Peace Education Workshop – Second Grade

Peace Resource Center Workshop
Second Grade

Ruby Bridges Leads the Way and Getting to Know Trees!

Materials: Examples of leaf bracelets, colored paper, pipe cleaners, scissors, word cards with “patient, brave, hopeful, peaceful”, Teacher resource book: Earth Child by Katherine Sheehan, name tags with students’ names on them, snack, The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles (book or youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4F3sr5f-EQ ), Me and Ruby Bridges worksheet (in Rowan folder) https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B MYPBjDjWaRaE9EbkdzdWZSOW8/view
Alternate book: Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story by Ruby Bridges

Note: This workshop includes a tree walk. Although you may not have an orchard like the PRC, it still may be possible to visit the trees in your area. It is important to scope out the trees ahead of time, and make sure that you know the names of the trees. Part of the rationale for spending time doing this is to help children build a relationship with nature. Spending time noticing what a tree is like (bark, leaves, colors, flowers or fruit, cones, etc.) helps children connect.

Post the following Agenda:
Game
Nametags
Welcome to the PRC
Agenda Preview
Ruby Bridges
Me and Ruby Bridges/Sharing
Bathroom break and Snack
Leaf Wrist bands
Using Our Imaginations
What Good Are Trees?
Tree Walk
Favorite Tree
Balloon Wish and Bye

(A) Look Down, Look Up
Gather the class in a circle. Let them know they are going to play a game. When you say “look down”, they should look at their feet. When you say, “Look up!” they will look at someone’s eyes in the circle. If that person is also looking at them, both smile and turn their backs to the center of the circle. Continue until everyone is facing out.
approx 6 min