Bingo ideas / For the classroom

Martin Luther King Jr. Bingo Cards

The game for an MLK Day lesson, a Black History Month unit, or a community event. Hand out cards of key terms from the civil rights era and mark each one as it comes up in the lesson or reading — the first to a line wins.

Free to design and print · edit any square · 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5

Civil-rights history bingo turns a lesson on Dr. King and the movement into a game students stay engaged with. Start from the chalkboard-school template, keep the terms below or write your own, and you have cards ready to print in a couple of minutes.

Because every card is shuffled from the same square list, no two students get the same grid — so a small reading group or a full classroom can play and still get unique cards as they learn the history together.

Squares for a civil-rights history card
  • Civil rights movement
  • I Have a Dream
  • March on Washington
  • Montgomery bus boycott
  • Nonviolent protest
  • Equality
  • Justice
  • Peaceful march
  • Letter from Birmingham Jail
  • Selma to Montgomery
  • Nobel Peace Prize
  • Voting rights
  • Civil Rights Act
  • Freedom
  • Sit-in protest
  • Lincoln Memorial
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Baptist minister
  • Boycott
  • Segregation ends
  • Dream of unity
  • Rosa Parks
  • MLK Day holiday
  • Beloved community

These are just a starting point — swap in your own words in the editor before you print.

Ideas for your game

  • Tie squares to the lesson

    Mark a term when it appears in the reading, video, or discussion, so the card guides students through the key moments of the movement.

  • Use it for MLK Day events

    Hand out cards at a community gathering and check off terms as speakers and presentations cover them, keeping all ages involved.

  • Print a stack or play live

    Print a tidy batch for the class, or share one link and a QR code so students can play from tablets during a remote lesson.

Editable and printable

Edit every square. Open the card in the editor, keep the suggested squares or replace them with your own words, emoji, or photos, and pick a theme that fits the day.

Print a whole set at once. Each card is shuffled from the same square list, so every player gets a unique grid. Print to standard letter or A4 paper on any home printer — or order professionally printed cards shipped to your door.

Or play live. Share one link and a QR code and the whole room plays from their phones, in person or over video.

Questions

How do I make this history bingo for free?

Open the editor, pick a clean theme, keep the history-term squares or type your own, and print. A basic set is free to make and print.

Is this appropriate for younger students?

Yes. Every square is editable, so you can simplify the wording or swap in the specific terms and people your grade level is studying.

How many cards should I print?

One per player. Each card is randomly shuffled from the same list, so a reading group or a full classroom all get unique grids.

Can I print them on regular paper?

Yes. The print view is sized for standard letter and A4 paper, so any home printer works, and you can also order professionally printed cards.

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