Student Objectives:
- Take turns reading pages or paragraphs in the book to practice their reading skills.
- Identify who the main characters and settings of the story are.
- Understand the moral lessons presented in the book.
- Be able to summarize the story in their own words.
Video Links:
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Spiders: Eating, Enzymes and Digestion:
Theocratic Connections:
N/A
Activity 1 – Reading Chapter 5: Charlotte – Pages 38-41 (15 minutes):
Open the story in the Bookclub bookcase and have students take turns reading the rest of the chapter. Assign character roles if appropriate.
Activity 2 – Discussion (10 minutes):
Ask students the following questions:
- “What does Charlotte say would happen to the earth if spiders like her didn’t catch bugs and eat them?”
- “Charlotte explains that she must “live by my wits.” What does she mean by this? Think of examples of people living by their wits. In what ways do you live by your wits?”
- “Wilbur reflects upon his new friendship with Charlotte. He is happy to have a new friend, but he is worried about some of her qualities. He says, ‘I’ve got a new friend, all right. But what a gamble friendship is!’ Why does he think friendship is a gamble? What worries Wilbur about Charlotte? Which of her traits does he admire?”
- “How does Charlotte demonstrate her intelligence and resourcefulness?”
- “What clue does the author give that suggests Charlotte will be a good friend to Wilbur?”
- “If you had to tell someone what chapter 5 was about, what would you say?”
- “What do you think will happen in the next chapter?”
Activity 3 – Watch and Discuss: Spiders: Eating, Enzymes and Digestion Video (5 minutes):
In the story, Charlotte says that she drinks the blood of insects. However, this is not true of real spiders! Watch the video so that students will understand the bug “energy drink” that spiders enjoy.
Assessment:
Assess student understanding of the story’s moral through participation in discussions, completion of reflection questions, and identification of key concepts presented.