The Very Busy Spider

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The Very Busy Spider

By Eric Carle, Philomel Books, 1984

Concepts and Themes

  • Thread
  • Fence post
  • Spinning
  • Web
  • Animals: horse, cow, sheep, goat, pig, dog, duck, rooster, owl
  • Meadow
  • Circle/Concentric circles

Expanded Core Curriculum Skills and Activities

Compensatory Skills

  • Explore tactile spider webs, which can usually be found around Halloween time. Can add pipe cleaner spiders to the web, as pipe cleaners feel fuzzy like some spider legs
  • Concept of a spider web: plastic paper plate holder (the kind with the web-like designs). Turn the plate holder over so that the bottom is facing up. Can attach fake spiders to make the web.
  • Discuss that webs are made of concentric circles. Have the child make a spider web, drawing with either a pen or make a tactile circle with a tactile kit or fabric wheel. Help the child make a dot in the center of the area. Show how to make lines radiating out from the center dot. Then connect the radiating lines with concentric circles. The adult or child can make raised glue lines over the drawn web, and when allowed to dry, can be explored.

Social Interaction

  • Cooperation Spider Web: have the children sit on the floor in a circle. Using a high contrasting yarn from the floor background, hold one end of the yarn and roll the ball to a child sitting in the circle. Each child should roll or toss the yarn to someone who is not next to them. Continue rolling/tossing until each child has yarn. Then everyone should put the yarn down on the floor. The children can look at the web they made together. Emphasize how working together they made the web.

Independent Living Skills

  • Snack: make spiders from cut-outs of dark Jell-O jigglers. Add licorice legs and candy eyes.

Career & Vocational Education

  • Discuss why a farmer would want a spider on the farm?
  • Have clothes for farmers’ work clothes: overalls, hat, boots

Assistive Technology

  • Use a switch capability spider to activate by a pressure switch

Visual Efficiency Skills

  • Tracking: Buy a voice activated/retracting spider in the Halloween section. Hang the spider up against a contrasting background, making sure it can move freely. When the spider hears a noise, it will fall to the end of the string. The child can practice tracking the spider as it slowly climbs back up to the top.

Self-determination

  • Talk about the determination and persistence of the spider. Discuss what are tasks they can complete like a spider – keep at it until it is finished, without distraction. Pick one task that day to “finish like a spider”