Lesson Plan

For the Love of Ruby

Subject Area

English Language Arts
Social Studies

Grade(s)

6

Overview

After viewing various videos and images, the students will deepen their understanding of the desegregation movement and its continuing influence on today's society. The students will defend their opinions using an open-mic forum and will creatively demonstrate their understanding through writing poetry.

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 6

SS10.6.9

Critique major social and cultural changes in the United States since World War II.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.6.9

Vocabulary

  • Brown vs. Board of Education
  • Montgomery Bus Boycott
  • Freedom Rides
  • Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March
  • Motown
  • AM/FM radio
  • protest songs
  • demonstrations
  • genre
  • political assassinations
  • latchkey children
  • Civil Rights Movement

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The key figures involved in the Civil Rights Movement.
  • The major social and cultural changes that occurred in the United States post WWII.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Critique multiple points of view to explain the ideas and actions of individuals and ethnic groups to gain equality.
  • Cite evidence to support changes in social and cultural traditions using primary and secondary sources.
  • Evaluate the contribution of technology and mass methods of communication to influence people, places, ideas, and events.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There were important the social and cultural changes that occurred in the U.S. after WWII.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 6

SS10.6.9.1

Identifying key persons and events of the modern Civil Rights Movement
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

ELA21.6.8

Participate in collaborative discussions using information from a source.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.6.8

Vocabulary

  • Collaborative discussions
  • Source

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The purpose of collaborative discussions using information from a source.
  • Collaborative discussions occur when participants actively listen, build on others' ideas, and ask clarifying questions.
  • Generally accepted rules for discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Engage in a collaborative discussion.
  • Use information from a source to support their discussion.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Information they learn from a source can support collaborative discussions.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

ELA21.6.24

Write about research findings independently over short and/or extended periods of time.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.6.24

Vocabulary

  • Research findings

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Research strategies.
  • Independent writing skills.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Write about their research findings.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • They can demonstrate their thorough understanding of a topic by writing about their research findings.
  • Some research projects will be shorter, while others will be longer.

Primary Learning Objectives

I can orally defend an opinion of a topic based on textual evidence and information in multimedia format.

I can show my understanding of Ruby Bridges, a Civil Rights icon, by creating a 5W poem that shows her challenges both then (the 1960s) and the present day.

Procedures/Activities

Before:

Step 1: Engagement/Motivation Activity:  The teacher will show the Norman Rockwell image on the interactive whiteboard. The teacher will ask the students to look at the painting and to write their immediate feelings and reactions to the painting in less than five words. (You may want to remind the students to refrain from using offensive language as one of their words or feelings.) The teacher will allow the students to share their reactions. The teacher will ask the students to predict what is happening in the painting.

During:

Step 2: The teacher will accept responses and will tell the students that he/she will be reading a book that gives an example of the early integration of public schools in the 1960s. The teacher will show the students the key idea through the use of a linoit page with the word "desegregation" on a digital sticky note.  The teacher will begin to read aloud the biography of Ruby Bridges by Robert Cole. The teacher will project the illustrations using the document camera. After reading, the teacher will inform the students to create a digital sticky note on her linoit URL that describes the key idea and any feelings that they may have about the story. The teacher may read the stickies aloud to the class as the students post their feelings and definitions of the word "desegregation".

Step 3: The teacher will place four trait posters in four corners of the room. The teacher will inform the students that those words (Courageous, Determined, Confident, Proud) are all words that might describe Ruby. The students will walk around the room on a silent gallery walk for two minutes. The students must choose the word that best describes Ruby and the character trait that demonstrates why she should be considered an important icon in the modern Civil Rights Movement. The teacher will give the students a mic and they will have an open discussion allowing each person to express the reason why they chose that word to best describe Ruby Bridges. The teacher will facilitate this discussion and will keep students on task.

Step 4 (Assessment): The students will watch the video of Ruby Bridges and President Obama.

The students will also watch Ruby's explanation of her school experience.

After:

After watching, the students will create a 5W poem from the viewpoint of Ruby: Students may choose to write the poem from the 1960s viewpoint or the present-day viewpoint. Students must use factual evidence in their poems and may want to search the internet for additional information about that event in history.

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will assess each student's completed 5W Poem using this rubric.

Acceleration

Students can research other key persons of the modern civil rights movement such as Martin Luther King, Jr. or Rosa Parks and create a powerpoint containing the information they found.

Intervention

A peer may assist students that need extra help while public speaking and while writing the 5W poem.

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

61 to 90 Minutes

Background and Preparation

Background/Preparation

Students should have knowledge of the modern Civil Rights Movement and it's contributors.

Students should have knowledge of segregation in schools and businesses during the 1960s.

Materials and Resources

Materials and Resources

The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Cole (biography)

Image of the painting: The Problem We All Live With by Norman Rockwell (Be careful with showing the image. Check with your administration before showing it to students. You may find a copy without the offensive language or you may choose to Photoshop and remove.)

Posters for Gallery Walk

5W Poem Graphic Organizer (1 copy per student)

Technology Resources Needed

Laptop, tablet, or another device with Internet access

Interactive White Board

Document Camera

Linoit (Free account/teacher provides URL to students)

Approved Date

2015-07-17
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