I Have a Dream

I Have a Dream

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to understand the historical context and significance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to identify the key themes and rhetorical strategies used in the 'I Have a Dream' speech. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to analyze the speech's impact on the Civil Rights Movement and its relevance to contemporary discussions on race and equality. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to explain the metaphorical language and allusions present in the speech and their effect on the message conveyed.

What do you already know about Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech?

The historical significance of the 'I Have a Dream' speech and its place in the Civil Rights Movement

Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech is a seminal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. King highlights the continued injustices faced by African Americans, a century after the Emancipation Proclamation.

The use of metaphorical language

King uses the metaphor of a 'bad check' to describe the unfulfilled promises of freedom and equality, emphasizing the urgency for change.

The themes of freedom, justice, and equality

King's vision includes a society where all are equal and judged by their character. He advocates for nonviolent protest and urges solidarity among all races to achieve civil rights.

The speech's vision for a united society

King's vision includes a society where all individuals are judged by their character rather than their skin color.

The nonviolent approach advocated by Martin Luther King Jr.

King advocates for nonviolent protest and the importance of maintaining moral high ground during civil rights protests.

References to American foundational texts

The speech concludes with a poetic vision of freedom and equality resonating across the United States.

Definition List

Emancipation Proclamation: An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, declaring the freedom of all slaves in Confederate-held territory. Civil Rights Movement: A decades-long struggle by African Americans to end racial discrimination and gain equal rights under the law in the United States. Segregation: The enforced separation of different racial groups in a country, community, or establishment. Discrimination: The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. Nonviolent protest: A method of protest that rejects the use of physical violence in order to achieve social or political change.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.