Ruby Bridges
Purpose:
1) Essential driving questions:
a. Who was Ruby Bridges and what was her role in the 1960s?
b. What were her educational experiences?
c. How does Ruby Bridges impact on education affect you today?
2) Enduring understanding:
a. Student will research to gather information about Ruby Bridges.
b. Students will present their researched information in a short presentation.
c. Students will engage in a class-wide discussion about Ruby Bridges and the
impact she had on education both in the 1960s and today.
3) Key Concepts:
a. Changes in education
b. Ruby Bridges’s role and impact in the Civil Rights Movement (particularly
segregation/desegregation in schools)
Standards:
Social Studies Standards:
Standard I
Culture – Social studies programs should include experiences that
provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity.
Standard II
Time, Continuity, and Change -- Social studies programs should
include experiences that provide for the study of the ways human
beings view themselves in and over time.
Standard V Individual, Groups, and Institutions – Social studies programs
should include experiences that provide for the study of how
instructions are forms and changed, and what role individuals and
groups have in these formations and changes.
Standard VI Power, Authority, and Governance -- Social studies programs
should include experiences that provide for the study of how
people create and change structures of power, authority, and
governance.
Standard X Civil Ideals and Practices -- Social studies programs should
include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals,
principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.
Illinois State Learning Standards:
18.B.2a Describe interactions of individuals, groups and institutions in situations
drawn from the local community (e.g., local response to state and national
reforms).
18.A.2 Explain ways in which language, stories, folk tales, music, media and
artistic creations serve as expressions of culture.
Adaptations for Individual or Group Differences:
 If our classroom had a child with a hearing impairment, we could provide the actual
written copy of the book we were reading. Therefore, he/she would be able to follow
along and grasp the essentials of the book. This would also allow him/her the ability
to participate in the group discussion (if all the questions and responses were written
on the board/overhead)
 Also, to help students who may have various difficulties (behaviorally—staying on
task; academically—troubles researching or summarizing information), the class
could be split up into groups of 2-4 individuals to research and organize their
information to prepare for their presentation. Cooperative learning groups would
allow everyone to have a role; therefore, making everyone essential and needed.
 If students are unable to write in their journals due to a special need, they may present
their information or ideas orally or on a word processor.
Materials:
~ Teacher’s literature
 Title: The Ruby Bridges Foundation
Description: Read about Ruby bridges and her childhood in her own words. Includes
articles and photographs of Ruby Bridges.
URL: http://www.rubybridges.org/
~ Children’s Literature:
 Bridges, Ruby. Through My Eyes.
~ Other resources:
 Other pre-selected books addressing Ruby Bridges (these would be gathered for
children’s research)
 Various websites – see bibliography
~ Student journal
Procedure:
Day 1:
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Read Through My Eyes to the class.
o For timing purposes, only certain excerpts may want to be read; but take time
to look and discuss all the pictures. Choose the excerpts that would be more
interesting and relative to the children.
Have a discussion about Ruby Bridges and her experiences throughout her childhood.
Some discussion starting questions or comments could include:
o What happened to Ruby Bridges?
o What made Ruby Bridge different from everyone else?
o How do you think Ruby Bridges felt when she was first denied? After she
fought and was allowed to attend? When she was walking to school under the
protection of marshals?
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o What would you have done if you were Ruby Bridges in such situations?
o How has Ruby Bridges accomplishments affected your lives?
The students will write a response to the day’s discussion in their journals
Day 2:
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Refresh the students’ memory about Ruby Bridges through a brief summary of the
discussion yesterday.
Tell the students we are going to library to research further information about Ruby.
o This would be a great time to review the expectations and procedures for field
trips as well as researching in the library.
o Also, ahead of time you will want to have contacted the librarian and ask
him/her to pull relevant resources for the students to explore
Once at the library, allow the students to research freely, having them take notes on
interesting information, facts, or personal quotes/interviews that Ruby has made.
o If the class is divided into groups, make sure they are researching together
o Students may use Internet, encyclopedias, books, and any other resources the
librarian has available.
Leave a significant amount of time to clean up and gather researched materials. Also,
you will need to allow time to return to the school/classroom.
Day 3:
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Allow the students ten minutes to meet with their groups to organize and gather their
thoughts for their mini-presentations.
Have the students present, through a media of their choice, their most interesting facts
or discovery about Ruby Bridges they feel the class should know. They may even
bring up an issue for the class to discuss.
Presentations should be approximately 2-3 minutes.
Have the students write a response to the presentations; not in regards to the actual
students presenting but to the information they presented.
Assessment:
 Formative: Students will be informally observed on their group and in-class
discussions. They will also be assessed on their journal entries.

Summative: Students will be informally observed on how well they worked together
in their groups to research and create a presentation. Students will also hand in their
research notes as an indicator of their progress and discoveries during library time.
The presentations will also be formally evaluated in regards to proper public speaking
techniques.