Bridge to Terabithia Constructed Response

In our novel study, Bridge to Terabithia, we just learned that one of the main characters, Leslie, has died by trying to cross a stream during after a storm. This is "breaking news" and very alarming to the other characters in the story. The students were asked to respond to this event in a constructed response. They created a newspaper article to answer the following constructed response:

"It is startling when a major character in a story dies, especially one you feel strong about. Write your reactions to Leslie's death. In your response, answer the following questions: Did you expect this to happen? Give reasons to support your answer. Does Leslie's death make sense to you in the context of the story? Explain why or why not. What were your first reactions when you learned that Leslie was dead?"

Here are their responses:

By: Collin and Bryson