ESL Lesson
Martin Luther King Jr.
Cloze, Vocabulary & Essential Questions (EQs)
ESL Lesson by Ottavio
Lo Piccolo
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
(circle all correct
choices)
Example:
1.
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?
MLK
was a…
a. reader b. feeder c. preacher
a social… a. machinist b. activist c. pessimist
a civil right… a. leader
b. teaser c. squeezer
and a. a tutor b. an author c.
a furor
2.
What did he like to do as a young boy? When he
was a young boy, he liked to play a. soccer b. baseball c. swimming
3. What did he accomplish? What did he do that improved the lives of American blacks and the poor people in the USA?
He worked for the civil rights of (a. black b. white c. yellow) people,
since/because blacks (c. could d. could not) go to any school, or ride in the (a. rear/back b. front of) the bus, and ( a. didn’t b. did) have to give up their seats to white people. (give up = leave/give to another person)
3.
What was happening in the USA when he was a young boy? When he was a young boy
blacks were (a. free b. couldn’t) do all they wanted.
Blacks…
4.
a. couldn’t b. could go to school with
white students.
5. c. couldn’t d. could sit in the seats at the front of the bus.
6.
a.
couldn’t b. could use the same restrooms,
water fountains and shops.
7. Blacks… a. were b. weren’t allowed to vote, go to any school.
8. What was MLK’s dream? MLK/His dream was (a. equal b. unequal) opportunity and (a. similar b. different) treatment for his children and all people.
9. What can we do to help MLK’s dream come true? To help MLK’s dream come true we should / must… (a. respect b. disrespect c. ignore) people- not just the color of
10. the skin and treat them (a. same/well b. different/badly) as we would like to be treated.
11. King taught his followers to be… (a. violent b. peaceful or non violent),
12. He also told them to… (a. talk b. fight c. read d. write) letters and
13. (a. mall b. mall c. call) our political/government representatives/rep
14. and (a. kindly / politely b. angrily/disrespectfully) ask/tell them to pass
15. laws and/or do something (a. good b. evil) for our country.
16. We can also write
letters (a. on the walls b.
on paper) to newspapers
(a.
peacefully b. angrily) express our views, and/or concerns
(issue
17. problems) that (a.
interest b. worry c.
entertain) us about the future of our nation and the world.
18. We also must give (a. good/positive b. bad/undignified) example to our families- especially our children- then our friends and the community by being (a. respectful, peaceful, kind b. mean, rude, violent c. uncaring, indifferent, and cynical). Cynical = pessimistic, sarcastic, skeptical suspicious, distrustful, etc.)
19. Why do people from all races respect him. They/People respect him because he taught people to use a. violence b. non-violence c. hate
20. Do you respect / honor him? Why? I do because he was…
(a. little, insignificant b. great, significant) man who persistently (always)
21. worked for the rights of (a. blacks and the poor b. whites and the rich)
22. against segregation (racist) laws with non -violence ways (methods),
23. worked for civil rights, inspired and encouraged others to be
24. (a. mean, worse b. kind, better), was a very (a. visible b. invisible) and
25.
a vocal (a. quiet
b. talkative) person, who led
people in peaceful
26. (a. parties b. riots c. marches/demonstrations),
27. gave (a. speeches b. food and money c. bad looks), wrote books
28. was one of the (a. most/more c. least/less) visible and outspoken
29. person who
(a. respected, understood b. disrespected/ misunderstood) others.
30. His message was very (a. clear and strong b. unclear and weak)
and he
31. always told people (a. to b. not to) use violence!
32. He was a great man because he was (a. an eloquent b. horrible)
33. speaker, he was (a.
afraid b. courageous/brave) even
when he knew
34. that he could be (c. paid well d. killed) for his efforts to (a. abolish b.
35. support) racist laws, but he continued working for (e. war f. peace
36. g. injustice h. justice i. equality, and or (j. fair/right k. unfair/unjust) treatment for the rest of his life.
37. Do you think that
white supremacists (racist people) honor and/or respect MLK Jr?
No, they don’t respect MLK because they
are…
a. loving, kind, tolerant , non-violent b. hateful, unkind, intolerant, violent
38. c. uncooperative, ignorant, arrogant d. cooperative, understanding, humble
39. e. afraid b. happy to lose control/power and c. ignorant, selfish bullies.
40. White supremacist also feel… a. humble b. arrogant/superior
41. They think that they are far (a. better b. worse) that blacks and other minorities, like immigrants and poor people.
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW
42. What was your dream in when you
first arrived in America?
The teacher said: When I arrived in
America, my dream was to learn English quickly and become independent (able to support myself)
by going to college and getting a job.
42a.
What about yours? What was
your dream in America Now it’s your turn, please answer question 9- here below. Write at least 1-2
complete sentences!
When
I arrived in America, my dream was to
43. What is your dream in America today? My dream today is to work full-time (f/t) for several (2-3) more years, then retire (stop) from my f/t job and work part-time (p/t) until God gives me the strength to carry on (continue). During my p/t working years I would like to dedicate (spend/pass) more time with my family, especially my granddaughter, and with my passions (my hobbies/pastimes), the things I like to do for fun; like writing, reading, painting, traveling, volunteering (working/helping other without compensation/pay) to carry on (continue). was to learn English quickly and become independent; go to college and get a job
Now, you answer it!
44a. What about yours? What is your
dream in America now?
My dream today is to
Martin Luther King Jr. VOCABULARY
Read each sentence and circle the correct meaning/s of the words in bold (darker).
Example: After his assassination, after he was… a. killed; murdered b. hired
1. He was memorialized by Martin Luther King Jr. Day. a. forgotten b. remembered
2. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist… a. minister& scholar b. entertainer
3. He was also a civil right…. a. pessimist b. activist c. imperialist
4. He had a seismic impact on race relations in the USA. He had a… a. small, minor
b. big, important impact/effect.
