Bridge to Terabithia
Bibliography
Paterson, K. Bridge to Terabithia. New York: Harper Trophy, 1970. Print.
Paterson, K. Bridge to Terabithia. New York: Harper Trophy, 1970. Print.
Target Audience
Grades 4-7
Grades 4-7
Academic Vocabulary
Huddle: a disorganized and densely packed crowd.
Garble: to make false by mutation or addition.
Grove: a small growth of trees without underbrush.
Predator: any animal that lives by preying on other animals.
Reassess: to revise or review one’s assessment.
Yelp: a sharp, high-pitched cry
Douse: wet thoroughly
Chord: a combination of three or more notes that blend harmoniously when sounded together.
Consolidate: to form into a solid mass or whole
Wheedle: influence or urge by gentile urging, caressing, or flattering.
Huddle: a disorganized and densely packed crowd.
Garble: to make false by mutation or addition.
Grove: a small growth of trees without underbrush.
Predator: any animal that lives by preying on other animals.
Reassess: to revise or review one’s assessment.
Yelp: a sharp, high-pitched cry
Douse: wet thoroughly
Chord: a combination of three or more notes that blend harmoniously when sounded together.
Consolidate: to form into a solid mass or whole
Wheedle: influence or urge by gentile urging, caressing, or flattering.
Genre
Children’s Literature, fiction
Children’s Literature, fiction
Summary
Jess Aarons is a fifth grade boy living in a small town called Lark Creek, Virginia, who finds it difficult to fit in at school and with this family. His family is exceptionally poor as they try to support their four children. The only person in the world that Jess seems to get along with is his little sister May Belle. To escape the struggles of his life, Jess runs and draws. He dreams of being the fastest runner in the fifth grade. This dream gets snatched from him when a new girl, Leslie Burke, moves to school and beats all of the boys in the race. Jess and Leslie have a rocky start, but they soon become the best of friends. Leslie has a beautiful imagination that she begins to share with Jess. They create an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia where they are the rulers. Terabithia can only be reached by swinging over a creek on an old rope. While in Terabithia, Jess and Leslie can escape the bullies they face at school and the hardships they face at home. Jess and Leslie have a great bonding moment when they seek revenge on the school bully, Janice Avery, when she steals May Belle’s Twinkies. Jess and Leslie write a fake love note to Janice and it embarrasses her in front of the school. For Christmas, Jess gives Leslie a puppy that she loves with all of her heart and makes him part of the Kingdom of Terabithia. Spring comes around and brings great amounts of rain, making it difficult to swing to Terabithia. Miss Edmonds, Jess music teacher that he is particularly fond of, takes him to a museum one day. Jess does not invite Leslie leaving her to travel to Terabithia on her own. When Jess returns home, he learns of Leslie’s death. The rope swing snapped, sending her to her death in the flooded creek. Jess is heavily impacted by Leslie’s death as she was the only one who understood him. Jess builds a sturdy bridge over the creek to avoid any more accidents. He invites May Belle into the kingdom and makes her an official ruler. Jess honors the memory of Leslie by continuing to use Terabithia as his escape from the world.
Jess Aarons is a fifth grade boy living in a small town called Lark Creek, Virginia, who finds it difficult to fit in at school and with this family. His family is exceptionally poor as they try to support their four children. The only person in the world that Jess seems to get along with is his little sister May Belle. To escape the struggles of his life, Jess runs and draws. He dreams of being the fastest runner in the fifth grade. This dream gets snatched from him when a new girl, Leslie Burke, moves to school and beats all of the boys in the race. Jess and Leslie have a rocky start, but they soon become the best of friends. Leslie has a beautiful imagination that she begins to share with Jess. They create an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia where they are the rulers. Terabithia can only be reached by swinging over a creek on an old rope. While in Terabithia, Jess and Leslie can escape the bullies they face at school and the hardships they face at home. Jess and Leslie have a great bonding moment when they seek revenge on the school bully, Janice Avery, when she steals May Belle’s Twinkies. Jess and Leslie write a fake love note to Janice and it embarrasses her in front of the school. For Christmas, Jess gives Leslie a puppy that she loves with all of her heart and makes him part of the Kingdom of Terabithia. Spring comes around and brings great amounts of rain, making it difficult to swing to Terabithia. Miss Edmonds, Jess music teacher that he is particularly fond of, takes him to a museum one day. Jess does not invite Leslie leaving her to travel to Terabithia on her own. When Jess returns home, he learns of Leslie’s death. The rope swing snapped, sending her to her death in the flooded creek. Jess is heavily impacted by Leslie’s death as she was the only one who understood him. Jess builds a sturdy bridge over the creek to avoid any more accidents. He invites May Belle into the kingdom and makes her an official ruler. Jess honors the memory of Leslie by continuing to use Terabithia as his escape from the world.
Literary Concepts
Theme: Overcoming loss, learning to fit in, and being comfortable with yourself are all themes
running through Bridge to Terabithia. Students can cite textual evidence to identify these themes.
Character: Jess goes from being a shy, reserved child to being confident and sure of himself because of his time with Leslie. Students can identify this change.
Setting: Lark Creek, Virginia. Students can create a profile of this town.
Theme: Overcoming loss, learning to fit in, and being comfortable with yourself are all themes
running through Bridge to Terabithia. Students can cite textual evidence to identify these themes.
Character: Jess goes from being a shy, reserved child to being confident and sure of himself because of his time with Leslie. Students can identify this change.
Setting: Lark Creek, Virginia. Students can create a profile of this town.
Activity
Students will complete a story map. In this story map, the students will identify major and minor characters, events in the rising action, events in the falling action, climax, conflict, and resolution, and the theme. The students put all of these elements into a graphic organizer so they can visualize the events in the story.
Students will complete a story map. In this story map, the students will identify major and minor characters, events in the rising action, events in the falling action, climax, conflict, and resolution, and the theme. The students put all of these elements into a graphic organizer so they can visualize the events in the story.
Assessment
The students will compose a five paragraph essay about the ways Jess changed through his time spent with Leslie. Students will use textual citations to identify three ways Jess exhibits a change in his personality. They will write about the dynamic changes in the character. Their
ideas must form a well-organized and grammatically correct essay.
The students will compose a five paragraph essay about the ways Jess changed through his time spent with Leslie. Students will use textual citations to identify three ways Jess exhibits a change in his personality. They will write about the dynamic changes in the character. Their
ideas must form a well-organized and grammatically correct essay.
Integration
Math: The Aarons family is very poor and they must carefully budget their household income. The students will set a reasonable imaginary budget for themselves and calculate the expenses they will incur and determine what they have to do to live within their budget.
Students will calculate reasonable expenditures and decide on what they can and cannot afford based on the budget they set for themselves.
Art: Jess Aarons escapes the world through drawing and painting. The students
will use any artistic medium (paint, music, sketching, building, writing, modeling) to express themselves. They will present their projects and creations to the class and explain
how their creation represents the person they are.
Math: The Aarons family is very poor and they must carefully budget their household income. The students will set a reasonable imaginary budget for themselves and calculate the expenses they will incur and determine what they have to do to live within their budget.
Students will calculate reasonable expenditures and decide on what they can and cannot afford based on the budget they set for themselves.
Art: Jess Aarons escapes the world through drawing and painting. The students
will use any artistic medium (paint, music, sketching, building, writing, modeling) to express themselves. They will present their projects and creations to the class and explain
how their creation represents the person they are.