The Story Of Ruby Bridges
By: Robert Coles Illustrated by: George Ford
Presented by: Nicole Cashman
Summary of book -
This story started of by telling the readers about Ruby Bridges. It stated that Ruby was born in Mississippi in the 1950's. Her father at he time worked picking crops but when machines were brought into play, her father lost his job. Their family was very poor and sometimes did not have money for food. In 1957, when Ruby was 4, Ruby and her family moved to New Orleans, where her father worked as a janitor and her mother cleaned bank floor as night. Ruby and her family were church goers and looked toward God for guidance and strength. During this time, even though it was against the nations law, black and white children were to attend different schools (segregated) and black children received different/poor education. In 1960 a judge in New Orleans ordered 4 girls to go to 2 different white schools. Ruby was one of those girls chosen and she was sent o William Frantz Elementary School. On Ruby's first day of school as a first grader, she had to walk through a mob of people protesting. These people wanted to hurt Ruby. They called her names and made threats against her and no one protected her. In fear for Ruby, the Federal Marshall's (with guns) stepped in and walked Ruby into school each day. This lasted for months. When Ruby began school, these angry people started to keep their children home from school because they did not want their children to associate with a black child. When this happened the only child in the classroom everyday was Ruby. Ruby's teacher, Mrs. Henry, watched Ruby and wondered how she came to school everyday and was calm and excited to sit in a classroom by herself and learn to read and write. Mrs. Henry watched Ruby day after day and asked quite often if she was OK.
One day while waiting at the window, Mrs. Henry saw Ruby walking to school. As she watched out the window, she saw Ruby stop in the middle of the mob of angry people. Mrs. Henry could see Ruby's lips moving, like she was talking to these people. When Ruby made it to the classroom, Mrs. Henry asked Ruby what she was saying to the people of of the mob. Ruby said, I wasn't talking to them, I was praying for the people who hate me. This prayer that Ruby said while standing in the middle of these people was a prayer that she said 2 times a day, before and after school asking God to forgive these people for the mean and bad things they say about her everyday just like he forgave people a long time ago that once spoke bad about him.
By the time Ruby began 2nd grade, the angry mob gave up on trying to scare Ruby and fight the courts decision to keep black and white children segregated in schools. Ruby went on to finish school at William Frantz Elementary School, and even went on the graduate high school.
This story started of by telling the readers about Ruby Bridges. It stated that Ruby was born in Mississippi in the 1950's. Her father at he time worked picking crops but when machines were brought into play, her father lost his job. Their family was very poor and sometimes did not have money for food. In 1957, when Ruby was 4, Ruby and her family moved to New Orleans, where her father worked as a janitor and her mother cleaned bank floor as night. Ruby and her family were church goers and looked toward God for guidance and strength. During this time, even though it was against the nations law, black and white children were to attend different schools (segregated) and black children received different/poor education. In 1960 a judge in New Orleans ordered 4 girls to go to 2 different white schools. Ruby was one of those girls chosen and she was sent o William Frantz Elementary School. On Ruby's first day of school as a first grader, she had to walk through a mob of people protesting. These people wanted to hurt Ruby. They called her names and made threats against her and no one protected her. In fear for Ruby, the Federal Marshall's (with guns) stepped in and walked Ruby into school each day. This lasted for months. When Ruby began school, these angry people started to keep their children home from school because they did not want their children to associate with a black child. When this happened the only child in the classroom everyday was Ruby. Ruby's teacher, Mrs. Henry, watched Ruby and wondered how she came to school everyday and was calm and excited to sit in a classroom by herself and learn to read and write. Mrs. Henry watched Ruby day after day and asked quite often if she was OK.
One day while waiting at the window, Mrs. Henry saw Ruby walking to school. As she watched out the window, she saw Ruby stop in the middle of the mob of angry people. Mrs. Henry could see Ruby's lips moving, like she was talking to these people. When Ruby made it to the classroom, Mrs. Henry asked Ruby what she was saying to the people of of the mob. Ruby said, I wasn't talking to them, I was praying for the people who hate me. This prayer that Ruby said while standing in the middle of these people was a prayer that she said 2 times a day, before and after school asking God to forgive these people for the mean and bad things they say about her everyday just like he forgave people a long time ago that once spoke bad about him.
By the time Ruby began 2nd grade, the angry mob gave up on trying to scare Ruby and fight the courts decision to keep black and white children segregated in schools. Ruby went on to finish school at William Frantz Elementary School, and even went on the graduate high school.
Setting - 1960 in New Orleans with segregation a huge role in society.
Characters - Ruby, Ruby's Parents, Mrs. Henry, Angry mob, Judge, Federal Marshall's
Theme - Biography (person's story) about a brave little girl that wanted an equal education.
Pattern - Timeline
Pictures - I feel that the pictures brought the characters to life. I think the feelings shown on their faces is on point. I believe that the pictures made the text easier to follow and kept the reader interested. The illustrator used paint to create the illustrations in this book.
Reader response questions -
1. What is the main idea or the important thing that Ruby did in this story?
2. What character traits did Ruby show in this book?
2. What character traits did Ruby show in this book?
Activities -
1. Writing activity - If I was Ruby Bridges......
2. Graphic Organizers - Timeline of events in story, Re-tell the story
3. Have the students pick one thing they feel strongly about, would like to change, or add to and have them make signs about it and write a paragraph explaining why they feel they way and why other people should feel the same way. Have a protest in the classroom and let every student read about their issue.
2. Graphic Organizers - Timeline of events in story, Re-tell the story
3. Have the students pick one thing they feel strongly about, would like to change, or add to and have them make signs about it and write a paragraph explaining why they feel they way and why other people should feel the same way. Have a protest in the classroom and let every student read about their issue.
My Personal Thoughts -
I really enjoyed this story. I feel that it was a good way to portray the events of segregation in schools with black and white children. I believe that this book showed the bravery of a little girl who just wanted a fair and equal education like all of the other children, no matter the color of her skin. I also think it showed kindness as well when she stopped in the middle of a crowd of people who wanted to hurt her and prayed for them. Instead of being mad and wanting to yell and scream back at these people, she used her thoughtfulness and kindness to ask for forgiveness for them.
I believe that this book should be used in 3rd grade or higher. I think this is a good book, but just like in the book with the issue of segregation, in today's world we have to be careful of the books we read in the classroom. In this book it talks about church and God and it is a fine line to walk to read this in the classroom, especially if you have children of different cultures and religion in your class. I would make sure that this book would be allowed to be introduce and read in the classroom before doing it.
I really enjoyed this story. I feel that it was a good way to portray the events of segregation in schools with black and white children. I believe that this book showed the bravery of a little girl who just wanted a fair and equal education like all of the other children, no matter the color of her skin. I also think it showed kindness as well when she stopped in the middle of a crowd of people who wanted to hurt her and prayed for them. Instead of being mad and wanting to yell and scream back at these people, she used her thoughtfulness and kindness to ask for forgiveness for them.
I believe that this book should be used in 3rd grade or higher. I think this is a good book, but just like in the book with the issue of segregation, in today's world we have to be careful of the books we read in the classroom. In this book it talks about church and God and it is a fine line to walk to read this in the classroom, especially if you have children of different cultures and religion in your class. I would make sure that this book would be allowed to be introduce and read in the classroom before doing it.
References -
- The Story of Ruby Bridges. The Teachers Library. (February 18, 2016). Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8D4ldGY41s
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