King (1978 Mini-Series) - 2-Hour Lesson Plan for High School

King (1978 Mini-Series) - 2-Hour Lesson Plan

Grades 8–12 | ELA & Social Studies Integration

Bring the Civil Rights Movement to life with this powerful 2-hour lesson plan built around the 1978 NBC mini-series King, starring Paul Winfield and Cicely Tyson. Students analyze leadership, nonviolence, and historical representation while connecting Dr. King’s story to modern struggles for justice. Perfect for MLK Day, Black History Month, or American History units.

What’s Included

• Complete 2-hour lesson plan with flexible extensions
• Printable student worksheet (12 sections) covering analysis, reflection, and film critique
• Scene-by-scene viewing guide (5 key parts from Montgomery to Memphis)
• Discussion questions for both small and large groups
• Historical context notes and film background
• Extension options for multi-day lessons or projects
• Assessment and standards alignment for ELA and History

How It Works in the Classroom

• Designed for excerpted film viewing (2 hours) or multi-day use
• Encourages discussion of leadership, courage, and social change
• Integrates primary sources, timelines, and maps
• Ideal for cross-curricular collaboration (ELA + History)
• Encourages reflection through creative and critical writing tasks
• Works in-person or digitally (printable & adaptable)

Standards & Learning Goals

Students will:

• Analyze Dr. King’s leadership and message over time
• Compare nonviolent resistance and other civil rights strategies
• Evaluate the personal cost of activism and social change
• Connect civil rights history to contemporary movements
• Critically examine biographical film as a historical medium

Aligned with:

• ELA Standards: Analysis, rhetoric, media literacy, discussion, and writing
• History Standards: Civil Rights Movement, primary sources, historical perspective

Why Teachers Love It

• Ready-to-teach, with no prep needed
• Helps students engage thoughtfully with challenging history
• Encourages deep discussion and empathy
• Perfect bridge between literature, history, and civic learning
• Easily differentiates for grades 8–12
• Teachers say it helps students “see history as human, not just a timeline.”

Bring depth, empathy, and relevance to your Civil Rights unit with this ready-to-use King (1978) lesson plan. Your students will never see Dr. King—or history—the same way again.