ABOUT THE STORY
Martin Luther King, Jr. Receives the Nobel Peace Prize takes the students back to the moment when Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Quote 1: "Some few spectators, who had not been trained in the discipline of nonviolence, reacted to the brutality of the policemen by throwing rocks and bottles. But the demonstrators remained nonviolent. In the face of this resolution and bravery, the moral conscience of the nation was deeply stirred..." –Martin Luther King, Jr. (May 4, 1963)
Quote 2: "Even the most casual observer can see that the South has marvelous possibilities. It is rich in natural resources, blessed with the beauties of nature and endowed with a native warmth of spirit. Yet in spite of these assets, it is retarded by a blight that debilitates not only the Negro but also the white man.... Segregation has placed the whole South socially, educationally, and economically behind the rest of the nation." –Martin Luther King, Jr.
INTERVIEW TOPIC Invite a witness to Reverend King's civil rights movement to class. Before the speaker arrives, help the students prepare interview questions. Include literal and interpretive questions. Write the questions on chart paper and display the chart at the front of the room. Give the speaker a list of the questions so that he or she can prepare. After the discussion encourage the students to ask impromptu questions. DAY THREE EXTENSION ACTIVITIES Discuss the current trend of "self-segregation." Although all races work together in the classroom, do students tend to group with their own race during lunch? Why does this happen? Why does it not happen at your school? Are the students and the school enriched by this behavior or, as Reverend King stated, are all students' and the school's "marvelous possibilities" retarded by this behavior? 2. Ask each student to bring in an article or write a summary of an article dealing with self-segregation. Review the articles using Quote 2 as a guide for the discussion. 3. Ask the students to voluntarily mix with other racial groups during lunch breaks for one week. Pair black students with white, Asians with Hispanics, and so on. What did the students learn from the experience? How did they feel at the beginning of the week? How did they feel at the end? BOOKS TO READ VIDEOS CDS, RECORDS, AND CASSETTES Excerpted from Reading Stories for Comprehension Success.
Interview a person who lived during Martin Luther King's civil rights movement. What was his or her reaction to the nonviolent protests led by Reverend King? Even if the person was a child at the time, he or she can give unique insight into the era.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
DAY ONE
Objective: The students will listen to Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. They will discuss the content and meaning of the speech.
DAY TWO
Objective: The students will gain insight to Reverend King's civil rights movement from someone who was involved in, or a witness to, the movement.
Story Lesson
"The title of the story we're reading today is 'Martin Luther King, Jr. Receives the Nobel Peace Prize.' As you read the article, try to visualize the time in which the event occurred. What do you think the story is about? What do you already know about Martin Luther King, Jr.?"
Literal and Interpretive Questions
1. Students review Quote 2 from the Quotes of the Week. "What did Martin Luther King mean when he said, 'Yet in spite of these assets, it (the South) is retarded by a blight that debilitates not only the Negro but also the white man...'? How does segregation retard the marvelous possibilities of those being denied access as well as those prohibiting access to others?"
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Copage, Eric V. Black Pearls: Daily Meditations (Cassette). New York: Harper Audio, 1994.
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