Building Bridges and Friends
Scene 1: The New School
Narrator: It was Tuesday morning. Bella walked into her new school. She felt nervous. She looked down at her shoes. They were old, dusty, and torn. Leo whispered loudly to his friends.
Leo: Look at those shoes! Are they held together by tape? Did she get them from the trash?
Narrator: Bella’s face turned bright red. She looked down at the floor.
Bella: Just walk to class. Do not look up.
Monica: That is not a very nice way to welcome someone, Leo. You do not even know her name.
Narrator: Monica wanted to say more, but the school bell rang. Everyone ran to class.
Scene 2: Lunchtime
Narrator: At lunch, the cafeteria was very loud. Bella sat all alone at the end of a long table. She ate a small sandwich. Leo sat nearby with his friends.
Leo: Do not sit there! We might catch whatever made her shoes so ugly!
Narrator: The other kids laughed. Bella pulled her feet under the bench. She felt very sad. Then, Monica walked over and stood by Bella's table.
Monica: Can I sit here? I want to make a new friend. I am Monica.
Bella: Oh... yes. But everyone is staring at me.
- nervous:
- Feeling worried, scared, or unsure about something new.
- invisible:
- Not able to be seen, or trying to stay hidden from others.
- talent:
- A natural skill or ability to do something very well.
- allowance:
- Money that parents give to children for doing chores or as a gift.
- community:
- A group of people who care about each other and work together.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Who is the main character who just joined the school?
- 2Why was Bella feeling nervous on her first morning?
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About this reader's theater passage for Lower Elementary
“Building Bridges and Friends” is a reader's theater reading passage about Kindness and Inclusion, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 5 minutes to read (805 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.