Who Is Ruby Bridges?

Introduce your primary students to an inspiring 6-year-old named Ruby Bridges, who in 1960 was the youngest African American child to integrate into a Southern US school. 

Through this shared reading activity, students will follow along with the presentation and make logical inferences. They will cite specific textual evidence to support conclusions drawn from the text. 

Shared Reading How-To

Use this teaching presentation in a guided reading group or whole-class setting. Students can follow along on their own devices or using your smartboard or other projection devices.

Read the text aloud, stopping to ask the sample questions we have included in the notes section of each slide. Then, reread the text allowing your students to join in with the reading. 

After completing the reading component, independently or as a group, students will use the information gathered to describe how they can make our country better through bravery and draw a picture of their actions. 

A complete set of instructions on using this shared reading and activity is included.

Scaffolding + Extension Suggestions

Use this primary-level reading exercise during Black History Month in February or when students are working on activities or classwork that has to do with:

• Civil rights movement
• American history
• Biographies & historical figures
• Women’s History Month

And more! 

Ensure your students have a solid understanding of how Ruby Bridges became an inspirational symbol in the fight for equality with activities like these: 

🧠 Pre-Lesson Activity

Assign this presentation as independent reading at home or before starting the lesson as a class. Ask students to make notes about what they learned, words they don’t know, or topics that need clarification. 

🗣️ Turn & Talk

As they read, ask students to write questions on a separate sheet of paper during shared reading time. Then put students into groups of 3 or 4 to help each other answer their questions.

🧑‍🏫 Be the Teacher

As a post-lesson activity, ask students what they would put on a quiz if they were the teacher. Challenge students to write a 5-question quiz using the information in the presentation. Then have them trade papers with another student to take the quiz.

Preparing This Resource for Your Students

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between this resource’s PowerPoint or PDF version. Share the presentation with your students from a smartboard or other projection devices.

How to Convert PDFs to Google Slides (For Google Classroom and More) »

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Discover more about the legacy of Ruby Bridges and Black History Month with these activities and teaching resources: