the children. Explain to the children that MLK led nonviolent protests. He did this to protest segregation and discrimination against black Americans. Black Americans were not allow to sit in the same waiting rooms as whites, use the same toilets, drink from the same drinking fountains, eat in the same restaurants, sit down on the bus unless all the Whites were seated first. They had to ride in the back of the bus and go to separate schools from Whites. Black Americans were not allowed to attend colleges. Many black Americans were afraid to register to vote because of violent threats made to them by Whites or because of fear of losing their jobs. Churches were segregated.

This activity will help children see segregation in action in their own classroom. Count the number of children in class. Cut enough small slips of paper so that each child will be able to draw one. One out of every ten slips(ex.) write the word OMEGA. and the others will have the word ALPHA. Give each Alpha a yellow ribbon and the Omega's a green ribbon. Now let the segregation rules follow. The Alphas may sit anywhere they desire, and even take seats away from the Omegas. Omegas can not use the same water fountain, so they will have to use a different fountain. The two groups will be unable to eat together during snack time, the Omegas will be unable to make any classroom decisions. The Alphas will line up first when leaving the room. Limiting the time to an hour is probably a good idea with the young children.

What may happen during this activity:

Omegas may feel progressively isolated and alienated.

Alphas may make remarks or tease the Omegas.

Alphas may begin to feel superior to the Omegas and take advantage of their position.

Songs

Dr King

(tune: Old MacDonald)

Dr. King had a dream for p-e-a-c-e.

He wanted people to be friends and live in harmony.

He had lots of love to share.

He spread kindness everywhere!

Dr. King had a dream for p-e-a-c-e!

MLK Jr.

by Jacqueline Woodson

(Tune: Twinkle Twinkle)

Freedom, freedom, let it ring.

Let it ring said Dr King

Let us live in harmony.

Peace and love for you and me.

Freedom, freedom let it ring.

Let It Ring Said Dr King

(Tune: Jingle Bells)

Friends hold hands, Freinds hold hands

Friends hold hands and smile.

All our classmates are our friends.

Let's sing with them a while.

A Song About Martin Luther King

(Tune: Yankee Doodle)

Dr. King was a man

Who came from Atlanta Georgia.

Had a dream that he preached

For all men to be equal.

Dr King was so brave

Martin was a hero.

Won the fight for everyone

To end discrimination.

Freedom

(Tune: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)

Freedom, Freedom let it ring

"Let it ring", said Dr King

Let us live in harmony Peace

And love for you and me

Freedom freedom let it ring "Let it ring", said Dr King.

Martin Luther King Jr.

(tune: "I'm a Little Teapot")

Martin Luther King, they always say,

Thought of friendship every day.

And he always wanted you and me

To live together peacefully.

~ June Meckel ~

We Know How to Get Along

(tune: "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

We know how to get along

Get along, get along.

We know how to get along

Every single day

We take turns and share a lot

Share a lot, share a lot.

We take turns and share a lot

While we work and play!

` Kathy McCullough ~

Books

A Picture Book of MLK Jr. by David Adler

MLK Jr. by Jacqueline Woodson