King headed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. His activism and inspirational speeches, he played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation (separation) of African American citizens in the United States, as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
5. King headed the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference (SCLC). He was a…
a. Leader, manager, boss b. follower worker
6.
His activism
was his… a. disinterest b. interest and involvement
7.
He gave
inspirational speeches. He talked with… a.
inspiration/interest
b. indifference/disinterest
8.
A pivotal
role is a… a. small,
insignificant b. great, big role in something.
9. Legal segregation means… a. lawful separation (ok) b. unlawful, not OK for the law.
10.
Citizens are people who are… a. legal (ok) b. illegal (can’t stay) for the law.
11.
Creation
is/means… a.
destroying b. making, building something.
12. A hero is someone
who is… a. selfish, uncaring
b. sacrifice his/her life for others
13. A social activist is very engaged and active in helping… a. himself/herself
b. others and/or a cause; like defending the poor, the environment, immigrants...
14. A civil right leader works to get… a. civil food b. better laws for society.
15. A preacher is a…
a. school worker b. church
leader who teaches about God and love.
16. Equality is… a. inequality, not the same b. sameness, likeness, fairness
17. African- Americans live in… a. Africa b. America and were originally brought here in the USA a. willingly, freely b. unwillingly, against their wishes
18. The poor are those people who have… a. all they need b. nothing or little
19. King encouraged others- he… a. cheered; stimulated b. offended others.
20. To be non-violent means to… a. use b. refuse, do not use violence.
21. A method is a way of doing… a. nothing b. a job and/or a project
22. He is one of my favorite American heroes. Is the one I… a. like b. dislike a lot.
23. The Constitution is the major… a. crime b. law, rules of the nation or the land.
24. To be treated equally, means to be treated… a. badly, unjustly b. fairly, justly
25. To be judged means to be…. a. valued, tried, evaluated b. looked at c. paid
26. Another word for character is… a. looks, beauty b. personality, behavior
27. Siblings are… a. brothers/sisters b. parents c. cousins
28. Pranks or jokes are… a. funny b. serious things we do or say.
29. Southern States are found in the… a. North b. south of the USA.
30. Something that is allowed, it… a. cannot b. can be done.
31.
Segregation laws force people to be… a.
apart
b. together
and they are also called c. fair d. racial laws.
32. Rallies and marches are ways to… a. protest, rebel b. agree and celebrate
33. King gave speeches- he talked in… a. private b. public c. hidden
34. Violence is the use of… a. force, brutality b. gentleness
35. Non-violence is the use of… a. force, brutality b. gentleness
36.
Legal segregation means that it was…. a. not OK/against the law
b. Ok for the government/law
37. The Civil Rights
Act (law) of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of
1965, were…
a. plays b. laws c. riots
38. Sacrifices are the… a. costs b.
rewards for doing something out of
love.
39. The Nobel Peace Prize is a/an… a. fine or tax b. award
40. Honors are… a. punishments b. awards, recognition
41.
An influential person
is…
a. insignificant, not
important, irrelevant
b. significant, important, relevant
42.
Inspirational leaders
make people… a. follow, stay__ b.
abandon, leave them.
MLK’s dream was that one day his children would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character- their hearts (their actions). I believe that we can contribute (help) in achieving (get, realizing) M L K’s dream by being non-violent, by not fighting and hurting others. If someone bullies us, or tries to fight with us, we can choose not to fight, and instead speak up and tell them to stop bothering and being mean to us. And if they insist (continue) will not listen, we can tell someone like the police, our friends, our teachers, our family members (siblings and/or parents), or a bus driver; so that they will stop.
43.
A bully is a… a. kind, loving, caring b. abusive, arrogant, mean person.
44.
To back off
means to… a.
continue b. stop
45. Mayor and council members run/manage…
a. the country b. towns and/or villages
46. To pass fair and just laws/regulations… means to a. approve b. disapprove rules, policies.
47.
To be eligible, means to
be…we must vote for leaders who are good;
48.
To be reliable means to be… a. dependable, honest b. undependable, dishonest
49.
To be capable means
to be… a. unable, incapable,
unqualified b. able, qualified
50. To be experienced means
to have… a. to have no knowledgeable
b. to be and expert
51. Proven leaders are those
who are… a. inexperienced,
untried b. experienced, tried
52.
The common good is to do the best for… a.
self, own family and/or political party
b. others, for society, for the nation and for humanity (all peoples on this planet)
53.
Society is… a. the
community of people, civilization, humanity b. animals & plants
54.
The Constitution is
the major… a. capital b. rules laws of a
democratic/free country.
55. Products are… a. merchandise, goods, foods, produces c. dreams and wishes
56.
Services, are
things/systems that… a.
we use and pay for b. make
57.
boycotting means… a. stop b.
continue buying and/or using services.
Answer the questions below in full/complete
sentences.
Note to find the answers you can read my essay and/or watch 1-2 videos in my online blog at:
1.
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.? MLK was a…
2. What did he like to do as a young boy?
As a young boy he liked he liked …
3. What was happening in the USA when he was a young boy?
When he was a boy he…
4. What important things did
he accomplish (do) as a man?
As a young man he…
5.
What was MLK’s dream? His dream was …
What can you do to
help his dream come true?
I
can help his dream come true by…
6. Why do people from
all races and walks of like respect him?
I think that most people respect him because he
8. Do you respect / honor him? Why?
I respect and honor him because he …
9.
Do you think that race relations are better or worse
today in America? Why? Why
not?
I
think that race relations are better / worse in America today because
