Jesse Lucabaugh
February 9, 2016
Primary Source Lesson Plan
Introduction:
 Lesson topic –Martin Luther King, Jr.
 Length of lesson – 45 to 55 minutes
 2.11 – The student will identify George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller,
Jackie Robinson, and Martin Luther King, Jr., as Americans whose contributions improved the lives of
other Americans.
 Context –Students will be introduced to Martin Luther King, Jr. and his contribution to the Civil Rights
Movement using prior knowledge of primary and secondary sources to analyze selected documents and
photographs.
 Global Themes –Martin Luther King, Jr. was an activist and prominent figure of the Civil Rights
Movement who famously gave his speech entitled “I Have a Dream” during the March on Washington for
Jobs and Freedom, which is considered a defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement.
Content Objectives:
 Students will:
o Discover who was Martin Luther King, Jr. and his important role in the Civil Rights Movement
o Utilize primary sources to develop a greater understanding of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech
and its relevance within the context of the Civil Rights Movement
o Participate in groups to analyze the significance of selected photographs pertaining to the Civil
Rights Movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. by writing captions about photographs provided.
Assessment Aligned to Objectives:
Formative
 Students will listen to a reading of As Good As Anybody by Richard Michelson, recall significant
information from the text, and ask pertinent questions about the text.
 Students will watch a video of MLK’s speech “I Have a Dream” as well as follow along with a transcript
of the speech and participate in a follow-up discussion.
 Students will analyze primary sources within groups and participate in a peer discussion about their
interpretation of the primary source(s) and present their decisions to the class.
Summative
 Students will write captions for one of the photographs in small groups and explain to the class regarding
their decision.
Materials:
 As Good As Anybody by Richard Michelson
 “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
o Official Program of March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
o Photograph of MLK marching in Washington
 Additional photographs
o Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act
o MLK with Dwight D. Eisenhower
o MLK with John F. Kennedy
Teaching and Learn Sequence
Time
10 min
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25 – 35
min
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10 min
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Teacher Actions
Student Actions
Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Read As Good As Anybody by Richard
 Students will listen intently
Michelson
 Students will form inferences from the
Instruct students to comment/ask
text and share them with the class
questions about the book.
Lesson Development
Hand the students a transcript of Martin
Luther King’s “I Have a Dream
Speech” and present a video.
Ask the students to determine whether
the video, transcript, and book are
primary or secondary sources.
Present and provide a brief description
of each of the photographs and entertain
any questions
Split the class into five or six groups
and distribute photographs
Provide directions regarding the group
discussion and the collective
construction of a sentence that best
describes the photograph
Supervise groups and provide additional
direction when necessary.
Ask groups to elect one student to
present to the class their sentence and
why it was chosen.
Closure
Ask relevant questions about what
students learned about Martin Luther
King, Jr. and how the primary sources
helped students develop a better
understanding
Ask students what they learned from
the primary sources that they might
have learned from secondary sources
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Students will follow along with the
transcript while watching the video.
Students will correctly establish which
are primary sources and secondary
sources.
Be attentive and ask questions if
necessary about the photographs
Relocate into assigned groups
Students will discuss the photograph
with peers and collectively come up
with a sentence that best describes the
photograph provided to them.
Students will elect a group member who
will present to the class their findings.
Students will participate in the
discussion by asking questions and
volunteering relevant comments
Homework (not applicable)
References
(1958 June 23) Dwight D. Eisenhower Receiving a Group of Prominent Civil Rights Leaders [digital image]. Retrieved February 8, 2016 from
docsteach.org/documents/7865625/detail?menu=closed&sortBy=relevance&q=martin+luther+king%2C+jr.&commit=Go
(1963 August 28) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking [digital image]. Retrieved February 8, 2016 from
docsteach.org/documents/54069/detail?menu=closed&sortBy=relevance&q=martin+luther+king%2C+jr.&commit=Go
(1963 August 28) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mathew Ahmann in a crowd [digital image]. Retrieved February 8, 2016 from
docsteach.org/documents/542015/detail?menu=closed&sortBy=relevance&q=martin+luther+king%2C+jr.&commit=Go
(1963 August 28) Leaders at the Head of the Civil Rights March on Washington D.C. [digital image]. Retrieved February 8, 2016 from
http://docsteach.org/documents/542002/detail?menu=closed&sortBy=relevance&q=martin+luther+king%2C+jr.&commit=Go
(1963 August 28) Meeting with Leaders of the March on Washington [digital image]. Retrieved February 8, 2016 from
http://docsteach.org/documents/194276/detail?menu=closed&sortBy=relevance&q=martin+luther+king%2C+jr.&commit=Go
(1965 August 8) President Lyndon Johnson Signs the Voting Rights Act as Martin Luther King, Jr. with Other Civil Rights Leaders in the Rotunda,
Washington, DC [digital image]. Retrieved February 8, 2016 from
http://docsteach.org/documents/2803443/detail?menu=closed&sortBy=relevance&q=martin+luther+king%2C+jr.&commit=Go
(1963 August 8) Official Program for the March on Washington. Retrieved February 8, 2016 from
http://docsteach.org/documents/5753043/detail?menu=closed&sortBy=relevance&q=martin+luther+king%2C+jr.&commit=Go
Michelson, R. (2008). As Good As Anybody. New York: A.A. Knopf
National Archives & Records Administration (1963 August 28). Featured Documents. “I Have a Dream” Speech. Retrieved from
http://archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/mlk_speech/index.html
Prior Knowledge and NEW Instructional content
Prior Knowledge
Students will have learned how to identify and differentiate between primary and secondary sources as well as
possess a rudimentary ability to analyze primary sources in the context of historical interpretation.
New Content
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a prominent figure during the Civil Rights Movement. He gave his famous “I Have a
Dream” speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which is considered a defining moment of
the Civil Rights Movement.
Instructions Modifications to
ASSIST Students
Encourage students to listen to
MLK’s “I Have a Dream “speech
instead of reading along.
Main Events of Instruction
Classroom/small group discussion regarding the
narrative, the speech, and the photographs
Students will work together to create captions for
the photographs that have been provided.
Teacher will ask student’s what they have learned
using primary sources that they might not have
learned from secondary sources.
Instructional Modifications to
CHALLENGE Students
Encourage students to read
MLK’s “I Have a Dream”
speech while listening to the
video.