Bridge to Terabithia Book Club
In this 6-week book club, students will learn about friendship and loss through Katherine Patterson's Newbery Medal-winning classic, Bridge to Terabithia
Janelle Fila
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4.6
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What's included
6 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students will read approximately 2 chapters a week on their own time. Each Sunday, students will have access to the new videos and a corresponding one page worksheet with discussion questions and places for fill-in-the blank answers. Each week, I assign a short writing assignment focused around that week's discussion question for the students to share their responses in the classroom. Each day I will also post a vocabulary word for the students to use in a modern sentence. There will also be a weekly Kahoot game that asks trivia questions about the week's current chapters.Assessment
The more assignments that students complete and the more questions that they share in posts helps me to understand their knowledge and comprehension of the topics we are discussing.Grading
Please let me know if you require a grade for this course.Class Experience
US Grade 3 - 6
Bridge to Terabithia is a classic story that teaches about friendship, love, and loss. Students will read two to three chapters a week on their own time. New videos will discuss the pages that the students have previously read. This class does not meet live. The prerecorded sessions will emphasize theme, social issues, historical context, and inferences about what might come next in the story. Some of our conversations might cover bullying, the differences between Leslie's and Jess' families (Leslie's parents don't own a TV!) and the importance of creativity and make-believe. Students will have access to a 5-10 minute video for each chapter. Students will have access to the new videos and a corresponding one page worksheet with discussion questions and places for fill-in-the blank answers. The worksheets will also address/remind the students of some of the important topics from each chapter. I assign a short writing assignment focused around that week's discussion questions. Although the chapters should be an easy read for most students in this age group, I ask students to submit any vocabulary words the students didn't recognize or passages the students did not understand. The more questions the students ask, the more "discussion" we can have in the classroom after each chapter. Week Breakdown: Students will receive 2-3 videos a week that highlights important sections and raises key questions in each chapter. They will also receive a worksheet and discussion questions for each chapter. There is one weekly writing assignment to complete after the weekly readings. There will also be a weekly Kahoot! game that asks trivia questions about the week's current chapters. I will also post vocabulary words for the students to use in sentences to demonstrate their understanding of the word.
Learning Goals
Week One Chapter One and Chapter Two: Students are introduced to the main character, Jesse Aarons. They meet his (mostly annoying) sisters and learn about life on the farm. Students will discuss what is most important to Jesse and share why they think that might be. Students are introduced to important characters like Miss Edmunds and Leslie Burke. What is the significance of these relationships? How might they impact the overall story?
Week Two Chapter Three and Chapter Four: Why does Jesse stick up for Leslie, even when it ruins his most important plans? Students will have a chance to explain if they think Leslie and Jesse will become friends or enemies in this story and what story details led them to that conclusion. Students will talk about the importance of creativity and make believe. Why is Terabithia so important to Leslie? To Jesse?
Week Three Chapter Five and Chapter Six: Students will talk about bullying and how a single action affects multiple people. Is it alright to be mean to someone who is mean to you first? Students can discuss what they think will happen to Jess, Leslie, and Janice next. What is the significance of the Christmas gifts? Who gave the best present? Who was happiest about the present they received?
Week Four Chapter Seven and Chapter Eight: Do the students feel sorry for Janice? Does her situation at home excuse her bullying behavior? What do students think about Jesse's statement that you "never mixed up troubles at home with life at school?" Do they agree or disagree? What is the significance of the Easter church scene? What might the author be hinting that could happen later on in the story?
Week Five Chapter Nine and Chapter Ten: What do students think about the roaring creek bed? Is there a change in mood or tone that worries the reader? Do readers think Jesse is being overly worried or he should he be more courageous, like Leslie? What do the students think about the title "the perfect day," considering how the chapter ends?
Week Six Chapters Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen: Students can discuss how they feel about the recent turn of events. Are they in shock and denial like Jesse? Or did they expect something like this to happen, based on the tone and mood used by Patterson? Students can discuss Jess' guilt over Leslie's accident. Is he right to blame himself? Was it his fault? Who else might be to blame for what happened? Could Jesse have done something differently to change the outcome? Or was it just an accident after all? How do readers feel about the ending? Is what Jesse does for his sister enough to overcome what he didn't do for Leslie? Does it make it easier to like the story since it ends on a positive note? Students can discuss any remaining questions they might have about the story.
Syllabus
6 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Chapters 1 and 2
Video lessons, worksheets, vocabulary words, writing assignments, and an optional Kahoot! review quiz Lesson 2:
Chapters 3 and 4
Video lessons, worksheets, vocabulary words, writing assignments, and an optional Kahoot! review quiz Lesson 3:
Chapters 5 and 6
Video lessons, worksheets, vocabulary words, writing assignments, and an optional Kahoot! review quiz Lesson 4:
Chapters 7 and 8
Video lessons, worksheets, vocabulary words, writing assignments, and an optional Kahoot! review quiz Other Details
Parental Guidance
An important character dies near the end of this book. A large part of the story is how the main character deals with his friend's death. According to commonsensemedia.org: Parents need to know that Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson, won the 1978 Newbery Medal. It focuses on the sweet friendship of a tween boy and girl who share imaginative play, creating a world of their own just a rope swing away, far from the school bullies they face. It also features a child's death and grief in the aftermath of the tragedy, and may provoke tears. There's mention of cremation, which may be upsetting to some kids. Some strong language, including "bitch," "damn," and "hell."
Supply List
The students will need their own copy of Bridge to Terabithia to read on their own. It can be borrowed from the library or even listened to as an audio book. The students will not need a physical copy of the story in class, although they may find it helpful to have when filling out their worksheet.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined June, 2019
4.6
903reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from Spalding University
I have a Master's Degree in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults. I was a substitute teacher for three years before teaching on Outschool full-time. I currently teach English Composition at a local nursing college. As a young child, Bridge to Terabithia impacted me in a way few stories had at that time. It challenged me think about issues I'd never even considered before. It quickly became one of my favorites and a story I believe all students should read. I hope to pass on some enthusiasm for this book to my students! My goal is that they will come away with a respect, if not outright love, for this story and author.Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$5
weekly or $30 for all content6 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 4 learners
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Ages: 8-13
