The Bridges of Friendship
Linda Thomas
Dwight Grade School
Courtesy of the Frances Loeb Library,
Graduate School of Design, Harvard University
This unit will help students become aware that friendships like bridges will last as long as
they have a strong foundation and are well maintained throughout their existence.
Students will also become aware that friendships like bridges can fall apart when there is
no support or maintenance.
Overview/State Standards/Resources/Procedures/Evaluation
Overview
Objectives
Recommended time frame
Grade level
Curriculum fit
Resources
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Students will:
 Compare building friendships to building bridges
 Discuss the importance of a strong foundation
 Have a better understanding of the importance of
supporting and maintaining structures
4 weeks
4th
Reading and Science
Image Table
Illinois State Learning Standards
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Language Arts:
GOAL 1: Read with understanding and fluency.
 1.A. Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to
comprehend selections.
(I can read and understand words I do not know by looking
at words and sentences around the word; by using what I
know about letters, sounds, and parts of words; or
thesaurus by using a dictionary ).
GOAL 2: Read and understand literature representative of
various societies, eras and ideas.
 2.A. Understand how literary elements and techniques are
used to convey meaning.
(I can find and describe the different parts of a story and
tell how the author helps me understand what I have read
in true and make believe stories.)
 2.B. Read and interpret a variety of literary works.
An Adventure of the American Mind
Illinois State University
The Bridges of Friendship
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(I can make connections from the story and come to
conclusions. I can identify the theme in the story and
compare it to my own life or to stories that I have read
about different times or places.)
GOAL 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.
 3.A. Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation,
capitalization and structure.
(I can write paragraphs that include different kinds of
sentences; correctly use the eight parts of speech; and
accurately spell, capitalize and punctuate.)
 3. C. Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety
of purposes.
(I can write for many purposes and different audiences
in narrative, informative and persuasive form.)
Science:
GOAL 11: Understand the processes of scientific inquiry
and technological design to investigate questions, conduct
experiments and solve problems.
 11.A. Know and apply the concepts, principles and
processes of scientific inquiry.
(I can ask questions, make observations collect and record
information, construct charts, make explanations and
display results.)
 11.B. Know and apply the concepts, principles and
processes of technological design.
(I can identify a design problem and build, test and retest
something to solve the problem.)
Procedures
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Lesson One:
Opening Questions:
 What connects 2 pieces of land with either water or
land between the two?
Demonstrate and Discuss:
 Here we have a bridge. Does it look sturdy? Predict
and record results.
 Place or drop an object on it. Result- Should break.
Discuss why it broke.
 Record responses.
 Discuss and record how to build a stronger bridge.
Go through book:
 Bridges of the World: Their Design and Construction
by Charles S. Whitney
An Adventure of the American Mind
Illinois State University
The Bridges of Friendship
3
Lesson Two:
Opening Questions:
 What connects 2 or more people to be together? Write
responses.
 What makes a friend? Write response.
 Do you think you have a strong or secure friendship
now? What makes your friendship strong?
 What could breakdown a friendship? Write responses.
Read and discuss book:
 Friends to the End: The True Value of Friendship by
Bradley Trevor Greive
Lesson Three:
Ask the following questions:
 Do friends get mad at each other?
 What are ways that friends get mad at each other?
 How do you solve your problems with your friends?
 Do arguments make a friendship weaker or stronger?
Read and discuss the following book:
 Friends at School by Rochelle Bunnett and Matt Brown
Discuss the similarities and the differences between building
friendships and building bridges.
Evaluation
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
Personal Writing Rubric
 Writing Project- Personal Narrative Paragraph:
Your best friend just told you that he or she did not want to be
friends with you anymore. Your now ex-friend says that you
were playing with someone else and not him or her during
recess. Explain to your friend why you decided to play with
someone else during recess and reassure that person is still
your best friend.
 Art Project:
Go through book entitled Bridges: Amazing Structures to
Design, Build and Test by Carol Johmann
Students are to choose a type of bridge and build it out of
popsicle sticks, shoebox or a material of their choice.
An Adventure of the American Mind
Illinois State University