The Very Busy Spider Extension Activities

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Mathematical Concepts: Spatial and linear patterns

SHARED READING

• Ask children to describe what they know about spider webs. Encourage children to talk about patterns they've seen in webs. Then read the story aloud. Let children describe the progress of the web in each succeeding illustration.
• Give children time to look through the book and feel the raised illustrations of the spider, the web, and fly.

MATH ACTIVITIES

Spider Web Patterns

Give each child string, scissors, paste, and a sheet of heavy paper or oaktag on which you have copied the beginning of a spider web as shown. Show children the illustrations of the web in the story and discuss the pattern. Ask children to “spin” their own webs on the heavy paper or oaktag using string and paste. Encourage children to use language such as circle or circular, repeating, and lines to describe the patterns they form. Save finished webs for the science activity that follows.

ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

Science/Art

Lead children in an investigation about spiders. Together, collect and display photographs and illustrations of spiders. Have children take closer looks at the spiders' legs. How do the legs help a spider crawl and climb? Give each child a lump of clay and 4 pipe cleaners that have been cut in half (8 pieces). Ask children to use their clay and pipe cleaners to make spider models. When the models are dry, children can attach them to their spider web artwork.

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  The Scholastic Store
  	The Very Busy Spider With over 300,000 copies sold since its publication in 1985, The Very Busy Spider is well on its way to becoming a modern classic. The raised lines for the spider, its web, and an unsuspecting fly allow both sighted and visually impaired children to follow the action. $6.99 books;hardcover books;picture books | Ages 2-5

  
  The Very Busy Spider
  Ages 2-5 $6.99
  
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  The Scholastic Store

  Miss Spider's Tea Party School Library Journal Miss Spider can't understand why insects flee in panic at her approach. Being a florivore herself, she only wants to invite them over for cakes and tea. The ironic air wafting through Kirk's rhymed tale will not be lost on young readers, and the insects in the big, brightly colored illustrations bear comically apprehensive expressions as they hastily depart... At last, Miss Spider is able to convince a rain-soaked moth of her good intentions... A sweet tale. $5.99 books;paperback books;paperbacks | Ages 4-8

  
  Miss Spider's Tea Party
  Ages 4-8 $5.99