Flock of Fromans

Some books just beg to be turned into a whole unit, and Charlotte’s Web is one of them. 🕷️💛

This season we read E.B. White’s classic together and paired it with a spider science unit. The boys went from “ew, spiders” to asking if we could leave the web on the porch light up “for Charlotte.” (We did. It’s still there. Don’t judge me.)

Why Charlotte’s Web and spiders go together

Charlotte isn’t just any spider. She’s a barn spider, and E.B. White even gave her a scientific-sounding full name: Charlotte A. Cavatica. That makes the book a natural bridge between a story the kids love and real science they can go outside and observe.

What our unit looked like

• Read-aloud time: A chapter or two a day, with cozy blankets and way too many snacks.
• Spider science: Spiders have 8 legs and 2 body parts, so they’re arachnids, not insects. They make silk, and not every spider spins a web.
• Web hunt: We went looking for webs around the yard and barn. Early morning dew makes them sparkle!
• Charlotte’s words: We talked about the words she wove (Some Pig, Terrific, Radiant and Humble), and the boys picked their own word for someone they love.
• Retell the story: After each few chapters, the boys acted out what happened with our paper story set, complete with the barn, the fence and a very sneaky Templeton.

Grab the free Charlotte’s Web Retelling Resource! 🕸️

I made a printable story set so your kids can bring the book to life too. It includes the characters, the farm setting and props like the barn, fence, hay bales, trough and, of course, Charlotte’s web. Just print, cut, stand them up and start retelling!

If you try this with your kiddos, I’d love to hear which character they fight over first! (Here it’s always Templeton.) Tell me in the comments. 💛

♡ Amanda