Unit Plan

Ruby Bridges: Connecting Lives

This unit, designed to promote the study of racial integration, begins with learning about the true story of Ruby Bridges.

  • Grades: 6–8

Overview

This unit, designed to promote the study of racial integration, begins with learning about the true story of Ruby Bridges, who single-handedly broke the color line in New Orleans in 1960 by being the first African American child to attend a previously segregated public school. She broke barriers and built bridges. The cross-curricular unit ends with the construction of a suspension bridge, giving students a chance to further examine the idea of strength and bridges.

Objective

Students will:

  1. Engage in critical discussions
  2. Discover picture books for presenting ideas
  3. Learn how literature can break barriers and build bridges
  4. Respond to shared texts in group discussions
  5. Practice critical-thinking skills
  6. Learn and apply the comprehension strategy of making connections
  7. Make connections and react to various texts using a double-entry journal
  8. Research suspension bridges
  9. Demonstrate knowledge of abstract concepts of geometric shapes and measurement
  10. Design a suspension bridge
  11. Construct a suspension bridge and describe the process
  12. Create a presentation

Lesson Plans for this Unit

Culminating Activity

Students will become amateur architects by designing, constructing, and presenting a suspension bridge. Students will invite parents to the presentations and the test of strength of their suspension bridges.

Supporting Books

Building Bridges for Our Future Booklist

  • Subjects:
    Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles, African American History, Civil Rights, Architecture, Arts and Crafts, Main Idea and Details, Content Area Reading, Literature, Compare and Contrast, Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences, Summarizing, Reading Response, Literature Appreciation, Research Skills, Expository Writing, Journal Writing, Literary Response, Geometry, Logic and Problem Solving, Manipulatives, Math through Literature, Ratio, Proportion, Scale, Real-World Math, Measurement, Civics and Government, Courage, Bravery, Heroism, Real-World Science, Determination and Perseverance, Class Projects, Science Experiments and Projects, Equality, Fairness, Justice, Gravity, Civil Rights Movement, African American, Historic Figures, Tolerance and Acceptance, Prejudice and Tolerance Experiences, Technology
  • Skills:
    Compare and Contrast, Drawing Conclusions, Making Inferences, Summarizing, Reference Sources, Social Studies, Research Skills, Expository Writing
  • Duration:
    10 Class Periods
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