STAND UP FOR DR. KING

Dr. King’s birthday is just around the corner.  Here’s a song my daughter Holly wrote that I am so proud of.  The meaning of the song and the vocabulary you can teach are powerful!  

 Stand Up For Martin Luther King – 3^rd Monday in January

(Tune:  “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” HAPPY EVERYTHING CD)

Dr. King stood up for justice.                    (Stand and sway

He stood up for equality, too.                    back and forth.)

Dr. King stood up for children.

He stood up for me and for you.                 (Point to self and then others.)

So now we…

Stand up, stand up,                                   (March in place to the beat.)

Stand up for Martin Luther King.

Stand up, stand up,

Stand up for Dr. King.

Dr. King wanted all of America                  (Sway back and forth.)

To be tolerant, fair, and free.

He stood up for what he believed in.

He stood up for you and for me.                (Point to self and the others.)

So now we…

Stand up, stand up,                                   (March in place.)

Stand up for Martin Luther King.

Stand up, stand up,

Stand  up for Dr. King.

Dr King taught us all to be dreamers         (Sway back and forth.)

So one day the world could begin

To judge people based on their character

And not on the color of their skin.

So now we…                                             (March in place.)

Stand up, stand up,

Stand up for Martin Luther King.

Stand up, stand up,

Stand  up for Dr. King.

*You can download the book at drjean.org/January, 2007.  A good way to make these books is to glue the cover to the front of a pocket folder.  Insert the other pages in clear sheet protectors and insert them in the folder.

MLK and KWL - Check out books from your school library on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   Put them in your class library and ask the children to see what they can find out about Dr. King.  Use a KWL chart to begin your discussion.  K – What do they already know about Dr. King?  W – What do they want to learn about him?  L – After reading books about Dr. King, add the new information the children have learned.

Heroes – Martin Luther King was a hero.  Make a list of other people that the children consider to be heroes.  What character traits does a hero have?  Ask children to write stories about what kind of hero they would like be when they grow up.

Acts of Kindness – Get a spiral notebook and write “Acts of Kindness” on it.  Encourage the children to record kind deeds their classmates do for them.  Read over the book at the end of each day to encourage more positive behavior.