Martin Luther King, Jr.

A WebQuest for 5th and 6th Grade (Language and Visual Arts)

Designed by Jason Cross, Heidi Erickson, Wesley Garcia, and Frances Hauser

jcross@cvesd.k12.ca.us
herickso@cvesd.k12.ca.us
wgarcia@cvesd.k12.ca.us
fhauser@cvesd.k12.ca.us

Introduction | Learners | Standards | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Student Page

Introduction

This lesson was developed as part of an educational technology requirement for EdTech 570.  

This lesson deals with the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Students will study specific components of his life and create a research-based essay along with an artistic representation in the form of a mural.


Learners

This lesson is anchored in fifth grade language and visual arts and involves social studies to a lesser extent.  This lesson can easily be extended into sixth grade.

Students will have to have prior knowledge of the time period in which Martin Luther King, Jr. lived.  Students should have previous experience in working in small groups.  


Curriculum Standards

Reading Comprehension
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.3 Discern main ideas and concepts presented in texts, identifying and assessing evidence that supports those ideas.
2.4 Draw inferences, conclusions, or generalizations about text and support them with textual evidence and prior knowledge.

Writing Applications
2.3 Write research reports about important ideas, issues, or events by using the following guidelines:
a. Frame questions that direct the investigation.
b. Establish a controlling idea or topic.
c. Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations.

Written and Oral English Language Conventions
1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions
Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions appropriate to this grade level.

VISUAL ARTS
Create Expression
2.7 Communicate values, opinions, or personal insights through an original work of art.

Aesthetic Valuing
4.4 Assess their own works of art, using specific criteria, and describe what changes they would make for improvement.

Visual and Language Arts standards addressed
  • Comprehends and analyzes grade-level-appopriate text.
  • Writes research-based essays about important ideas, issues, and events regarding Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Writes and speaks with a command of standard English conventions approprate to grade-level.
  • Communicates values, opinions, or personal insights through a mural.
  • Assesses their own works of art, using specific criteria in the form of a rubric.
This lesson addresses critical thinking reinforced by creative production.  The students use research-based information to design a creative piece through the medium of visual arts.


Process

  1. The teacher introduces the subject, Martin Luther King, Jr., by reading the book, I Have a Dream.
  2. Introduce the five components regarding Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and accomplishments:  family, education, speeches, contribution to society, and death.
  3. The students will have an opportunity to pick one of the five components and join the group associated with that component.
  4. The students will research as much information about Martin Luther King, Jr. related to the component assigned to your group.
  5. Individually, the students write an essay about the component.
  6. The students will meet with their group and read their essays aloud.
  7. After analyzing the essays, the group will decide what items they think is most important to include in the mural.
  8. Focusing on the important items, the students create three sketches that illustrate these important items.
  9. As a group, the students will decide which sketch would best represent the group's component.
  10. The group will decide which part of the mural each member will paint.
  11. The students shall paint.

This lesson will take part over a three-week period utilizing approximately 45-60 minutes each day.  The students will spend the first days researching Martin Luther King, Jr.  One or two days will be spent on the written portion of the project.  The remainder of the time will be used to create the representation, first on paper, then drawn and painted onto the mural itself.

Students will be divided into groups based on the component they chose.  If problems occur within the groups, teacher can make adjustments as needed.

This lesson can be successfully executed by a teacher with any level of experience.  Due to the amount of group work and art being done by the students, good classroom management skills are crucial.  However, we hope that students will be so engaged in this assignment that there will be minimal discipline problem.


Resources Needed

  • Reference materials regarding Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Available computers with internet access
  • Art supplies:  brushes, paint, butcher paper, etc.

Recommended websites:
Encarta
Seattle Times
King Center
King
Life Magazine

Evaluation

The group will get a common grade using the rubric score below.  

Beginning

1

Developing

2

Accomplished

3

Exemplary

4

Score

 

Creativity of Design

 

The illustration is partially drawn-out using little or no color.

Illustration is not organized.

The illustration is partially  drawn-out using some color. 

Illustration includes some organization.

The illustration is drawn-out using a color.

Illustration is organized.

The illustration is well drawn-out using a multitude of colors.

Illustration is organized and fluid.

 

Appropriateness of Final Design

 

The illustration conveys little or no details related to the topic.

The component's main idea is not clear.

The illustration conveys some details, not always effectively.

The component's main idea is somewhat clear.

The illustration conveys appropriate details effectively.

The component's main idea is clear.

The illustration conveys relevant  details effectively and innovatively.

The component's main idea is clear and engaging.

Credits & References

King, Jr., Martin Luther.  I Have a Dream.  Scholastic Press:  New York.  1997.

The picture above was taken from Resource for Life.

List any books and other analog media that you used as information sources as well.

Include a link back to The WebQuest Page and the Design Patterns page so that others can acquire the latest version of this template and training materials.

You might want to include the following statement:

"We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is hereby granted for other educators to copy this WebQuest, update or otherwise modify it, and post it elsewhere provided that the original author's name is retained along with a link back to the original URL of this WebQuest. On the line after the original author's name, you may add Modified by (your name) on (date). If you do modify it, please let me know and provide the new URL."

Last updated on (put date here). Based on a template from The WebQuest Page