Stanford University
Letter from Birmingham Jail: The Power of Nonviolent Direct Action
What strategies are most effective in changing an unjust law? Class members examine the tactics used in the Birmingham Campaign of 1963 (Project C) to achieve social justice and social transformation. After examining documents that...
Newseum
Making a Change: Letter From Birmingham Jail
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter From Birmingham Jail" was written in response to "A Call for Unity," written by eight white ministers from Birmingham and published in the local newspaper. After reading both letters and following a list...
Curated OER
Socratic Seminar on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter From Birmingham Jail
Key in the struggle to gain the rights of democratic citizenship was the April 1963 arrest of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil disobedience. To deepen their knowledge and understanding of events during the civil rights movement,...
California Education Partners
Letter From Birmingham Jail
To demonstrate their ability to comprehend complex text, ninth graders are asked to craft an essay in which they use evidence drawn from "Letter From Birmingham Jail" to analyze how Martin Luther King, Jr. uses rhetorical devices...
Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program
A Mini lesson on Semicolons
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" serves as an exemplar for a mini-lesson on semicolons. Working alone or in small groups, class members first circle all the semicolons in the letter, and then consider how this...
Curated OER
MLK Letter From Birmingham Jail Analysis
Designed as a PowerPoint presentation for AP English class, this resource provides a detailed analysis of the content, format, and purpose of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s “Letter from the Birmingham Jail.” Because much of the...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 20
Readers take all the information they gained from the last 19 lessons and complete an essay describing how King develops his purpose and claim in "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Pupils use a rubric and checklist to help guide their...
Literacy Design Collaborative
Exploring Character Development in The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963
How did the Civil Rights Movement affect young people in the United States? Scholars read Christopher Paul Curtis' novel, The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963. Next, they write compare and contrast essays showing how the main...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 7
Scholars read King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" paragraphs to identify his arguments and reasoning. They discuss their ideas in pairs and small groups, complete a Model Argument Delineation Tool, and respond to a quick writing prompt.
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 15
Some things are worth doing again. Scholars take a look to see which ideas Martin Luther King Jr. revisits and refines in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail." To help with the process, readers answer guided questions, look at word...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 13
Freedom is not free. Scholars write to a prompt analyzing two pieces of work that develop ideas about freedom. Readers compare “Freedom” by Rabindranath Tagore and "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr. Learners work...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 8
Readers analyze paragraphs from the "Letter From Birmingham Jail" and determine King's purpose and how he supports it. Scholars discuss given questions with their peers, learn new vocabulary words, and complete a quick writing prompt.
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 12
Sticks and stones may break bones, but words matter. Scholars analyze words in paragraphs from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail." They use new vocabulary words and discuss how King's words develop and support his...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 6
Readers determine if this statement applies when comparing the central idea of Ahmad Shamlu's "A Blind Alley" and Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter From Birmingham Jail." Learners analyze the standard related to the central message, listen...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 5
People should always choose their words carefully. Scholars examine the words used by Martin Luther King, Jr. in paragraphs 10 and 11 of his "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Readers answer questions about word use, think about synonyms,...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 9
How did Martin Luther King Jr. establish tone in his writing? Scholars analyze King's tone and discuss how he changes and refines his claim in "Letter from Birmingham Jail." They also define new vocabulary words, respond to a writing...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 10
Scholars review the previous nine lessons of analysis of King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and use their work to create a formal essay responding to a writing prompt about the purpose of the work. This mid-unit assessment is a quick...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 11
Choose your words carefully. Martin Luther King Jr. carefully chooses his words to provide evidence to support his claim about segregation. Scholars work in pairs to discuss previous lessons, complete homework assignments, determine the...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 14
Let's see how the story unfolds. Scholars examine paragraphs of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" to determine how King unfolds his analysis of the church. Before arriving at an answer, learners work in pairs and...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 16
Take your place in the world—or the text. Scholars look at how the placement of a particular paragraph adds to the meaning of "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr. Before working on a quick write activity; readers...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 17
Scholars read the final paragraphs written by Martin Luther King Jr. in "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Readers work in groups to discuss King's word choice and point of view by completing graphic organizers. They also respond to a...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 18
Examine how Martin Luther King Jr.'s final paragraphs of "Letter from Birmingham Jail" summarize the ideas throughout the piece. Readers discuss word usage and new vocabulary and complete guided questions to better understand how the...
EngageNY
Grade 10 ELA Module 2: Unit 1, Lesson 19
Great minds think alike. Scholars read two texts and compare how the authors develop the same central idea. Readers analyze "Women" by Alice Walker and "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr. They discuss word use and new...
Curated OER
Understanding the Theoretical Basis for Civil Disobedience
Students analyze Henry David Thoreau's 'On the Duty of Civil Disobedience' and Dr. Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." In this civil disobedience lesson, students read Thoreau's essay and answer 6 questions for the...