Caldwell TD
Jesse Oliver Aarons Jr.
Leslie Burke
Complete 2 must do activities in your notebook.
Choose 1 or more of the choice activities.
Circle your choice(s).
The Fastest Kid in the
Fifth Grade
Complete 2 must do activities in your notebook.
Choose 1 or more of the choice activities.
Circle your choice(s).
Choice
Novel Study
Complete a Double Bubble map comparing Jess and Leslie.
What is Lark Creek Elementary like? Who has the social power there? How is this similar to and different from your school?
When Jess thinks about Miss
Edmonds and his drawings, he considers himself “rich, very rich.”
What do you think he means? Is he rich? What role does wealth play in this story?
Write a song or poem that summarizes the key events in the first two chapters.
Complete a Literature Web for
Bridge to Terabithia.
Create a character crossword puzzle (using either quotes, actions, or descriptions from the characters as clues).
Think about the roles of boys and girls, men and women in this story.
Why do you think the gender roles are the way they are in this community? Do these roles apply today? Explain.
Write Twitter “tweets” for one of the characters about something that is occurring in the novel. See Mrs.
Caldwell for a template.
Choose a character and write a journal entry as if you are that character. What are you thinking and feeling right now? What are your deepest (and perhaps darkest) thoughts? What secrets do you have that you want to spill?
Draw a picture you think Jess might draw. You could create your interpretation of the hippo picture
Jess describes or your own idea of a crazy animal in an impossible situation. Extend your drawing into a story, as Jess thinks about doing.
Leslie’s classmates seem quite surprised with her outfit selection for the first day of school. What can you infer about Leslie’s personality given her response to them? How do you think Leslie winning the race will impact her relationships with other students at Lark Creek Elementary?
Explain.
Make a bookmark for the book.
Include two or more of the following: a quote from chapter one, a picture of one of the characters that you drew yourself, a map of the town/city or setting, a scene from a chapter, or the title & author in a creative font.

Caldwell TD
Rulers of Terabithia
Complete all 3 must do activities in your notebook.
Choose 1 or more of the choice activities.
Circle your choice(s).
Choice
The Giant Killers
The Coming of Prince
Terrien
Complete all 3 must do activities in your notebook.
Choose 1 or more of the choice activities.
Circle your choice(s).
Choice
Novel Study
Compare and contrast Jess’s and
Leslie’s families. In what ways are they similar or different to yours?
What does Leslie mean when she says, “My parents are reassessing their value structure”? What does
Jess mean when he responds, “But you’re the one that’s gotta pay”?
“He felt there in the teachers’ room that it was the beginning of a new season in his life, and he chose deliberately to make it so.” How does this statement compare with some of your own experiences about change? In your opinion, is change deliberate or does it just occur? Is it always one or the other? Explain.
Create a colorful drawing/map of
Terabithia and answer the following questions : How does the setting contribute to the story?
Would Terabithia hold the same magic if it were located in a city?
Explain. How do you think the dialogue Jess and Leslie have while in Terabithia would change if this magical kingdom was in a city?
How does Jess feel about his sister
May Belle? Why? Why do you think
Jess decided that, “somehow this year May Belle needed something special for Christmas?
Write the story of how you and one of your friends became friends.
How did you first meet? Did you like the other person immediately or did it take time? How did you know you were friends?
Invent an imaginary world . Include places and characters that are similar to those found in a typical adventure or fantasy story. Write a short story about an event or a struggle that takes place in that world. Create illustrations or maps to go with your story.
What do you think about what Jess and Leslie did to Janice after she took May Belle’s Twinkies? Did they have other choices? Explain. Leslie says that Janice deserves everything she gets. Do you agree?
Why or why not?
Create your own Anti-Bullying pamphlet to help others deal with bullies. Include a minimum of 3 strategies or suggestions of advice in dealing with bullies. Include pictures, symbols, or drawings in each section of your pamphlet. See
Mrs. Caldwell for a template.
Leslie’s family doesn’t have a television. Why do some people consider TV a bad thing? What do you think about the value —or lack of value of television?
Print the lyrics to one of the songs
Miss Edmunds teaches: “My
Beautiful Balloon”, This Land Is Your
Land”, “Free to Be…You and Me”,
“Blowin’ in the Wind”. In a paragraph, explain what the song means and what it has to do with the story. Then write a new stanza for your song that relates to some aspect of the novel.
Why doesn’t Jess stand up to Janice
Avery on the bus? What does Leslie mean later when she says, “It’s the principle of the thing, Jess. That’s what you’ve got to understand. You have to stop people like that.
Otherwise they turn into tyrants and dictators.” Do you agree? Explain.
Create character trading cards for at least 3 of the characters in the novel. Use index cards & make sure to write/draw on both sides. Include information such as name, nick names, occupation, height, weight, eye color, personality traits, skills, specialties, friends, hobbies, honors/awards, notable quotes, etc.

Caldwell TD