10 Civil Rights Movement Activities and Timeline for Kids

The Civil Rights Movement Activities for Kids 4th Grade, 5th Grade, Middle School

The Civil Rights Movement is one of the most important chapters in American history—but it can be tricky to teach in ways that are meaningful, age-appropriate, and engaging. These 10 activities require little or no prep, yet offer powerful learning opportunities for your students. Whether you’re planning a lesson for Black History Month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, or a broader social studies unit, these ideas are ready to use.

TEACHING TIP:
“Don’t try to cover everything. Focus on what will help students connect emotionally and think critically.”

to see best-selling and best-reviewed Civil Rights books, activities, timeline, and classroom posters from my Amazon Associate store. I did the searching for you to save you time.

A Quick Look at the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Before diving into activities, start with the basics. Passed on July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act was a landmark law that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It applied to voting, schools, jobs, public places, and more—and marked a turning point in the movement for justice.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." 

— Martin Luther King Jr. 

CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ACTIVITY IDEAS:

1. Listen and Reflect: “I Have a Dream” Speech

Play Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful 1963 speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Then, have students reflect by writing their own dream speeches focused on fairness, kindness, or changes they’d like to see in the world.

Optional extension: Use this Quizlet set to quiz vocabulary and key ideas from the speech.

Click HERE.

2. Watch Real Civil Rights Interviews

The Civil Rights History Project includes oral history interviews with people who lived through the movement. Try Ruby Nell Sales’ interview or others available HERE.

Student project options:

• Write 10 historical facts from the video

• Reflect on what they learned and how it made them feel

• Compare insights in small groups

• Research more about one moment

• Create a classroom word wall with vocabulary from the interviews

More interviews my be found HERE.

3. Explore the March on Washington (Virtually)

This online Smithsonian exhibit transports students back to the March on Washington. It’s visual, interactive, and a powerful supplement to textbook learning.

Click HERE to see the overview, exhibit items, slideshow and more.

4. Take a Virtual Tour of Civil Rights Sites

Let students explore a digital map of important civil rights landmarks, then choose one to create a travel brochure encouraging others to visit and learn from that place.
Click HERE.

5. Civil Rights Timeline Walk

Hang index cards with events like Brown v. Board of Education or the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Have students work together to place them in order. This physical movement helps solidify understanding of the sequence of events.

6. The Team Behind the Law

Students can research the lesser-known people behind the Civil Rights Act—like Everett Dirksen, Hubert Humphrey, or Roy Wilkins—and create a class poem, rap, or short story about teamwork and progress.

Here are some individuals to get you started:

• President John F. Kennedy,
• President Lyndon B. Johnson,
• Everett Dirksen,
• Emanuel Celler,
• Hubert Humphrey,
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
• Mike Mansfield,
• William Moore McCulloch,
• Roy Wilkins,
• Clarence Mitchell, and
• A. Phillip Randolph

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." — Helen Keller

7. Freedom Fighters Research & Craft

Who were the male and female heroes of the Civil Rights Movement? Let students research and complete a foldable craft to display their findings.

Click HERE to download the file.

8. Listen to the Music of the Movement

Play protest and freedom songs from Smithsonian Folkways and discuss how music fueled unity and hope. Ask students which songs or lyrics stood out and why.

Click HERE to listen to samples from Smithsonian Folkways.

9. Create a Civil Rights Quilt

Break your class into small groups. Assign each one a Civil Rights hero to research—like Ruby Bridges or John Lewis. Then, have each group design a quilt square with images, words, and facts. Combine them to create a bulletin board quilt titled:
"Voices of the Movement"

10. Grab My Curated Civil Rights Resources

Want ready-to-go posters, timelines, and children’s books on civil rights? I searched Amazon for the best-rated and teacher-loved resources—so you don’t have to.

👉 Check out the full list here

Shelly Anton is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. ** This means there are Amazon affiliate links in these blog posts. This does not mean you pay a dime more when you purchase a product through the link. It just means I am trying to save you valuable teacher time by making it easier for you to find valuable resources for your students, and I earn a few cents for my research and time. Thank you for all you do for kids!