Ruby Bridges is a phenomenal woman who has dedicated her life to fighting for racial equality. Inspire your students with 17 engaging activities that celebrate her bravery and promote empathy and equality. From thought-provoking discussions to creative arts and impactful projects, these activities will enable your pupils to come to a deeper understanding of the significance of her story and its relevance in today’s world.
1. Walk in Ruby’s Shoes
Take your students on an empathy-building journey by asking them to imagine themselves in Ruby Bridges’ shoes. Have them write a journal entry expressing their thoughts and emotions about the challenges that Ms. Bridges may have faced.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
2. Ruby’s Timeline
Help your students gain a historical perspective by creating a timeline of Ruby Bridges’ life and the civil rights movement. Provide images, quotes, and key events for students to arrange chronologically. Discuss each milestone, highlighting the significance of Ruby’s courage in the face of adversity.
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3. Acts of Kindness Challenge
Empower your students to make a positive difference in their community through acts of kindness. Challenge them to perform random acts of kindness inspired by Ruby Bridges’ story. Encourage them to reflect on their experiences and discuss the impact of their actions on others.
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4. Empathy Role Play
Divide your students into small groups and assign each group a scenario related to discrimination or exclusion. Have each group then act out the scene; emphasizing empathy and understanding. Afterward, facilitate a discussion on the emotions felt by both the victim and those involved.
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5. Art Exhibition
Organize an art exhibition to showcase students’ artistic interpretations of Ruby Bridges’ story. Encourage them to create powerful artworks using various mediums such as paintings, sculptures, or mixed media. Then, host a gallery walk where students can appreciate and discuss each other’s creations; fostering dialogue on equality and social justice.
Learn More: Flutter & Wow
6. Classroom Museum
Transform your classroom into a museum dedicated to Ruby Bridges and the civil rights movement. Assign students different roles, such as curators, researchers, and guides, and have them create exhibits, conduct research, and provide tours. This immersive experience will deepen their understanding of history and promote active learning.
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7. Picture Book Exploration
Introduce your students to children’s picture books that highlight themes of equality, diversity, and resilience. Engage in interactive read-aloud sessions and encourage discussions on how the characters’ experiences relate to Ruby Bridges’ journey.
Learn More: Scholastic
8. Collaborative Poetry
Foster creativity and self-expression through collaborative poetry writing. Divide your students into groups and provide them with prompts related to Ruby Bridges’ story. Each group must then contribute a line or stanza to craft a poem that celebrates courage, equality, and unity.
Learn More: ELA Matters
9. Letters of Appreciation
Invite your students to write heartfelt letters of appreciation to Ruby Bridges whereby they express their admiration for her bravery and the impact she has had on their lives. Encourage them to reflect on the lessons they’ve learned from her story and how it inspires them to create a more inclusive and equitable world.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
10. Role-Playing Ruby’s Classroom
Recreate Ruby Bridges’ classroom environment by rearranging desks, using old-fashioned chalkboards, and playing audio recordings of 1960s lessons. Guide your students through a day in Ruby’s classroom during which you take time to highlight the challenges she faced and pay homage to the role education plays in breaking down barriers.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
11. Film Discussion: “Ruby Bridges”
Screen the movie “Ruby Bridges” and lead a discussion throughout to explore the themes of segregation, racism, and courage that are depicted in the film. Engage your students in critical thinking abilities by asking them to analyze the characters’ motivations and relate them to real-world scenarios.
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12. Diversity Book Club
Form a diversity book club where your pupils can read books that feature diverse characters and experiences. Encourage lively discussions about the importance of representation and empathy in literature. Students can also share their insights and recommend books to their peers; fostering a love for reading and an appreciation of diverse perspectives.
Learn More: Scholastic
13. Symbolic Artifacts
Have your learners design symbolic artifacts that represent Ruby Bridges’ journey and the civil rights movement. Symbols can be a key to represent unlocking barriers, a puzzle piece to symbolize unity or even a dove to represent peace.
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14. Multimedia Presentation
Task your students with creating multimedia presentations about Ruby Bridges’ life and legacy. Encourage them to use a variety of digital tools, such as slideshows, videos, or podcasts, to showcase their research and understanding.
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15. Mock Interview with Ruby Bridges
Have your learners research Ruby Bridges’ life and prepare questions for a mock interview. Select a student to portray Ruby Bridges while the rest of the class will pose insightful questions.
Learn More: Scholastic
16. Civil Rights Collage
Get crafty by having learners create a collage that depicts the civil rights movement. Provide magazines, newspapers, and art supplies for students to cut out and arrange images, headlines, and quotes that reflect the struggle for equality. As they cut and paste, encourage them to discuss their artistic choices and the messages conveyed in their collages.
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17. Field Trip: Local Civil Rights Landmarks
Organize a field trip to local civil rights landmarks or historical sites that played a significant role in the struggle for equality. Provide students with guided worksheets or tasks to complete during the visit; encouraging them to reflect on the importance of these locations and their relevance to Ruby Bridges’ narrative.
Learn More: We 3 Travel