How To Use A Reading Response Journal To Research Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

When looking for Martin Luther King Jr. activities to do with your students a reading response journal can easily pair with a read-aloud. You can help your students research Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Upper elementary students can benefit from researching people from the past using a biography reading response journal. Researching people helps students to see others’ challenges. Often, upper elementary students think they are the only ones with challenges and adversities. However, doing research allows them to witness the determination and strength of others despite their situations.

There are many books written for students that can be used with your classroom Martin Luther King Jr. activities. In this blog post, I will be focusing on the book “Martin Luther King Jr., Walking In The Light” by Jon M. Fishman, and “She Persisted: Coretta Scott King” by Kelly Starling Lyons.

Why Research?

As students enter upper elementary, they are expected to progress in their skills. Using a biography reading response journal can help guide students. I will focus on using it as one of your Martin Luther King Jr. activities, but it can be used for any biography. A biography reading response journal can be used as a tool for modeling how to research Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Modeling how to research with your students can help them see that it can be an enjoyable task! Teaching students how to research and learn about others is an important skill. One that helps guide them into becoming lifelong learners!

What is a Biography Reading Response Journal?

A biography reading response journal is a journal that is made to be used with biographies. Students are guided into taking notes about the person they are studying. In this blog post, we are focusing on how to research Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. I am using the books “Martin Luther King Jr., Walking in the Light” and “She Persisted: Coretta Scott King” by Kelly Starling Lyons for the read-alouds. I am using my biography reading response journal I created for fourth and fifth grade students.

Photo of a book about Martin Luther King Jr. and a book about Coretta Scott King

Steps To Use A Biography Reading Response Journal

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

1. Read-Aloud

Introduce the read-aloud to your student. Remember reading aloud to students in upper elementary may at times look different than reading to primary students. Sometimes, like in this case the text will be longer in length and contain many text features. “Martin Luther King Jr., Walking in the Light” is a book that if you chose to read all of it to your students you would do so over weeks. When I use a longer text as a read-aloud with my students I read excerpts of the text, talk about text features, and guide students in discussions. Students can read the book in its entirety separately during independent reading or for homework.

2. Introduction

Have students write down Martin Luther King Jr.’s name in their journal. Next, have them write down the title and author of the book they will be referencing. Introduce the text by reading and discussing the book summary. Then do a photo and text feature walk of the book. Lastly, see what students’ prior knowledge about Dr. King is by asking students to share what they already know.

photo of the table of contents for the biography reading response journal

3. Vocabulary

Talk with students about vocabulary words that are true to biographies like biography, autobiography, perspective, point of view, accomplishments, adversity, and characteristics.

4. Important Dates

Have students list some important dates about Martin Luther King Jr., beginning with his birthdate and birthplace. Guide students in writing his birthdate and birthplace so they are writing the information accurately. Next, have students write down two major life events they may know about him. If they do not have anything to add right now they can come back to this after discussing information from the text.

photo of the reading response journal important dates page

5. KWL Chart

Before you really get into the text. Have students share the K and W of a KWL Chart. K- What I Know About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and W- What I Want to Know About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., at the very end of your lesson, come back to the L- What I Learned About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

6. Childhood/ Education/ Family Life

Discuss with students about Dr. King’s early life, his education, and his family life. First, begin with his childhood family life with his parents and siblings. Then discuss his adult family life with Coretta and their children. In the text, the Southern Heritage, Bright Student, and Leading Movement sections have great information about these areas of his life.

sample reading response pages for childhood, education and family life/hobbies

7. Challenges

Discuss with students the challenges that Dr. King faced from an early age throughout adulthood. Have students make note of the challenges he faced due to racism, prejudice, segregation, Jim Crow Laws, injustices, and violence toward him and his family.

8. Important Facts

Guide your students into writing important facts about Dr. King.

photo of journal page where students can write down important facts about Dr. King

9. Summarize

At the end of your lesson, help students to summarize what they have learned. This entire lesson will probably take two or three days to complete. Make the lesson your own. Remember to have students go back to the important dates page and write in two major life events if they did not do so before. Also, have them complete the L- What I Learned About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in the KWL chart.

photos of important dates and important facts journal pages of my reading response biography journal

Steps To Use A Biography Reading Response Journal

Coretta Scott King

1. Read-Aloud

Introduce the read-aloud to your students. I recommend reading the book “She Persisted: Coretta Scott King” by Kelly Starling Lyons from cover to cover with students. You can do this by reading for about 15 minutes a day. Have students jot down notes in their biography reading response journal while reading. This is also a great book to read with students during Women’s History Month! If you are unable to read all of it with students perhaps you just read the first 3 chapters. Then have them read the rest separately during independent reading or for homework.

2. Introduction

Have students write down Coretta Scott King’s name in their journal. Next, have them write down the title and author of the book they will be referencing. Introduce the text by reading and discussing the book’s summary. Then do a picture walk of the book. Lastly, see what students’ prior knowledge about Coretta Scott King is by asking students to share what they already know.

3. Vocabulary Words

Talk with students about vocabulary words that are true to biographies like biography, autobiography, perspective, point of view, accomplishments, adversity, and characteristics. You will also want to talk with students about the meaning of the word persisted used in the book title. At the back of the book, the author has some questions for students on how they can persist in their lives.

4. Important Dates

Have students list some important dates about Coretta Scott King, beginning with her birthdate and birthplace. Guide students in writing her birthdate and birthplace so they are writing the information accurately. Next, have students write down two major life events they may know about her. If they do not have anything to add now they can return to this after hearing information from the text.

5. KWL Chart

Before you begin reading the text, have students share the K and W of a KWL Chart. K- What I Know About Coretta Scott King and W- What I Want to Know about Coretta Scott King. At the very end of your lesson, come back to the L- What I Learned About Coretta Scott King.

6. Childhood/ Education/ Family Life

Discuss with students Coretta Scott King’s early life, her education, and her family life. First, discuss her childhood family life with her parents and siblings. Then discuss her adult family life with Dr. King and their children.

7. Challenges

Discuss with students the challenges that Coretta Scott King faced from an early age throughout adulthood. Have students make note of the challenges she faced due to racism, prejudice, segregation, Jim Crow Laws, injustices, and violence toward her family.

8. Important Facts

example Important Facts reading response journal page

9. Summarize

At the end of your lesson, help students to summarize what they have learned. Make the lesson your own to fit your classroom schedule. Remember to have students go back to the important dates page and write in two major life events if they did not do so before. Also, have them complete the L- What I Learned About Coretta Scott King in the KWL chart.

example of a summary reading response journal page

A biography reading response journal can help upper elementary students do research. This can be one of your Martin Luther King Jr. activities that you do in your classroom. Having students learn about Coretta Scott King alongside of learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gives student’s the perspective from each of their lives. Students can research Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. I have created a biography reading response journal for students in fourth and fifth grade that was featured in this blog post. Here is the link to this product in my TPT store. Also, read my blog post Researching Harriet Tubman During Black History Month where I use this biography reading response journal for researching Harriet Tubman.