Charlotte’s Web is one of my novels to read with my third graders in the spring. I like reading Charlotte’s Web later in the year, because my students have become stronger independent readers by this point of the year. The focus of my Charlotte’s Web unit is a deep character analysis. During this time, I work on building independent reading stamina and class discussions. These Charlotte’s Web book activities encourage my students to think deeply about the story as they read.
Most of my students have either seen Charlotte’s Web the movie, or read the book before. They are usually familiar with the plot. This is a GOOD thing! The unit I plan for this book requires students to analyze the characters and understand their purpose in the book. It helps when students already know the plot and are able to dig deeper into the story.
Charlotte’s Web Vocabulary
Charlotte’s Web is full of great vocabulary words, but I like to let my students guide our word work when we read this novel. I give my students a small notebook to keep track of words they want to talk about during our daily meeting. They jot down words they don’t know, or words they are unsure about while they read each chapter.
To make these books, I use colored paper and white copy paper. I cut all of the paper into slips and staple 5-6 sheets together. The colorful pages are the covers, but you can skip that if you like. These little books also serve as a great bookmark.
Each day during our meeting, I give students time to talk about the words they wrote down in their books. We talk about the meanings of the words. I add them to our Web of Words anchor chart. We add words each day and the web ends up being full by the end of the book.
This is a great way to broaden students’ vocabularies. Sometimes they just need to hear me say the word aloud. Sometimes students are able to help each other learn the meanings. And sometimes, I have to teach them all what the word means. I am hopeful that after our meetings, they will recognize the word when they see it again in their reading.
I like that this method of vocabulary instruction gives the students some ownership of their learning. They are able to decide which words we talk about each day. My students really do enjoy this! hope a few of the words stick with them so when they encounter them during their independent reading time, they might remember what they mean!
Character Activities
Charlotte’s Web is full of memorable characters that students will remember for years to come. This book is perfect for diving into each character and analyzing their traits. Here are a few of my favorite character activities for Charlotte’s Web:
Character Trait anchor chart
At the beginning of the book when we meet Charlotte, Wilbur and Templeton, I create an anchor chart for us to use as we get to know the characters. Each time we think of a describing word for Charlotte, Wilbur, or Templeton we add it to the chart. Students must give a word and the evidence from the book to support their thinking. I like how these anchor charts grow as we move through the book.
Templeton Character Analysis
Templeton is a tricky character in this story. He is introduced as a troublemaker in the barn, but without him, Wilbur would not have been saved. I like to have my students think about the different aspects of Templeton’s character.
We use this anchor chart to track our thinking about Templeton.
Why is each character included in the story?
This is one of my favorite things to do as we near the end of the book. Each character in Charlotte’s Web has a purpose in the story. Even the characters who only speak once or twice (like Uncle) have a reason for being in the story. During this activity, students write down why each character is important to the story.
Digital Charlotte’s Web Book Activities
Last year when COVID hit, we were just about to start our Charlotte’s Web unit. I had to quickly transition my Charlotte’s Web book activities into a digital format for distance learning. I turned my Charlotte’s Web graphic organizers into activities that could be completed with Google Slides. These activities were assigned through Google Classroom. My students were able to log in and easily complete each activity. The best thing is that each student gets a copy.
Now my district uses the Canvas learning platform. I like this even better! There is a setting for Google Assignments that will ensure that each student gets their own copy of the activity. I am able to grade their work even easier than I did with Google Classroom using the SpeedGrade feature in Canvas.
Now that my students and I are back in the classroom full time, I find that adding in some digital activities here and there mixes up my instruction and keeps my students engaged. I believe the digital aspect of education is here to stay!
If you are looking for digital activities to add to your Charlotte’s Web unit, take a look at these!
These activities help me monitor independent reading comprehension. There is a short activity for each chapter. Students can complete them on their Chromebooks and I can check them quickly.
Discussion
Another major focus of my Charlotte’s Web unit is class discussions. I use this time to teach my students how to listen to each other and have conversations about the text. One thing that helps is using yarn to track our discussion. The students pass a ball of yarn each time they participate in the discussion. The speaker holds a piece of yarn. After sharing his or her thoughts, he passes the yarn to the next person who wants to add to the conversation. Each student holds a piece of yarn before throwing the ball.
The result is a cool “web” that tracks the discussion! You can easily see which students participated the most, and which students have not added to the discussion at all. This spider web discussion activity is perfect for Charlotte’s Web. My students usually enjoy this and ask to do it every day! I notice them reading more carefully and thinking harder so they will have something new to add to the discussion.
FREE Chapter 1 Activity for Charlotte’s Web
Check out this FREE Chapter 1 activity!
