10 Days: Martin Luther King Jr. (PDF) - Scholastic Book Clubs

eading group guide:
10 days: Martin Luther King Jr.
by David Colbert
Reading Levels: GRL: V LEX: 1060L DRA: 50 AR: 7.9
Pre-reading activity
Create a Photo “Gallery” Photocopy and enlarge the images that accompany each of the ten days
depicted in the book, number them, and mount them at various locations in the classroom. (Do not
include the captions.) Have students do a “gallery walk,” writing a brief analysis of each photograph
using the following prompts: Who or what does each photograph depict? Who or what does it bring
to mind? What questions do you have about the image or the scene it captures? Give students the
opportunity to share their answers. Then, have students read the captions in the text and compare
them to what they inferred about the people and scenes depicted. (RH.6–8.7)
Questions for discussion or Written resPonse
• What early experiences influenced Martin Luther King, Jr.? What philosophical ideas helped
shape King’s views on civil rights and social justice? (RI.7.3)
• Compare and contrast King’s philosophy with the philosophies of Malcolm X and Stokely
Carmichael. What ideas did the leaders share? How did their views differ? (RI.8.3)
• Analyze the sequence of events leading up to the March on Washington. What political
obstacles did King and the other organizers of the march face? Describe the interactions
between King and President Kennedy. Why was King worried about the speech John Lewis
was planning? (RI.11–12.3)
• What problems did King face near the end of his life? Cite specific evidence from the text in
your answer. What can you infer about James Earl Ray and his motivation for assassinating
King? (RI.7.1, RI.7.3, RI.8.1, RI.9–10.1, RI.11–12.1)
• How did King influence the ideas of the Civil Rights movement? Describe King’s enduring
legacy, using specific details from the text in your answer. (RI.7.3)
Scholastic Book Clubs Reading Group Guides 1

other activities to try
Read King’s Own Words Have students read Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
and/or “I Have a Dream: Address Delivered at the March on Washington, D.C., for Civil Rights on
August 28, 1963,” both Common Core text exemplars for grades 9–10. Ask students to determine
the purpose of each text and to examine the rhetorical devices King used to advance that purpose.
If possible, show students a video version of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and discuss how King’s
delivery affected the impact of his words. (RI.7.7, RI.9–10.6, RI.9–10.9)
Research Civil Rights Figures Have students choose one of the other civil rights figures mentioned
in the book (e.g. Malcolm X or Stokley Carmichael) to research and write about. Students should
gather information from multiple print and digital sources. Then, they should craft historical narratives
about the figures they choose with clear introductions, supporting information, appropriate
transitional phrases, and relevant conclusions. (WHST.6–8.2, WHST.6–8.8, WHST.9–10.2, WHST.9–10.8,
WHST.11–12.2, WHST.11–12.8)
Make a Classroom Timeline Have the class create a large-scale illustrated timeline of Martin Luther
King, Jr.’s life to span a wall in the classroom. Be sure to include the 10 days described in the text
as well as other important events in King’s life (birth, marriage, etc.). Illustrate the timeline with
photocopied pictures from the pre-reading activity above along with additional images. (RH.6–8.7)
BuiLd vocaBuLary
Preview Challenging Words Have students work individually or in groups to determine the
meanings of new words. Ask students to use a three-columned chart to record context, word
meanings, and synonyms. (RL.7.4, L7.4, RL.8.4, L.8.4, RL.10–9.4, L.10–9.4, RL.11–12.4, L.11–12.4)
animosity denigrates inciting notorious prestigious
charismatic deranged infuriated oratorical rancor
colossal dissolute ingenuity petulant tactician
conformity evasion laboriously pinnacle vicious
conscience filibuster liability pragmatic volatile
sites to visit
Find a Collection of Resources for teaching about Martin Luther King, Jr.—including a video of his
“I Have a Dream” speech, and a slideshow and quiz about his life—at http://tinyurl.com/6qmmxeu
View Extensive Resources for teaching about African American heritage at
http://tinyurl.com/28dny28
NOTE: Questions are keyed to the Common Core Standards www.corestandards.org
RI: Reading Standards for Informational Text
RH: Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies
L: Language Standards
WHST: Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science,
and Technical Subjects
Scholastic Book Clubs Reading Group Guides 2