When the Classroom Comes to Life on the Farm...READS!
Sometimes the farm has a lesson ready before I even open our book.
Yesterday in My Learning Farm READS!, we discovered not one, but two barn spiders—orb weavers! As we read Charlotte’s Web, we had the chance to observe real spiders and their webs right here on the farm. Suddenly, Charlotte’s world felt a little closer.
We slowed down, looked carefully, and learned some fascinating spider facts:
Spiders are arachnids, part of the same animal class as ticks, mites, and scorpions. They have eight legs, and most spiders have eight eyes—although some have fewer!
Barn orb weavers typically have a life cycle of about one year, though climate and conditions can affect their lifespan.
Orb weavers get their name from their round, wheel-shaped webs. Look closely and you’ll see threads stretching out like bicycle spokes, with a spiral winding around them.
Spiders make silk in glands inside their bodies and release it through spinnerets on their abdomens. Think of spinnerets as tiny silk-spinning tools!
Some orb weavers can produce up to seven different kinds of silk, each with a special job. Strong silk supports the web, attachment material anchors it to surfaces, and stretchy threads coated with sticky glue help catch insects. Other silk wraps prey or protects eggs. What an amazing toolkit!
Spiders have a surprising way of eating. They use digestive fluids to break down their prey, then suck up the liquid food. It’s a little like turning dinner into a spider smoothie!
After reading chapters 8 and 9, we carried that curiosity into our learning activities. We put our ideas on paper and made our own heart spiderweb crafts—a sweet connection to Charlotte, her web, and the friendship at the heart of the story.
Take a peek at our day—from our spider discoveries to our writing and crafts!
This is what I love about READS!: the classroom comes to life all around us. A story gives us something to wonder about. The farm gives us something to observe. Those experiences give children meaningful ideas to talk about, draw, and write.
In READS!, I do the reading aloud so children can enjoy rich stories while we practice vocabulary, comprehension, discussion, and written responses together. Crafts and farm discoveries give us more ways to explore what we are learning.
Our classroom might be the greenhouse, the barn, or wherever the day’s adventure takes us. There is room for questions, creativity, and the joy of discovering something together.
To our READS! families: thank you for letting me share the wonder of nature and stories with your children. I love seeing what catches their attention and hearing the ideas they bring to our time together.
Want your child to join the adventure? I have just a couple of spots left for Spring READS!
This spring, we’ll explore My Side of the Mountain and discover new connections between literature and life on the farm. I would love to welcome your child!
With love from the farm, Ms. Sara
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