The Spider and the Fly
by Mary Howitt
A Detailed, Colourful Lesson Plan & Worksheet Pack
(Grade 5–7 | English Language Arts | 60–75 minutes)
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | The Spider and the Fly – A Cautionary Tale |
| Author | Mary Howitt (1834) |
| Target Grade | 5–7 (adaptable) |
| Subject | English Language Arts – Poetry, Moral Reasoning, Critical Thinking |
| Duration | 60–75 minutes (1–2 class periods) |
| Materials | Printed poem (colour-coded stanzas), projector, sticky notes, chart paper, coloured markers, spider-web graphic organiser, craft paper, pipe cleaners, glue, scissors, worksheet pack |
| Room Set-up | Circle for read-aloud, stations for MI activities |
2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES (SMART)
| Specific | Measurable | Achievable | Relevant | Time-bound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyse the poem’s structure, rhyme, & persuasive language | 80% of students identify 4 persuasion tactics on exit ticket | Within 1 lesson using guided questions | Builds literary analysis & media-literacy skills | By end of class |
| Evaluate moral choices of characters | Debate rubric scores ≥3/4 | Role-play & peer feedback | Links to SDG 16 (peace, justice) | During class debate |
| Create a visual/kinesthetic response (MI) | Completed product with 3+ MI elements | Station rotation model | Engages diverse learners | By lesson close |
3. SDG INTEGRATION
| SDG | Target | Link to Poem | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDG 4 – Quality Education | 4.7 – Education for sustainable development & global citizenship | Recognising manipulation & flattery as tools of deceit | Media-literacy station: “Spot the Flattery” in ads |
| SDG 16 – Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions | 16.6 – Transparent & accountable decision-making | The Fly’s poor decision vs. Spider’s cunning | Role-play court trial: “Who is guilty?” |
4. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE (MI) GOALS
(Gardner’s 8 Intelligences – each station = 8–10 min)
| Intelligence | Goal | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Linguistic | Identify rhyme & persuasion | Annotate poem with highlighters |
| Logical-Mathematical | Sequence events & cause-effect | Timeline sticky-note web |
| Visual-Spatial | Design spider web mind-map | Draw web + label tactics |
| Bodily-Kinesthetic | Act out dialogue | 2-minute freeze-frame scenes |
| Musical | Compose 4-line rap/chant warning | Perform with body percussion |
| Interpersonal | Debate ethics | “Spider vs. Fly” courtroom |
| Intrapersonal | Reflect on personal temptation | Journal: “When was I the Fly?” |
| Naturalist | Compare real spider behaviour | Venn diagram: poem vs. nature |
5. TEACHING–LEARNING PROCESS
(Colour-coded timing – print in rainbow order)
| Phase | Time | Teacher Action | Student Action | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | 5 min | Dramatic reading with spider hand-puppet; ask: “Would YOU enter a stranger’s parlour?” | Predict ending on sticky note | Puppet, poem copy |
| Read-Aloud & Choral | 10 min | Model expressive reading; pause at each stanza for echo | Choral repeat last line of stanza | Colour-coded poem sheets |
| MI Station Rotation | 30 min | Facilitate 4 stations (2 MI each); rotate every 8 min | Rotate & complete mini-task | Station cards, timers |
| Whole-Class Debrief | 10 min | Spider-web chart on board; students add sticky notes | Share 1 insight per MI | Chart paper, markers |
| Debate / Court Trial | 10 min | Assign roles: Judge, Spider, Fly, Jury | 2-min arguments; jury vote | Role cards |
| Exit Ticket | 5 min | Distribute colourful exit slip | Write 1 persuasion tactic + 1 personal warning | Exit slips |
6. LEARNING OUTCOMES
(Blooms Taxonomy – colour gradient: Remember → Create)
- Remember – Recite final stanza from memory.
- Understand – Explain personification of Spider & Fly.
- Apply – Use persuasive language in a modern warning poster.
- Analyse – Identify 4 rhetorical devices (flattery, promise, exaggeration, urgency).
- Evaluate – Judge the Fly’s decision using ethical rubric.
- Create – Produce a multimodal cautionary tale (rap, comic, puppet show).
7. VALUES & LIFE SKILLS
| Value | Life Skill | Integration |
|---|---|---|
| Caution | Critical thinking | “Stranger Danger” & online grooming link |
| Integrity | Resistance to peer pressure | Refusal skills role-play |
| Empathy | Perspective-taking | Write Fly’s diary entry |
8. HOMEWORK / EXTENSION ACTIVITY
| Task | Format | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Comic | Pixton / Canva – retell in 6 panels with speech bubbles | 3 days |
| Family Interview | Ask a parent: “Ever been the Fly?” – record 1 quote | Next class |
| Spider Research | National Geographic Kids – 1 fact + drawing | Optional |
9. LEARNING OUTCOMES
(Repeated for assessment checklist)
- Recalls 4+ lines
- Identifies 3+ persuasive tactics
- Creates MI product (rubric 3/4)
- Reflects on personal relevance
10. WORKSHEET PACK
(Print double-sided, full colour)
PAGE 1 – POEM & ANNOTATION
Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly...
- Highlight flattery in YELLOW
- Underline promises in PINK
- Circle warnings in RED
PAGE 2 – SPIDER WEB GRAPHIC ORGANISER
(Circular web template – 8 spokes)
- Centre: “Flattery”
- Each spoke: one tactic + quote
PAGE 3 – COURT TRIAL VERDICT
| Charge | Evidence (Quote) | Verdict (Guilty/Not) |
|---|---|---|
| Spider: Deception | ||
| Fly: Naivety |
PAGE 4 – EXIT TICKET (tear-off)
Name:
1. One persuasion tactic:
2. My warning to the Fly:
DOWNLOAD PACK (PDF – 12 pages, A4, 300 dpi)
Link: bit.ly/SpiderFlyLessonPlan (QR code on cover)
Contents:
- Teacher guide (this document)
- Student workbook (4 pages)
- Rubrics (debate + MI product)
- Printable station cards
- Editable Google Slides version
Design Notes for Print:
- Palette: Purple (spider), teal (fly), gold (warnings)
- Fonts: Title – “Creepster”; Body – “Open Sans”
- Icons: Spider, web, speech bubble, lightbulb
- Borders: Dotted web lines on every page
Ready to print & laminate station cards for reuse!
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