by Aisling Ashbery

Created on: June 03, 2010

Katherine Paterson’s novel Bridge to Terabithia is a sad but beautiful work that can help children in a classroom understand and learn about death.  The best way for children to come to a greater understanding of death is through open and honest classroom discussion.  However, sometimes an activity or two helps to spark that kind of discussion.  Here are a few ideas for classroom activities to enhance an elementary school lesson using Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia.

Pre-Reading Activity: Imagine Your World

Materials:

*Paper

*Crayons

Get together in groups of two.  Imagine that the two of you could build a world where anything could happen.  What would be different in that world?  What would it look like?  What would the two of you do there together?  On one side of your paper, draw a map of your imaginary world.  On the other, write one paragraph about your imaginary world and the kinds of adventures you would have there with your friend. 

In Bridge to Terabithia, Terabithia is an imaginary world that represents a place of freedom and possibilities to Jess.  A pre-reading activity that lets students imagine their own similar world will help them to connect to the main character as they read.  After the children are done reading the book, they can be asked to revisit this activity and describe how their world would be different if the partner they created it with died as Leslie did in the book.  Specifically, this activity meets our objectives that “students will be able to understand the books with characters, setting, and themes,” and “students will engage their imaginations to understand the characters in the books.” 

Post-Reading Activity: Bridging the Gap

Materials:

*Different-colored small construction paper rectangles to be the “boards” of the bridge

*Glue stick

*Markers

*White sheet of paper

At the end of Bridge to Terabithia, Jess builds a bridge into his imaginary land so that he can bring May Belle with him to share his special place.  However, he must come to terms with Leslie’s death before he is ready to build the bridge.  Today you will build your own bridge by thinking about some feelings and actions that might help you cope with death like Jess did. 

If you have experienced death in your life, think about some of the feelings that you experienced.  What were some activities or methods that helped you during this time?  If you have never experienced death, try to imagine some feelings you might experience, or use feelings that you experienced when you read about Leslie dying.  What are some activities that might help you feel better if someone you knew died?

On the left side of your white paper, draw a picture of how you felt (or how you would feel) before you had all of these feelings.  Then, write each feeling or method of coping on a different “board” of construction paper.  Glue the boards of your bridge onto your paper in the order that you think they would be most helpful.  On the right side of your paper, draw how you would feel after you have experienced these feelings or used these methods of coping.  How did the two pictures change?  Why?

These activities will help your classroom to open up with honest and in-depth discussion.  As the teacher or leader, try to ask open-ended questions about concepts found in the book, such as guilt, death, and friendship.

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