Free Lesson Plan: Martin Luther King Jr. Mural

Title/Description: A Mural for Martin Luther King Jr.

Level: Middle/High School

Duration: Two 45-minute class periods

Historical Overview: Martin Luther King Jr. and racial prejudice

Vocabulary: Mural, boycott, character, prejudice, mosaic

Materials: Butcher paper, pencils, markers/crayons/colored pencils, scissors, white computer paper

Procedures:

Day 1

1. Anticipatory Set: Ask preparatory questions about Martin Luther King. Read A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. by David A. Adler. Discuss what they learned about him.
2. Review vocabulary.
3. Show examples of murals.
4. Students brainstorm ideas for the mural and create sketches.
5. Students share their sketches.

Day 2

1. Demonstrate how to enlarge and simplify parts of their sketches.
2. Students work together on a large sheet of butcher paper to create the mural with pencils.
3. Use computer paper to create stencils of shapes if desired.
4. Go over final lines with markers/crayons/colored pencils and color in shapes
5. Students evaluate their work.