Charlotte's Web

Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White, is a favorite among elementary age children. This charming story of friendship and loyalty takes place on a quaint farm. Two unlikely friends, Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig, develop a bond that defies the odds. When Wilbur learns of what will be his early demise, Charlotte promises she will do everything she can to protect him. By weaving messages in her web, Charlotte helps the Zuckerman's see that Wilbur is truly special.  When the Zuckerman's enter Wilbur into the County Fair, Charlotte attends so she can weave more words about Wilbur into her web.  However, Charlotte is feeling weak and tired.  She must lay her eggs; but once she lays the eggs, she will die.  Saddened by this, Wilbur resolves to keep Charlotte's memory alive. When it is time to leave the Fair, Wilbur scoops up the egg sac and takes it back to the farm.  When the eggs hatch, Wilbur develops a new, special relationship with Charlotte's offspring.

Told from the 3rd person, E.B. White brings his characters to life through talking farm animals. Touching, dramatic, and warm Charlotte’s Web is sure to bring a tear to your eye, while putting a smile on your face.

As I teacher, I would teach this particular work of fiction over the course of a month. I would teach one lesson plan on vocabulary. Throughout the book there are many large, complex words. I would challenge my students to find those words, and without using the dictionary, try to figure out the meaning of the words based on the surrounding text. A few examples are, “I always give them an anesthetic so they won’t feel pain (48).” “You’re carrying on in a childish way. Stop your crying! I can’t stand hysterics (51).” This lesson would develop confidence in reading, while developing skills in comprehension and deciphering context.

I would also use this book to tie into a science lesson on insects. On page 55, Charlotte explains to Wilbur about the different names for the various parts of her legs, saying, “…Each leg of mine has seven parts – the coxa, the trochanter, the femur, the patella, the tibia, the metatarsus, and the tarsus.” From this small portion of the text, we could devote a week to studying spiders. Charlotte’s Web would be a great supplementary (and fun) text to bring into a science lesson.


Charlotte’s Web. ISBN-13: 978-0-545-00188-5. E.B. White. 1980. Newbery Honor Book. Age 9-12. Fiction. Fantasy.