Charles's Bridge - Educator Guide v4 - Discussion/Project Guide for Grades K-3

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia

Charles's Bridge is a Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards-aligned discussion and project guide for Grades K-3. The guide supports learning around a wartime story inspired by actual events, where Charles finds creative hope by making art supplies from clay, herbs, vegetables, and willow-based brushes. It includes pre-reading exploration, discussion questions, a sketchpad and booklet template, bridge-building engineering activities with project analysis, and further research links, connecting story themes to reading, writing, speaking & listening, and K-PS2-1 and K-LS1-1.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time7 min

AccessFree to download

Table of Contents

Meet Charles and Sandra

Pre-Reading Exploration

Discussion Questions

Making a Sketchpad

Booklet Template

Building Bridges: A Lesson in Engineering

Building Bridges: Project Analysis

Further Research

Links for Further Research

Meet Charles Novacek

Common Core State Standards Alignment

Next Generation Science Standards

A Common Core State Standards&Next Generation Science Standards-AlignedDiscussion/Project Guidefor Grades K-3 Charles'sBridge ISBN-10:0985415134 ISBN-13:978-0985415136 Written by Sandra NovacekIllustrated by Nicole LapointePublished by Ten21 Press When armed soldiers arrive near their hometown in 1938,Charles's parents must move the familyto another town in Czechoslovakia.Artistic Charles misses his old home--as well as the art sup-plies he had to leave behind.He knows there's no hope ofreplacing them,not with war looming.Then one day Charles spots a beautiful bridge,and inspiration strikes.He can make some artsupplies!With paints made from clay,herbs,and vegetables,and brushes fashioned from branchesand pussy willows,Charles paints the bridge. Inspired by actual events,Charles's Bridge is a story of inspiration and an artist's fierce desire tocreate art and capture beauty during wartime. Guide crafted byDebbie Gonzales,MFA # Table of Contents Meet Charles and Sandra………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 Pre-Reading Exploration……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 · Meet the Illustrator-Nicole Lapointe……………………………………………………………………………………4 · Discussion Questions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 · The Charles's Bridge: Fun Facts…………………………………………………………………………………………4 Discussion Questions………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5-6 Making a Sketchpad……………………………………………………………………………………………………………7 Booklet Template………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………8-11 Building Bridges: ALesson in Engineering………………………………………………………………………12 Building Bridges: Project Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………13 Further Research…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………14 Links for Further Research………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15 Meet Charles Novacek………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………16 Common Core State Standards Alignment: · English Language Arts Standards》Reading: Informational Tex…………………………17 · English Language Arts Standards》Writing……………………………………………………………17-18 · English Language Arts Standards》Speaking &Listening……………………………………18-19 Next Generation Science Standards: · K-PS2-1:Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions……………………………………………20 · K-LS1-1:From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes……………………20 # Introducing Charles and Sandra "He gave you love,now you must give him immortality."～Da Chen,Chinese author ## Meet Charles Novacek-Artist,Linguist,and Survivor of the Czech Resistance: To those he met in his adopted hometown of Detroit,Michigan,CharlesNovacek was a fascinating Renaissance man.He spoke seven languages,traveled the globe and constantly pursued knowledge.After retiringfrom a successful career as a civil engineer,Charles returned to school,following his lifelong dream of becoming an artist.He earned a master’sdegree in painting from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelorof General Studies and Master of Arts in Liberal Arts Studies from theUniversity of Michigan-Dearborn,eventually showing his paintings andsculpture in Detroit area galleries. What most people never discovered,however,was that the charming,erudite artist spent hisboyhood in the Czech Resistance,defending his homeland from the Nazis and the Communists.Charles'father,Antonin,had been a prisoner of war in World War I and ensured his sondeveloped wilderness survival skills at an early age.Charles'childhood was spent exploring thewilds of Slovakia and the Tatra Mountains.He learned how to find food and water,how to firea rifle and shoot an arrow,and how to create shelter.He learned the details of the landscapearound his home,including the location of its many caves. ## Meet Sandra Novacek-Author,MasterLibrarian,and Educator: Sandra A.Novacek was born and raised in the Detroit,Michiganarea and found her true calling as a librarian as a young girl,whenshe developed a checkout system for the Nancy Drew mysteries sheloaned to her friend

FAQs

What learning activities are included in the educator guide for Grades K-3?

The guide includes pre-reading exploration, discussion questions, making a sketchpad, a booklet template, and bridge-building projects with engineering-focused analysis activities.

How does the story relate to science and literacy standards?

It connects the narrative to reading informational text, writing, speaking & listening, and science concepts such as motion and stability and structures and processes, aligned with K-PS2-1 and K-LS1-1.

What inspired Charles in the story to create art supplies during wartime?

Charles sees a beautiful bridge and feels inspired, then makes paints from clay, herbs, and vegetables and creates brushes from branches and pussy willows to paint it.

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia