8th Grade Martin Luther King Day Google Apps

Introducing Martin Luther King Day / MLK Day essay writing has never been easier! This comprehensive writing prompt unit with 4 complete essay lessons - argumentative, expository, narrative, and persuasive - guides students through the step-by-step process of crafting a compelling essay. Using detailed graphic organizers, students will learn to draft an outline with convincing evidence and write a thorough essay.

All aspects of argumentative writing, expository writing, narrative writing, and persuasive writing are covered in this resource: brainstorming ideas, developing a thesis statement, introducing supporting evidence, writing hooks and leads, and incorporating the 6 Traits of Writing™. The resource also focuses on how to structure the rising action, climax, and falling action in the plot of the personal narrative essay.

The video, slide show, graphic organizer, worksheets, writing template, and rubric allow students to practice and develop their essay writing skills. The writing quiz reinforces guided note-taking techniques when used in conjunction with the instructional video. The detailed lesson plans make implementing essay writing easy for teachers.

This no-prep lesson is adaptable for in-class instruction, distance learning, or independent student work. The instructional video with writing tutorial and template can be presented as whole class instruction or assigned for students to complete at home.

All materials are available in both Google Drive™ and print formats, ensuring easy access for all students.

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This Writing Prompt Unit for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day includes:

4 Entertaining Instructional Videos with:

• Brainstorming ideas
• Prompt identification and comprehension
• Thesis statement development
• Plot and character development
• Rubric explanation
• How to Write a/an (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive) Essay Tutorial
• How to Write a/an (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive) Essay writing quiz / guided note-taking

4 Detailed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Lesson Plans with:

• Common Core State Standards Indicated on Lesson Plan
• Instructional Focus
• Instructional Procedures
• Objectives/Goals
• Direct Instruction
• Guided Practice
• Enrichment
• Differentiation
• ESE Strategies
• ELL Strategies
• I Can Statement
• Essential Question

4 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Worksheets with:

• Prompts
• Brainstorming sections
• Thesis statement development sections
• Plot and character development
• How to Write a/an (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive) Essay Tutorial

4 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Slide Shows with:

• Introduction slide with prompts for expository, argumentative, persuasive, and narrative Prompts
• Brainstorming slide (interactive for students to list and develop ideas)
• Standard and implied thesis development slides
• Plot and character development
• How to Write a/an (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive) Essay Tutorial
• Checklist Slide

4 Essay Rubrics

• (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive)

4 Graphic Organizers

• (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive)

Google Slides™

4 Writing Quizzes

• (Argumentative, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive)

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The lessons in the Middle School Holiday Writing Prompts Unit include:

• 9/11 - September 11th
• April Fools'
• Arbor Day
• Christmas
• Cinco de Mayo
• Columbus Day
• Daylight Savings
• Earth Day
• Easter
• Election Day
• Father's Day
• Grandparent's Day
• Groundhog Day
• Halloween
• Hanukkah
• July 4th
• Kwanzaa
• Labor Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Memorial Day
• Mother's Day
• New Year's
• Passover
• Presidents Day
• St Patrick's Day
• Take Your Child to Work
• Thanksgiving
• Valentine's Day
• Veterans Day

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AVID Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream" Speech + Socratic Seminar: In this Mini Socratic Seminar and Lesson students will mark the text of the "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Then they will have Socratic dialogue in small groups in order to discuss the essential question, “What aspects of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech can be applied to the world today?”

By the end of this Socratic Seminar your students will have a deep understanding of what Martin Luther's Speech entails and what aspects of the speech can be applied today which is presented as the EQ of this Seminar. Use this AVID Mini Socratic Seminar Lesson to increase dialogue and engagement in your classroom.

MLK Bundle

AVID Lessons Bundle

AVID Bundle

AVID Team Building Bundle

What's Included:

• Lesson Plan with a walkthrough of all the slides and a video overview and explanation.
• I Have a Dream Speech- google doc which includes a transcript for students to mark their text and come up with questions in the margins for the Seminar. They will also add an essential question at the top, summary at the bottom, and fill out the embedded vocabulary chart.
• Google slides- go over the lesson related to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his speech and discuss the process of a Soccratic Seminar. The slides include embedded links for students to follow along and access required documents.
• Participant Reflection- a digital Google Sheets document for students to summarize and reflect what they learned through the Seminar.

Directions:

• Students will discuss the background of the I Have a Dream Speech as directed through the teaching slides.
• Students will read and watch the speech video and follow directions for marking the text.
• Students will look for integrity and leadership qualities.
• Students will bold unknown words and add these words and their definitions to their embedded vocabulary chart in the speech text.
• Students will come up with questions for the Socratic Seminar using Costa's Level of Thinking.
• Students will meet with a partner to clarify any confusions.
• Students will summarize the text by answering the EQ in 3-5 sentences.
• Students will review the protocol for Socratic Seminars.
• Students will use their questions and provided sentences stems to have dialogue in the Seminar.
• Students will complete a participant checklist in order to reflect on the seminar.

Definition:

A Mini Socratic Seminar is a scholarly discussion of an essential question in which student opinions are shared and refined through dialogue with other students in small groups. In this mini format, the teacher or seminar leader facilitates the discussion for the small groups.

Purpose:

In a Socratic Seminar, participants seek to answer an essential question and gain deeper understanding of laws, ideas, issues, values, and/or principles presented through rigorous and thoughtful dialogue

Advantages:

• Teaches respect for diverse ideas, people, and practices
• Enhances students' knowledge
• Creates a community of inquiry
• Develops critical thinking, problem solving, speaking, and listening skills
• Clarifies one's ideas, ethics and values
• Maximizes student participation
• Encourages divergent thinking

Mini Seminar Directions:

1. Students are placed in small groups or virtual break out rooms of 5-6 students.
2. Teacher poses the essential question.
3. Teacher chooses a Socratic Seminar leader for each group.
4. The leader facilitates the seminar discussion by guiding group members to a deeper and clarified consideration of the ideas, a respect for varying points of view, and adherence to and respect for the seminar process.
5. Students may pose new questions when the discussion is exhausted. New questions posed must relate to students’ ideas and contributions in response to the initial essential question.
6. If dialogue slows use one of the provided questions to encourage discussion.
7. Students complete the participant checklist during the last 5 minutes of class.

More MLK Resources

Click HERE to see our other AVID resources.

We also have several great AVID bundle options available down below!

AVID Mega Growing Bundle

AVID Teambuilding Bundle

AVID Writing Bundle