Discuss the life of Martin Luther King Jr with the class. While some students may already know a lot about him, some may not, so covering this information will ensure everyone knows who he was. Many websites which give summaries of his life, depending on how much detail you want to give. At a very minimum, the students need to know that King was born in 1929, was a minister, and was a monumental figure in the 1960's civil rights movement, where he organised passive resistance. In 1963 he gave the famous 'I Have a Dream' speech. In 1968, King was assassinated.
Print a copy of the speech for every student. You can find copies of the full speech from many teaching books or document guides. Ask the students to read through the speech a few times, and get used to how it is written, and what is being said.
Play a recording of the speech to the class. Point out the way King speaks and presents himself. Talk about why the crowd reacted with such excitement, and how King used his charisma, knowledge and superior oratorical skill. You may want to replay the speech a few times, so students can truly grasp the presentation style.
Split the class into groups of four, and section the speech into four equal sections. Each person must 'claim' a section, and present it to the class. Encourage the students to learn their sections, and also the other sections, so they know when to start. You can choose whether to allow students to read from notes.
Ask students to write their own 'I Have a Dream' speech in the style of King's speech. The students might find listening to this again useful, and being able to refer to their own copies of the speech. Prompt students about what King talked about - what were his dreams of the future? if the students struggle, use a simple prompt sheet and ask them to expand on their answers from this.
Ask the students to type up or write neatly their speech. They can select some small, relevant images to display around the text, if they wish. You may wish to choose a font and font size, so all the speeches have a similar look.
Allocate some time for each student to present his or her speech to the class. Inform students that they will be marked both on the content of their speeches, and with the manner that they are presented - you are looking for a charismatic performance, similar to the one King gave.
Display all of the speeches on a display board, with the original 'I Have a Dream' speech in the middle in a bigger font. This will allow students to refer back to the original, while also reading modern versions.