Imagine living in a different world! Can you do it?

Reading and Writing Lesson: Read a little this week, then write a comment we can read. Next week, you will see a comment from me about you writing.

On Monday, January 18,  we had a national holiday from school, and many businesses and government offices were closed because we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. every year. He was born on January 15, 1929, so we have a national holiday on the Monday after his birthday. Dr. King was an important, intelligent American leader. He taught us a lot about being kind and fair to people of every race and color. He dreamed that people of many races, religions and cultures can live together without hatred and without fear.

I think everyone agrees that it is important to be fair, but history all over the world shows us that many people are not fair or kind to others. Dr. King encouraged us to fight in strong, peaceful ways for fairness, justice, and freedom. He encouraged us to fight for civil rights. For example, civil rights are the right to vote and the right to go to school. Dr. King had many successes working for civil rights. He won the Nobel Peace Prize, an international honor, because he worked so hard and so well. If you would like to know more about his life and work, you can read more online here.

Dr. King spoke in a special style that is often used in churches. He spoke in a very emotional, dramatic way to encourage people to think and care. One time in Washington D.C., Dr. King made a very famous speech to more than 200,000 people. 

Click here to get our vocabulary list , but I will give you one in class. These important words help you understand the speech.

Click to watch some of this speech about his dream. Listen carefully to what he dreams for his children and all people. (You can watch the video more than once when it begins.)

Now that you live and work in the U.S., you will meet and get to know people from many races and many cultures. I hope you will enjoy meeting and working so many different people. I hope your will not need to work with a boss or co-workers who have hatred in their hearts. I believe we can all encourage all to look at character, to build character, and not to act with hatred or unfairness.

Sadly, there is racism, unfairness, and hatred in many countries, cities, and neighborhoods, not just the United States.

• What about your home country? Do you have any stories about racism or unfairness? 
• Who are your important civil rights leaders?
• What is your dream for a better world?

Please post a comment to our class bog. You don't need to write a lot. You don't need to write about history, just about your dream. 

How do you do post? Look down the page a little bit. Find Post a comment. Click. Write your comment in the box. Write your name in your post. Click Anonymous. You will also need to copy a funny looking word before you can post. 

Grammar and Vocabulary Practice with Gerunds :

1. After you click and read about V+ing, scroll down the page to find 6 exercises to help you.