Children's literature is a powerful way to engage young learners in understanding the civil rights movement (CRM); yet at the same time, most children's books focused on the CRM often create ahistorical, inaccurate depictions by only focusing on a few key people such as Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King Jr. or events such as the March on…

For many years, educational practitioners have been implementing multicultural literature about African-American, Asian, and Latino families. Teachers have also presented literature about great leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Helen Keller. However, the same cannot be said about literature depicting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and…

Every February, schools celebrate Black History Month and teachers teach the grand narrative of famous African Americans such as Martin Luther King, Jr. While the stories communicate bravery, they are also about racism and violence. Here, through narrative inquiry, a teacher deconstructs Black History Month, inviting student responses to stories…

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, this month's featured book is "Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." The book was written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier (Jump at the Sun, 2001. 40p. ISBN 0786807148). This pictorial biography of the world-renowned civil rights leader has one of the most striking…

How can everyone celebrate the most powerful dream (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s) in America's history, which paved the way for civil rights, equality, and social justice? How can everyone heighten students' awareness of these civil and social issues? An increased use of African-American literature is one effective way. In this article,…

Briefly reviews three recent biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr. that also deal with the civil rights movement. Summarizes contents and identifies reading ability levels appropriate for elementary and junior high students. Recommends six additional King biographies for children. Also endorses two filmstrips on King and the movement. Gives full…

Presents resources for teaching about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Outlines criteria for selecting biographies for children and young adults. Identifies problems in certain biographies of King, and recommends high quality biographies of King. Discusses exercises for integrating themes from King's life into the classroom. (RW)

Reviews children's books, teacher references, mini-plays, and curriculum resources that relate to the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Reports that most of these sources ignore growth and changes within King's life and thought, the role models who shaped his philosophy, or his participation in issues such as the Vietnam War and poverty. (KH)

This biography for younger readers depicts the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., the Nobel Peace Prize winner who dedicated himself to the struggle for equal rights for African Americans while embracing the principle of nonviolent resistance. The book presents an overview of the civil rights movement and chronicles King's role as national leader…

Poetry that relates to the beliefs and actions of Martin Luther King, Jr. can be used to help students appreciate the civil rights leader's contributions, examine their own aspirations, and critically analyze poems. A reproducible poetry page is included. (IAH)

Describes one elementary school's "Living the Dream" award program named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students read and reviewed books and presented the award to the author of a recent picture book that focused on multicultural awareness. A list of suggested titles is included. (SM)

Presents scenarios from a kindergarten classroom in which dramatization is used extensively in conjunction with nonfiction books. Shows how the children acted out topics that ranged from the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., showing that they were able to develop rich representations of nonfiction materials.…

Three books by Eleanora Tate, "The Secret of Gumbo Grove" (1988), "Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!" (1992), and "A Blessing in Disguise" (1995) are discussed with respect to their portrayal of African-American children and their responsibility to both themselves and their community. (MAK)

This document presents an annotated bibliography of instructional materials that deal with subjects relating to holidays. Topics include Christmas, Earth Day, Easter, Halloween, Hannukah, Independence Day, Martin Luther King Day, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, and "More than One Holiday." Works cited include illustrated stories, poems,…

Intended for teachers of preschool and up, this book combines three favorite pastimes: reading great books, exploring related activities, and cooking. The book lists 36 books relating to a holiday or observation, beginning with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and ending with New Year's Eve. It summarizes each featured book and gives a related…