In order for change to come, one has to be intrinsically motivated to create that change within oneself. Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. lived out their message of change to the world; through their examples, the ideal of non-violence – as a means to advance equality – became a reality. Related literature and informational text will provide my students with the opportunity to "Be the Change" that
they
want to see in the world. I invite you to embrace this initiative through my curriculum unit, as it is interdisciplinary in scope, incorporating history, creative writing, oral language and reading.
The curriculum unit opens with an introduction to the Civil Rights Movement and life work of Dr. MLK Jr. and transitions into a focus on his peaceful protest against segregation. Next, Mohandas Gandhi's life and Satyagraha movement during the time of India's Independence Movement is explored so that the unit can culminate with students creating their own messages of change to the world, inspired by these peaceful heroes.
(Developed for Literacy and Social Studies, grade 3; recommended for Literacy and Social Studies, grades 3-5)
