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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Goat & Sheep Life Expectancy:
Theocratic Connections:
- N/A
Activity 1 – Reading – Chapter 7: Bad News (15 minutes):
Open the story in the Bookclub bookcase and have students take turns reading. Assign character roles if appropriate.
Activity 2 – Discussion (8 minutes):
Ask students the following questions:
- “In previous chapters, Wilbur was upset by Charlotte’s bug-eating ways. How has his attitude towards Charlotte‘s diet changed in this chapter?”
- “Who told Wilbur the bad news?”
- “What is the ‘bad news’ referred to in the title of this chapter?”
- “Why do you think the old sheep told Wilbur the bad news?”
- “How does Wilbur feel about the news? Why?”
- “Does it sound like Charlotte already knew that Wilbur would be killed? Why do you think so? How do you know?” (Prompt students to give a quote from the chapter as evidence to support their answers.)
- “How does Charlotte respond to the bad news? What does her reaction reveal about her character?”
Activity 3 – Watch and Discuss: Goat & Sheep Life Expectancy Video (7 minutes):
The author refers to the sheep that tells Wilbur the bad news as the “old sheep”. Discuss sheep lifespans and encourage students to guess how old the sheep might be.
Assessment:
Assess student understanding of the story’s moral through participation in discussions, completion of reflection questions, and identification of key concepts presented.