Building a Bridge Level I
Text Type: Nonfiction • Word Count: 319

Book Summary
Have you ever looked at a bridge and wondered how it was built? Building a Bridge is a great photo book that shows some of the amazing bridges that exist. It explains various types of bridges and details how a bridge is built.

Suggested Lesson Focus
The following skills are suggested for the lesson focus, and strategies will be provided for these skills throughout the lesson. Most likely, other skills will be addressed in the course of reading and discussing the book.

Comprehension
Inferring
Using the content of this book, help children infer information about bridges by asking some of the following questions after children have read. These questions will produce a variety of answers from children. Most of the answers are not provided in the book. Consequently, children will have to put details from the book together to infer a reasonable answer to the question(s) you ask.
Ask: Why do we have bridges? How do people decide where to put bridges? Why did bridges need to be built longer and stronger? Why did people begin building bridges of steel and concrete, rather than of wood, rope or stone? How do you think people decide what type of bridge to build? How do you think cofferdams were invented? How do you think bridges were made before cofferdams were invented? Do you think building a bridge is dangerous? Do you think building a bridge would be exciting, or scary?

Phonological Awareness
Have children listen for and identify the r sounds in words.

Phonics
r sound

Word Work
Time and order words

Mechanics
Punctuation—Commas used to establish a time frame, or to list and/or separate ideas

Visual Learning
The photographs in the book provide children with an opportunity to see bridges they may not have seen before. They help to give an idea how varied bridges can be. The table provides information that may be new to children. Go over the photos and the table, and ask questions to help children understand the importance of looking at and interpreting these various visual learning devices.
Ask: Of the bridges in the book, which bridge would you most like to see in person someday? What is a _________(Choose one of the bridges from the table)? If any of the bridges from the book, or any of the types mentioned in the table, are in your area, you can ask children if they recognize them from the book.

Targeted Vocabulary Words
High Utility Words
over, long, carry, made, under

Content Words
You should consider reviewing the following content words with children prior to having them read independently. This will help children feel prepared and more successful as they are reading. This is a review of how to say the words, as well as what they mean. These are only a few words; you may want to review the book to see if there are other words that you want to add or delete from this list.
swamps, concrete, thousands, stretched, gorge, spanned, modern, cofferdam, supports, overpass, aqueduct, viaduct, causeway, piers, girders