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Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for Bridge to Terabithia

The cover for Bridge to Terabithia Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources

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Use Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson to turn your read aloud or small group work into a time to improve comprehension and talk about the text in purposeful ways.

This Newbery Medal-winning novel tells the story of two unlikely friends; Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke. The pair becomes inseparable and turns Jess's love of drawing and Leslie's imagination into Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods. When the unthinkable happens, Jess will need all of the gifts Leslie has given him to handle his grief. A modern classic about friendship and loss, this novel is an ideal anchor text for a Book Club focused on character analysis. Readers will quickly connect to Jess and Leslie's friendship and the great impact her loss has on Jess's character. Read the book of Bridge to Terabithia on Epic here.

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Explore lesson plans and activities to help you teach with Bridge to Terabithia in the drop down below.

Instructional Overview

The instructional overview includes instructional background for characterization, instructional objectives for each of the Book Club meetings, and a list of the materials and preparation necessary to Bridge to Terabithia Book Club.

Common Core State Standards Alignment

RL.5.2RL.5.1RL.5.3SL.5.1bL.5.6L.5.5L.5.4aW.5.9W.5.8SL.5.1cSL.5.1aRF.5.4RF.5.3RL.5.10RL.5.9RL.5.7RL.5.6RL.5.5RL.5.4

TEKS Alignment

5.7B5.8D5.8C5.8B5.8A5.7G5.7F5.7E5.7D5.7C5.9A5.7A5.6I5.6H5.6G5.6F5.6E5.6D5.6C5.6B5.10B5.13H5.13E5.13C5.13A5.10G5.10F5.10E5.10D5.10C5.6A5.10A5.9F5.9E(iii)5.9E(ii)5.9E(i)5.9D(iii)5.9D(ii)5.9D(i)5.9B5.1D5.1A5.1C

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Management Resources

The management resources include a Book Club Calendar, conversation prompts, Student Self-Evaluation forms, Reading Response Board (with optional Common Core alignment), and an Expectations for Book Club anchor chart.

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Meeting 1

Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia is perfect for a Book Club focused on characterization. Discussion in this opening meeting focuses on how the author develops each character and how to cite the text.

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Meeting 2

In Bridge to Terabithia, author Katherine Paterson included two main characters; Jess and Leslie. Students will continue their work from the first meeting; noting the character development of Leslie.

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Meeting 3

This Bridge to Terabithia Book Club focuses on identifying character traits from the information the students have been gathering on their Character Analysis Charts for Jess and Leslie.

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Meeting 4

While reading Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, students will notice the main character changes throughout the novel. Students will discover that characters often change when they face difficulty, develop relationships, or discover something new about themselves.

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Meeting 5

Author Katherine Paterson uses dialogue in Bridge to Terabithia to develop her characters. Drawing student attention to conversations between Jess and Leslie is one way for them to learn important differences between the characters.

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Meeting 6

For this final Book Club meeting for Bridge to Terabithia, students will use a Venn Diagram to organize their thoughts about the similarities and differences of Jess and Leslie. This information will then be used to write a summary statement that demonstrates their learning about characters.

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Vocabulary Connections with Bridge to Terabithia

This set of vocabulary development resources for Bridge to Terabithia highlights the words that are most important for students to know and understand while reading the book. Through engaging in fun word games, matching words to definitions, and practicing how to categorize words, students will develop the vocabulary necessary to comprehend this story and many others.

Common Core State Standards Alignment

L.5.4a,L.5.5,L.5.6

TEKS Alignment

5.7E,5.7F,5.3A,5.3B

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Focus Assessment and Rubric

Use this six-question assessment to determine whether or not students understand the key concepts associated with character description.

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Comprehension Assessment with Bridge to Terabithia

This 9 question Common Core aligned assessment can be used to determine students' overall comprehension of Bridge to Terabithia and their mastery of the Common Core State Standards.

Common Core State Standards Alignment

TEKS Alignment

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Running Record with Bridge to Terabithia

Use this Running Record to assess oral reading fluency with Bridge to Terabithia. Track meaning, structure, and visual accuracy using the first 100 words of the text to determine whether or not this book is a good fit for the readers in your classroom.

Common Core State Standards Alignment

TEKS Alignment

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Management Resources - Spanish

The management resources include a Book Club Calendar, conversation prompts, Student Self-Evaluation forms, Reading Response Board (with optional Common Core alignment), and an Expectations for Book Club anchor chart.

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About the Book

The cover for the book Bridge to Terabithia

Title: Bridge to Terabithia

Author: Katherine Paterson

Genre: Fantasy

Themes: Friendship, Social Awareness, Self Management, Family, Self Awareness, Relationship Skills, Decision Making, Adventure, Award Winners

ISBN: 9780061975165

Publisher's Summary:

Jess Aarons is a quiet, artistic fifth-grader living in rural Virginia who feels overshadowed in his large family and longs for a place to belong. When Leslie Burke, a lively and imaginative new neighbor, arrives at school, the two form a deep friendship despite their differences. Together, they create the magical kingdom of Terabithia in the woods, a secret world where they reign as king and queen and escape the pressures of school, bullies, and family expectations. The story beautifully explores themes of friendship, creativity, and resilience, highlighting how children use imagination to process real-world challenges. When tragedy strikes, Jess must navigate profound loss and grief, ultimately learning to honor Leslie's memory by sharing the magic of Terabithia with his younger sister. Bridge to Terabithia is a poignant, heartfelt novel that encourages discussions about empathy, coping with change, and the healing power of imagination—making it a powerful addition to any classroom library.

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Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for Bridge to Terabithia