The End of Terabithia

We have finally finished reading Bridge to Terabithia and the ending left us with mixed emotions. In stations today, students answered two constructed response questions in two different formats. First, students responded to a question on butcher paper, as pictured below. The question was: 

"Jess and Leslie seem to grow closer as they learn more about the differences with their families and beliefs. Why is this so." 

Next, students responded to the text in writing, then by recording their responses. This question was:
"At the end, Jess introduces Maybelle to the imaginary world of Terabithia. Why do you think the author chose to end the novel this way?"

Here are some student responses: 

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