"Not the color of their skin..." - MLK Day Activity

Dr. King left a profound legacy; a legacy that continues to shape our nation each and every day. As we celebrate his life, character, and ideals this Monday, there are several great visual illustrations that will help your students grasp Dr. King's important message;

That men not be judged by "the color of their skin, but the content of their character!"

MLK Day Illustrations

In keeping with Dr. King's message, these illustrations show that, while we may all look different on the outside, we're the same on the inside!

• Apples. Just like people, apples come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes. What we love about using apples as an illustration is that each apple can be cut horizontally, not only to reveal that the inside flesh is the same color, but that each apple contains a "star" inside of it! The star shape can be related to our worth as well as our character and the ideals that we stand for.
• M&Ms. While a bag of M&Ms contains various colors, once you bite through the colorful outside shell, each contains sweet chocolate on the inside. Students will love the treat and will hopefully be reminded of Dr. King's message each time they eat the sweet candies.
• Blow pops. Similar to M&Ms, blow pops come in various flavors and colors, but once the outside sugar coating is gone, they all have a piece of pink bubble gum in the middle.
• Eggs. While raw eggs provide fewer variations in color (and they're not a treat that your kiddos can actually eat), they do provide a simple illustration of Dr. King's message and might actually offer an extended learning opportunity for your kiddos who may or may not have seen brown eggs!

We're certain you could find many things to help illustrate this important concept - the ideas listed above are just a start! What we do know is that visual illustrations often have a big impact and help your kiddos remember learned concepts. This is definitely one of those messages that you'll want your students to internalize and keep with them!