Ruby Bridges
Purpose
1. Essential Driving Question(s)
a. What does it feel like to be treated differently?
b. How can you make people who are different feel more accepted?
c. What is the importance of diversity in your life?
2. Enduring Understandings
a. Students will communicate their understanding of differences and the
effects differences have on our lives.
b. Students will attempt to place themselves in another person’s situation.
3. Key Concepts
a. Diversity
b. Equality
Standards
Social Studies Standards:
I.
Culture Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the
study of culture and cultural diversity.
II.
Time, Continuity, and ChangeSocial studies programs should include experiences that provide for the
study of the ways human beings view themselves in and over time.
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.
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 for Social Science
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 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. These particular
students may also help in the role-playing exercises by thinking of ideas or acting
them out. Another member or members could do the actual script writing.
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:
Coles, Robert. (1995). The Story of Ruby Bridges. New York, NY:
Scholastic.
Other:
Title: PBS: A Class of One
Description: This is a transcript of Ruby Bridges talking about her experience as
the first African American child to desegregate an elementary school.
URL: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/race_relations/jan-june97/bridges_218.html
http://mail.plano88.kendall.k12.il.us/Centennial/ruby/ruby.htm
Procedure
Day One
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Students will be given the following prompt to write about in their journals: Do
you remember your first day of school? What was it like when you went to
school? Do you remember friends who were in your class?
The class will watch the video A Class of One, and discuss what Ruby Bridges’
experiences were like in comparison to their own.
Students will again write in their journals describing what they could do to help
someone feel accepted into their school or community.
Day Two
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The instructor will read the book, The Story of Ruby Bridges, by Robert Coles.
Students will respond to the following letter giving helpful advice to Ruby
Bridges:
Dear Friend,
Today was my first day of school. When I went to school today, federal marshals
walked with me. The marshals carried guns! There were lots of people standing
around the school holding up signs that said they didn't want black children in a
white school. They called me names and said they wanted to hurt me. I am so sad
and scared! I am the only student in Mrs. Henry's class, so I can't make any friends.
I don't want to go to school anymore. What should I do?
Love,
Ruby Bridges
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Divide the class into four groups. Each group will develop a script from the book,
The Story of Ruby Bridges.
Day Three
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Assessment
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Students will share their script with the rest of the class by acting out Ruby’s first
day of school.
The class will have an open discussion about what they learned. This may be
focused on diversity and equality. Students may also discuss the importance of
diversity in their lives.
Formative – Students will be informally assessed on their group and in-class
discussions. They will also be assessed by the quality of their journal entries and
advice letter.
Summative – Students will be assessed by their group participation in the roleplaying exercise, as well as their creativity used to write the script. They will also
be assessed on their participation in the open group discussion.