Livingston—Martin Luther King Jr. used peaceful demonstrations and the power of language to inspire fellow Americans to change the way in which African Americans were treated. His message is an important one to instill in our students.

Prior to vacation, each grade in the Lower School focused on an age appropriate message that can be taken from the Civil Rights Movement. The students learned about the life and accomplishments of Dr. King, including his “I Have a Dream” speech. They also learned about the plights of Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges. The students had conversations about how to treat others and discussed the injustices that occurred in our country during that time. Our students listened to stories, heard songs, researched the time period, and used their writing skills to respond to what they learned.

Students in pre-k through 2nd grade participated in a special egg experiment. The students looked at eggs with different colored shells. They then made predictions about how they thought the inside of the eggs would be different. The students quickly discovered that on the inside, each egg was the same. At varying levels of understanding, they made the connection to people and the idea that we should not judge people by the color of their skin.

Last week, the students gathered for a school wide assembly. Through a multimedia presentation, including songs, stories, and footage of the “I Have a Dream” speech, the children were inspired to help Martin Luther King Jr. make his dream a reality. They connected his dream to the words of Rabbi Akiva, “ve’ahavta le’reacha camocha” (Love thy neighbor as yourself).

By Naomi Maron