The Bridge Home
by Padma Venkatraman
Reader's Theater (Pending Publisher Approval)
Informational Resources:
Author Information:
Padma Venkatraman’s website:
Activities & Resources:
Activities:
Teacher Resource Guide from the author
Create a vision board to help you visualize your dreams for the future.
Viji dreams of being a teacher. What career interests you? Explore some career options.
https://www.knowitall.org/search?tid%5B%5D=2&tids_1%5B%5D=5&keys=
Social Issues:
Want to help reduce the amount of hunger in the world? Play this interactive vocabulary game. For each answer you get right, you earn 10 grains of rice through the World Food Programme to help end world hunger.
Brainstorm some ways you can help end hunger in your community. Organize your ideas using Popplet.
Environmental Issues:
Take the Kids vs. Plastic pledge to get your Planet Protector certificate and find out what you can do to fight trash.
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/nature/kids-vs-plastic/
Rukku makes necklaces to sell. Use recycled magazines to make a bead necklace.
https://www.mybigfathappylife.com/recycled-paper-beads/
India:
The book includes many words in the Tamil language. The Tamil alphabet is very different than the English alphabet. Translate your name into Tamil script and write it on a piece of paper.
http://mylanguages.org/tamil_write.php
Create a visual dictionary of the Tamil words featured in the book. Include the word, the definition, and a picture.
Rangoli is one of the most popular art forms in India. Rangoli designs are often used to decorate the entry to homes during Indian festivals including Diwali. Make your own Rangoli out of a paper plate. (1:07)
Sample the cuisine of India by trying a Indian recipe.
https://www.harighotra.co.uk/indian-recipes-kids
MakerSpace Activities:
In the book, the kids made a shelter out of tarps. Using supplies in your makerspace, make your own shelter under the bridge. Keep in mind that the shelter needs to be able to keep the mosquitoes away.
Bridge Building Challenge: Construct a free-standing bridge out of spaghetti noodles, small rubber bands, and sticky tape. It must be strong enough to hold a half pound bag of sugar.
If your trash is not reused or recycled, it probably ends up in a landfill. Design, Build, and Test Your Own Landfill. (2:04)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UYXZjSIwCg
To educate and foster empathy in your fellow classmates, create a Disability Awareness Day. Assemble activities which help students understand what it is like to have the following disabilities: Autism/Communication Impairment, Intellectual Disability, Learning Disability, Hearing Impairment, Vision Impairment, and Physical Impairment. Use the following websites for inspiration and ideas:
http://www.thebenderbunch.com/2017/04/how-to-host-successful-disability.html?m=1
https://www.myspeciallearners.com/2017/03/hosting-disability-awareness-day.html
More than a million plastic bottles are sold every minute and only 30% are recycled. Turn an empty plastic bottle into something useful.
Discussion Questions:
The book is written as a letter from Viji to her sister, Rukku. Do you like this format? Why or why not?
After Appa lost his temper, Amma acted like nothing happened. Why?
Viji’s dream is to become a teacher. What is your dream? What steps do you need to take to achieve it?
Viji lied and told Muthu and Rukku that their dog Kutti had run away. Viji actually sold the dog. Why do you think Viji lied? Do you think it was okay for Viji to lie? Is it ever okay to lie?
In chapter 18, Muthu says, “There’s enough to worry about every day without worrying about tomorrow.” Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Viji is upset by the destruction of their home by the waste mart men. How do the boys help reassure her that everything will be okay?
In chapter 26, a school girl offers some cookies to Viji. At first, even though Viji is hungry, she refuses the cookies. Why do you think she does this?
Describe Viji. What are some of her character traits? Provide evidence from the book to support your answer.
Why does Viji feel responsible for Rukku’s death?
Celina Aunty take Rukku to a school for disabled children. Why do you think she takes Rukku there?
In chapter 43, Viji sees her father again and her emotions rise up. “A flash of forgiveness rose in my chest. It was a strange kind of forgiveness, mixed with desperate pity and hope. A flood that threatened to drown me if I didn’t fight it.” Do you think Viji should forgive her father? Why or why not? Do you think people can change?
Describe how Viji changes from the beginning of the book to the end. What events helped shape who she became?
The story is told through flashbacks. Why do you think the author did this? Was it effective?
Viji, Rukku, Muthu, and Arul face danger and hardships throughout the book. Describe some of the danger and hardships they encounter.
How is your daily life very different than Viji’s? How is it similar?
The word “family” can be defined in multiple ways. Although they aren’t blood related, Viji considers the boys to be her family. Describe how Viji, Rukku, Muthu, and Arul are like family. Use examples from the book to support your answer.
Pretend you are summarizing the book on Twitter. What would you tweet? (must be under 280 characters)
Do you think the story was plot based or character driven? Explain.
What is the message of this book? Explain your answer.
What was your favorite part of the book? Why?
Book Talk Teasers:
Show the students the book cover. Ask them what they think the book will be about.
Show the book trailer for The Bridge Home.
Read the readers theater from this book.
Listen to the first chapter in the author’s voice
https://www.booksontape.com/embed/551690?ref=%20PRH250D4A0FC5
Read Alikes:
Characters with Special Needs:
Arnold, Elana K. A Boy Called BAT. For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a stray baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet. From acclaimed author Elana K. Arnold comes a story of first friendship starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum. (NoveList Plus)
Overcoming Obstacles:
Abouraya, Karen Leggett. Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words. The inspiring true story of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani girl who has become an international activist for universal education. (NoveList Plus)
Burg, Ann E. Serafina’s Promise. In a poor village outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Serafina works hard to help her family, but dreams of going to school and becoming a doctor--then the earthquake hits and Serafina must summon all her courage to find her father and still get medicine for her sick baby brother as she promised. (NoveList Plus)
Spinelli, Ellen. Where I Live. In a series of poems, Diana writes about her life, both before and after her father loses his job and she and her family move far away to live with Grandpa Joe.
Set in India:
Ellis, Deborah. No Ordinary Day. After learning that her family adopted her, Valli runs away from home to live on the streets of Kolkata, India, where she begs, steals, and resists help from a doctor who reveals that she has leprosy. (NoveList Plus)