Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Field Trips and Online Resources

These Martin Luther King Jr. virtual field trips and online resources will help your tween learn more about this civil rights icon.

While we officially celebrate his life and legacy on the third Monday in January, Black History month is another wonderful time to have your tween explore the life, work, and legacy of this influential figure.

Dr. King spent his life trying to change the world and make it a better place. It’s important for tweens to learn about the important work he did, as well as his character and compassion for others.

Martin Luther King Jr Monument in Washington DC

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Whether you’re studying Martin Luther King Jr. as a part of Black History Month or as a part of a broader American history study, these interactive resources will definitely engage your tweens.

Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Field Trips

Tour these sites connected to and honoring Martin Luther King Jr. with as part of your studies.

Dr. King’s Birth Home

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia at the home of his maternal grandparents. He attended Booker T. Washington High School and after skipping two grades; he entered and graduated from Morehouse College.

Dr. Kings’ birth home is now owned by the National Park Service and offers guided tours by park rangers, but if you can’t make the trip, you can take a virtual tour of the home at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr National Historic Park in Atlanta, GA.

You can also take a walking tour of Morehouse College.

Like many famous individuals, there are libraries named after him and you can visit the MLK library in Washington DC online.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and Historical Sites

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial is in Washington D.C. It’s part of the National Park Service and was built in 2011. Through a time lapse video, you can follow the construction of this beautiful memorial, then take a virtual walk around the completed statue.

Atlanta, Georgia is the home of the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site and includes these locations:

  • Visitor Center
  • BEHOLD Monument
  • “I Have A Dream” World Peace Rose Garden
  • Birth Home
  • Fire Station No. 6
  • Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church
  • The King Center, Dr. & Mrs. King’s Tomb, and Freedom Hall

They have several excellent curriculum resources to help your kids learn about race and social justice. There’s also a page filled with sermons, speeches, and writings of Dr. King.

While not specifically about Martin Luther King, Jr., your student can take a virtual field trip to selected sites of the Civil Rights Movement, which was such a large part of his life and work.

Virtually visit the Lorraine Motel, the location where MLK was assassinated. It’s now part of the National Civil Rights Museum and they have a ton of great online learning resources for kids and tools that will help you teach the struggle for freedom and justice to students.

The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you want to help your tweens learn more about his life, there are several resources you can use in your homeschool to increase their knowledge. 

Check out the MLK Encyclopedia and Wikipedia pages to learn all about his life.

This interactive civil rights timeline will help your tweens understand key points in this movement, including many related to Dr. King.

These photos give tweens a glimpse into the life and work of MLK and shows them how he was a “Hero for All.”

A superb source of information can also be found in Oprah’s Master Class entitled “The Playful Side of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” In this touching video, John Lewis, a recently deceased member of the U.S. House of Representatives, shares about his close friend.

Recognized for his contributions, Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35. At the time, he was the youngest man to have received this prestigious recognition. He donated the prize money to further the civil rights movement.

He was viewed as a leader and hero as he stressed the importance of love, justice and equity.

See how he got a national holiday named after him.

Quick Video Histories of Dr. King

The Biography channel has posted a wonderful summary of this noted minister and civil rights activist in a quick video. Another online resource is a video presentation entitled “Let Freedom Ring.”

A youngster, known as Kid President shares the story of Martin Luther King, Jr. in a way that will definitely connect with your tweens.

Memorable Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.

A wonderful thing to do with your tweens and teens is to study primary source material, like MLK’s famous speeches. Let your kids hear his amazing addresses for themselves so they can understand why he was a respected leader and sought after orator.

King for Kids has a ton of primary source material available for you to view online. These make a great addition to your homeschool lessons.

His “I Have a Dream” speech is probably his most iconic. Enjoy listening to a recording of this inspirational speech that he delivered on August 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C. at the Lincoln Memorial.

One of the most historic event of that era was the march from Selma to Montgomery, AL. His speech titled “Our God is Marching On” is when historians believe the movement shifted from legal and political rights to economic equality.

King spoke out against the Vietnam War and was criticized because most Americans supported the effort. His speech “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence” was delivered at the Riverside Church in New York City on April 4, 1967.

On April 3, 1968 in Memphis, Dr. King delivered his “I’ve been to the Mountaintop” speech, which turned out to be his last. He delivered this address to sanitation workers who were striking to protest their low pay and working conditions. He emphasized the need for non-violence, but tragically he was assassinated just a few days later.

MLK’s Family Legacy

Although he died on April 4, 1968 at 39, his family carried on his work and mission. First by his wife, Coretta Scott King, until her death in 2006 and now his four kids.

Through his grown children, Martin Luther King Jr.’s spirit lives on today. Activists in their own right, they often share about the legacy of their father.

This recent article talks about Dr. King’s children and their lives. This is another write up of how his children are continuing the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

And in April of 2018, Time magazine published a wonderful article titled “How Martin Luther King Jr.’s Children Are Carrying on His Legacy 50 Years After His Death.”

Collage of 4 images for a study on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

There are plenty of online resources and virtual field trips dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. that you can use when teaching your tweens about this powerful, inspirational, and historical man.

Best Resources About the Civil Rights Movement

I’ve filled my Amazon shelf with some amazing books about Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights pioneers that are perfect for your middle school studies.

Click on the button below to go right to the shelf and check them out.

books about MLK and the civil rights movement

Additional Virtual Field Trips for Middle School

  • Here are more educational online field trips you can use in your homeschool. They cover a variety of school subjects like art, history, science, and more.

What’s your best online resource for teaching tweens about Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Craig Zechman

Craig Zechman

I think learning is a lifelong adventure and I love that our family has embraced the homeschool life. For me, creating “living memories” is more valuable than reading it in textbook, so we take advantage of learning when and wherever we travel. Connect with me on LinkedIn