Here’s one heartwarming fact to share: Ruby’s courage was so inspiring to people around the U.S. that hundreds of them sent toys, clothes, books, and notes of encouragement.
BETTMANN/GETTY IMAGES
Play,
The Unstoppable Ruby Bridges
This play tells the story of a brave girl’s journey to help change a nation.
By Spencer Kayden
From the February 2018 Issue
Learning Objective: Students will read a moving play about a young hero of the civil rights movement and identify the character traits it takes to succeed in the face of adversity.
Can’t-Miss Teaching Extras
Inspiring Courage
A Beautiful Reunion
See Ruby and Mrs. Henry in the flesh in this touching video from Oprah, in which student and teacher are reunited decades later.
Civil Rights Extensions
For more civil rights learning extensions, see this post from the Storyworks Ideabook.
Ruby's Autobiography
To hear Ruby’s story from Ruby herself, your students can read her autobiography, “Through My Eyes.” For an extension project, have students collect five facts from the book that we didn’t include in our play.
More About the Article
Content-Area Connections
Social studies: American history, civil rights
Social-emotional learning: resilience, perseverance
Key Skills
character traits, fluency, key details, inference, summarizing, vocabulary
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
1. PREPARING TO READ
Set a Purpose for Reading (5 minutes)
• Ask students to look at the play’s opening page, and point out the word unstoppable in the title. Ask: What does it mean to be unstoppable?
• This play centers on the civil rights movement. The prologue describes the atmosphere in the South at this time and provides a springboard for you to explain the civil rights movement to your students. One character in the play, Sheila, is a civil rights worker. Explain that this is someone who worked to help make life better and more equal for Black people. You can also mention the names of civil rights heroes your students might already know, such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks.
• Call on a volunteer to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 21.
Introduce Vocabulary (15 minutes)
• While the play does not include definitions of vocabulary words in the text itself, there is a vocabulary activity on our site that previews challenging words and allows students to list the words that are unfamiliar to them. Project or distribute the activity to go over the words. You may also play our Vocabulary Slideshow.
• Challenging words: segregated, protest, placement, discrimination, opportunities, marshals, eventually, integrated
Preview Text Features (5 minutes)
• Read the prologue aloud to introduce the topic of this play. Ask students whether they have questions.
• Preview the photos and captions in the play. Go back to the title and ask students why it calls Ruby unstoppable.
2. FOCUS ON FLUENCY
Bridging Decoding and Comprehension
• After assigning roles, give students time to “run their lines” with a partner. Explain that this is what professional actors do before an actual performance. It helps performers to practice the delivery of their parts in a convincing and emotional way.
3. CLOSE READING
Reading and Unpacking the Text
• First read: Continue reading the play as a class.
• Second read: Project or distribute the Close-Reading Questions. Discuss them as a class, rereading lines or scenes as necessary. Separate students into groups to discuss the Critical-Thinking Question. Then have groups share their answers with the class.
Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)
• In the Prologue, what do you learn about the time period in which this play takes place? (key details) The play takes place in New Orleans in 1960. During that time, Black people and White people lived separately, and Black children couldn’t go to school with white children. This was starting to change, but many White parents argued against it.
• In Scene 1, what do you learn about Ruby Bridges? (character traits) Ruby was a very smart 6-year-old black girl who scored well on a placement test.
• In Scene 3, what words best describe how Ruby behaved when walking up to her the first day of school? Why? (character traits) Answers will vary. Students may say: She was courageous because she walked through the angry crowd.
• In Scene 4, why does Ruby ask Mrs. Henry if she’s early for class? What word describes how she might be feeling? (inference) When Ruby went into her classroom, there were no other kids, just empty desks. Ruby might have felt confused or lonely.
• In Scene 5, what does Ruby want? Why can’t she have it? (key details) Ruby just wanted to have friends to play with, but the parents of the other students told them not to play with her because of her race.
• How does Ruby help other people by bravely going to school every day? (inference) She set the example of being a Black child who went to a school that had been all White. Others could follow her. She showed the world that she was just like everyone else: a child who wanted an education.
• In the epilogue, what do we find out about Ruby Bridges? (summarizing) Ruby grew up to have friends of many races. She has children and grandchildren. She still works to stop racism and make sure all children are treated fairly.
Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)
• What character traits did Ruby Bridges have that helped her deal with being the first Black student at an all-White elementary school? Use details from the play to support your answer. (character traits) Ruby was brave, strong, and kind. She was brave to walk through a crowd that was so angry that she needed protection from marshals. She was strong because she did it day after day, never asked to quit, and still wanted to learn. She was kind because even though other students told her why they didn’t want to play with her, she still wanted to make friends.
4. SKILL BUILDING
Exploring the Character Traits (30 minutes)
• Have students complete the Character Traits activity. They should also write a response to the Think and Write question on page 25.
Differentiate and Customize
For Small Groups
Divide your class into six groups and assign each group one scene from the play. The groups should first practice their lines together. Then let each group use chairs, desks, and other materials to “set the stage” for their scenes. Students will then perform the scene for the class. After each performance, ask students how it felt to behave as their character.
For Struggling Readers
Ask students to imagine how they would feel if they were to see someone being excluded at school. Give each student a sticky note. Ask each student to write down one action he or she can take to make someone feel included. Then gather the notes and discuss the most interesting responses.
For Advanced Readers
Have students pretend that Ruby Bridges will be a guest speaker at your school. Have them write an introduction for her and come up with three questions they would ask her after her speech.
For On Level Readers
What character traits does Ruby show? How do they help her improve life for other students? Write your answers in a paragraph, using details from the play.
Text-to-Speech