Title: Exploring Resilience and Empathy in “The Bridge Home”

Grade Level: 8th Grade

Introduction: - Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever faced a challenging situation or had to overcome obstacles. Discuss their experiences briefly. - Introduce the novel “The Bridge Home” by Padma Venkatraman, a powerful story about four homeless children in India who form a family and navigate the harsh realities of life on the streets. - Explain that the novel explores themes of resilience, empathy, and the importance of human connection. - Share the learning objectives for the lesson: to analyze characters’ experiences, develop empathy, and reflect on personal resilience.

Lesson Outline:

1. Pre-Reading Activity: Building Background Knowledge - Show a short video clip about homelessness in India, such as “Homeless in India” by The Guardian (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XG9Yz3vXUk). - Discuss the video, asking students to share their observations and thoughts. - Distribute a worksheet with questions related to the video for students to complete individually or in pairs.

2. Reading and Analysis: Character Study - Assign students to read the first few chapters of “The Bridge Home” independently or in small groups. - Provide a character analysis worksheet for students to complete as they read, focusing on the main characters’ traits, motivations, and challenges. - After reading, facilitate a class discussion using the following guiding questions: - How do the characters in the novel demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity? - What challenges do they face, and how do they overcome them? - How do the characters’ experiences help us develop empathy for homeless individuals?

3. Empathy Building Activity: Walk in Their Shoes - Divide students into small groups and assign each group a character from the novel. - Instruct students to create a short skit or monologue that portrays a day in the life of their assigned character, highlighting their struggles, emotions, and resilience. - Encourage students to think critically about the character’s perspective and the challenges they face. - Allow time for groups to rehearse their skits or monologues. - Have each group perform their skit or monologue for the class, followed by a brief discussion on the importance of empathy and understanding.

Assessment: - Distribute a short written reflection worksheet for students to complete individually. The worksheet should include questions such as: - How did the characters in “The Bridge Home” demonstrate resilience? - How did the novel help you develop empathy for homeless individuals? - Reflect on a time when you had to be resilient. How did you overcome the challenge? - Collect and review the completed worksheets to assess students’ understanding of the novel’s themes and their ability to reflect on personal experiences.

Differentiation: - For students who struggle with reading, provide an audio version of the novel or assign them to read in pairs. - Offer additional support to English language learners by providing vocabulary lists or simplified versions of the text. - For advanced students, encourage them to explore the historical and cultural context of homelessness in India through additional research or by reading related articles.

Plenary: - Conclude the lesson by revisiting the learning objectives and discussing how they were achieved. - Ask students to share one key takeaway from the lesson, focusing on the importance of resilience and empathy. - Encourage students to consider how they can apply these lessons in their own lives and communities.

Resources: - “Homeless in India” by The Guardian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XG9Yz3vXUk - Character Analysis Worksheet - Empathy Building Reflection Worksheet