I have a son in kindergarden. Today we were talking and I mentioned that the two of us have the day off on Monday because of a holiday. He asked what holiday and I told him Martin Luther King Jr day, but he did not recognize the name. I am now looking for a few books to teach him a little bit about Dr. King and the civil rights movement.
Do you have any recomendations for an almost six year old?
Thanks for your suggestions. By the time I went to the library, our local branch was picked over. I did pace holds on many of the titles suggested.
As for those who said that he will be learning about Martin Luther King Jr and civil rights in school, I am well aware of that. Just because it is taught in school, is no reason not to teach it at home. Reading, Writing and Math are also taught at school. Should we leaving teaching those subjects entirely up to the teachers also, or is it our responsibility as parents to teach it to our children too?
Ready-to-Read, Level 1: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
By: Margaret McNamara, Mike Gordon
I have a son in K and a daughter in 1st and they both loved this book. Any level 1 reading book is good for their age to start off.
The Story of Ruby Bridges is great. Ruby Bridges was the first black student to attend an all white school in the south. They are reading it to my son's first grade class this week. It is really making an impact with him and I think he is finally starting to grasp the idea of the Civil Rights Movement, despite my attempts to explain it before. (http://www.amazon.com/Story-Ruby-Bridges-Special-Annivers...)
Last year we checked out Martin'sBig Words from the library. I thought it was a great way to explain who Martin Luther King was to my son. http://www.amazon.com/Martins-Big-Words-Martin-Luther/dp/...
They will probably talk about it in class, not in great detail (because K's can only grasp so much) but my kids always had a little lesson or unit on MLK right before the holiday. I still remember the "dream" clouds they made in 1st grade, SO special!
As far as books go, head to the library! Likely there will be a special display in the children's area, and if your son doesn't have his own library card now is the perfect time to get one :-)
I think there is a DK Reader titled 'Martin Luther King, Jr'. Can probably be found at your library but can check it out on Amazon.
My kids' schools always taught about MLK and the importance of the civil rights movement. Even in Kindergarten.
Like Mamazita, my son did the "Dream Cloud" project and it was so amazing that I still have it. He wrote some statements in his own words and I cried when I read it. My son's level of compassion and ability to grasp the situation, even at such a young age, was very touching.
Kindergarten is a bit young, but both of my kids saw the movie, "Mississippi Burning". There were some other good ones I can't think of right now.
I'm sure you can Google books on the subject appropriate for your son's age, but it's my guess they will also be learning things at school.
My son is now a senior in High School and they still have projects and assingments that are relative. I don't know if they still have them anymore, but I bought my son a collection of post cards celebrating Black History Month at our local Post Office. Each card was dedicated to people who had played a part in Civil Rights throughout history including biographies. He never sent any of them, he kept them with his stamp collection.
*Rosa Parks: Not Giving In (The Time Traveler’s Adventure) by James Collins
An audio interactive advanced picture book with CD that tells the story of Rosa Parks as a time travel adventure in which students go back in time and sit on the bus with Rosa Parks on that fateful day in December of 1955. [ages 6-10]
*The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
When Ruby Bridges was 6-years-old, she was the only African American student to attend a newly desegregated school in Louisiana. Her extraordinary ability to withstand a hostile environment while viewing her tormentors (adult and child) with forgiveness makes her an inspiration to us all. My kids were lucky to meet her at a school event a few years ago. She continues to inspire! If you want to see if you can get her to come to your school, go to this link: www.rubybridges.com/ [ages 4-8]
*Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport
This multi-award winning multicultural picture book somehow manages to put the power of Martin Luther King Junior’s words into a format that is accessible to kids as young at preschoolers while simultaneously telling the story of the Civil Rights Movement in an accessible way. A must read! [ages 4-9]
There is a lot of great information out there.
Try your school or local library.
Best wishes.
It's not specifically about MLK, but I like "The Other Side," about a little girl who lives close to the fence that segregates her side of town from the "white" side. There is a little girl - white - who lives on the other side. Both girls are told not to climb over the fence, but the girls become friends and solve the problem, by sitting on top of it together.
The book ends with the girls talking, and saying, "Someday, somebody's going to come along and knock this old fence down..." maybe you could introduce MLK as one of the people who helped do that.
My 1st grader came home with a library book about MLK.
It is called "My Brother Martin"
'A sister remembers growing up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'
and is written by Christine King Farris.
As the title says, it is more a book about the man himself, more than about civil rights... but it is good!
Grateful for your question, because last night left my husband and I scrambling around trying to find something age-appropriate to do, to educate our kindergartner about MLK and why we celebrate his birthday. We asked him last night what he learned at school, and I swear the child said "We learned we don't have to go to school next week, we get to miss school because a brown man set the slaves free".
W T F?
I'm on my way to the library after lunch and will ask the children's librarian to help me find something for him. A movie, a book, and we will attend the parade downtown. Going to go through all your answers and see if I can get some ideas/inspiration from the other moms on here.
while I applaud your good intentions, I wouldn't worry about it.
if he's in the public schools he will get more info on MLK than you will imagine....
I figured out that by the time my kids had finished 3rd grade, they had spent 4 weeks on MLK, 3 weeks on Rosa Parks, and 2 weeks on Cesear Chavez. they had also spent a grand total of 5 days on all the founding fathers and presidents together, including the Civil War. And I live in white bread suburbia in the Rocky Mtns - not exactly a hotbed for Civil Rights.
I'm not at all opposed to learning about the Civil Rights movement. Just, there needs to be a balance. And, the kids need to have some context and without any info on the previous 250 years, there is no context.
so, I'd spend more time at home on the founding fathers (and mothers), the presidents, Revolutionary War, Civil War, etc.
Keep up the good work feeding his curiousity!
"Selma, Lord, Selma"
http://www.amazon.com/Selma-Lord-Girlhood-Memories-Rights...
For a six year old-NO-but a great book.
My children came home every school day for a month in tears during Black History Month-it is tough for children being raised in a household void of racism and bigotry-they really don't get it.
