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Total Duration:
31 to 60 Minutes
Materials and Resources:
Teacher:
Scholastic's Let's Read About ...Ruby Bridges or any Biography Trade Book about Ruby Bridges
Vocabulary Cards to introduce the three words: Segregation, Marshal, Brave (attachment)
Character Description Chart (chart paper)
Markers
Students:
Graphic Organizer with picture space and handwriting lines (attachment) one per student
Crayons/pencil
Technology Resources Needed:
Background/Preparation:
Teacher should
be familiar with a student-friendly definition of segregation, Marshal, and Brave
Have a sense of knowledge of the civil rights movement
Author's Purpose should have already been introduced as a literacy skill
1. Turn and Talk (this practice should be established as a common classroom practice for speaking and listening standards). If not, students will need to be paired off with a partner for discussion throughout the lesson.
Turn and Talk Questions to Activate Prior Knowledge
How would you feel if only the boys could have ice cream for snack today?
How would you feel if only the girls could go to PE every day?
2. Before moving on to tell the objective for today's lesson, be sure to discuss responses from Turn and Talk questions. Make a connection from the responses to Ruby, our character for today's learning. Today, we will read a story about a special little girl. We will talk about why the author wrote this story. This is called the author's purpose for writing the words in a story. An author writes a story for three reasons, and we can think of a P.I.E. to remind us. The author writes to Persuade a reader of a topic, to Inform the reader of a topic, or to Entertain a reader.
Student Engagement (this should be completed after turning and talking to a partner)
3. During your partner talk, you stated that you would feel upset, angry, sad, or that it wasn't fair. Let's introduce a few words that will be important to know and remember as we read "Ruby Bridges."
1. Segregation- when black and white children cannot go places together (have a text connection conversation using this vocabulary word...What other stories can you remember where children or people were not allowed to do things together?)
2. Marshal- a policeman (ask students why would a marshal be a character in our story; show the cover of the trade book and ask the students to identify the marshal)
3. Brave- not scared of anything (ask students to think of a time they had to be brave)
Assessment
Listen while students turn and talk
Listen during student engagement responses
During:
4. Describing Character Chart (this chart can simply be a big sheet of butcher paper or a sheet of chart paper)
Student Engagement
The teacher should read the selected trade book on Ruby Bridges aloud, pausing at appropriate times to discuss the author's purpose and characterization. During this read-aloud time, the facilitator should do an impromptu discussion of the literacy objective of this lesson- The author's purpose. The students should understand the author wrote this story to inform readers.
Think Pair Share strategy will be used to complete the character chart of Ruby. This practice will be used as the teacher desires during each chunk of the text.
Record words to describe Ruby or any part of the story that the class considers important on the class chart as the story is read aloud in chunks. This chart should be student-generated, but the teacher may need to model to get students to respond. (examples: All-American Hero; kind; brave)
Assessment
Observe student discussions
Ensure accuracy during discussion and provide immediate feedback when necessary
After:
5. Graphic Organizer (attachment)
Student Engagement
6. Students will draw a picture of Ruby Bridges and write one reason the author wanted to inform us about her. Students' answers should come from adjectives used to complete the character chart posted in front of the room.
Assessment:
Collect the graphic organizers
Assess the author's purpose for writing the book
Assessment Strategies
Before- The teacher will
Listen to student sentences and provide immediate feedback as needed
During- The teacher will
Observe student discussions
Ensure accuracy during student response
After- The teacher will
Use graphics organizers (attachment) to assess the author's purpose for writing the read-aloud
Acceleration:
Students can research other key figures that have influenced Alabama.
Intervention:
Students needing additional support:
Before: Take a picture walk of the book to use illustrations for oral comprehension development
After: Small group instruction using the story to clarify confusing parts.
View the Special Education resources for
instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations
for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.