Lesson Plan
A Voice in the Barn
Students will be able to analyze the initial dialogue between Wilbur and Charlotte to predict the nature of their future friendship.
Understanding how characters interact through dialogue helps students comprehend stories more deeply and develop empathy. This skill is crucial for predicting plot developments and understanding complex relationships in literature and in real life.
Audience
3rd Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Through close reading and guided discussion, students will analyze dialogue.
Materials
- Voices in the Dark Slides, - Dialogue Detective Handout, - Wilbur's Diary Writing Prompt, - Whiteboard or projector, and - Markers or pens
Prep
Review Materials and Set Up
10 minutes
- Review the A Voice in the Barn Lesson Plan, Voices in the Dark Slides, Dialogue Detective Handout, and Wilbur's Diary Writing Prompt. Ensure all digital materials are accessible.
- Prepare the whiteboard or projector for displaying the slides.
- Make copies of the Dialogue Detective Handout for each student.
- Have blank paper or notebooks ready for the Wilbur's Diary Writing Prompt.
Step 1
Sensory Details Warm-up
5 minutes
- Display the first slide of the Voices in the Dark Slides.
- Ask students: 'Imagine you are in a dark barn. What sounds do you hear? What do you smell? How does it feel?'
- Encourage students to share their sensory details. Explain that authors use these details to set a scene, just like E.B. White does in 'Charlotte's Web' when Wilbur first hears Charlotte's voice.
Step 2
Reading and Interpretation
10 minutes
- Transition to the next slide of the Voices in the Dark Slides which has the excerpt.
- Read aloud the initial dialogue between Wilbur and Charlotte (from 'Charlotte's Web').
- As you read, emphasize the different 'voices' or tones of Wilbur and Charlotte.
- After reading, ask: 'What do you notice about how Wilbur speaks? How about Charlotte?' Lead a brief discussion on their initial reactions and feelings based on the dialogue.
Step 3
Dialogue Detective Activity
10 minutes
- Distribute the Dialogue Detective Handout.
- Explain that students will be 'dialogue detectives,' looking for clues in the text.
- Instruct students to re-read the dialogue silently or with a partner and answer the questions on the handout about character voice, feelings, and initial impressions.
- Circulate to provide support and encourage detailed responses.
Step 4
Predicting a Friendship
3 minutes
- Bring the class back together. Display the relevant slide on the Voices in the Dark Slides.
- Ask students to share their findings from the Dialogue Detective Handout.
- Prompt discussion: 'Based on this first conversation, what kind of friendship do you predict Wilbur and Charlotte will have? Will it be easy? Will they learn from each other?'
- Encourage students to justify their predictions using evidence from the dialogue.
Step 5
Journal Entry: Wilbur's Diary
2 minutes
- Introduce the Wilbur's Diary Writing Prompt.
- Explain that for homework, or as a follow-up activity, they will write a diary entry from Wilbur's perspective about his first encounter with Charlotte.
- Remind them to use sensory details and reflect Wilbur's feelings and predictions.
Slide Deck
A Voice in the Barn: Sensory Details Warm-up
Imagine you are in a dark barn.
What sounds do you hear?
What do you smell?
How does it feel?
Share your sensory details with a partner!
Welcome students and set the scene. Encourage them to close their eyes if comfortable and truly imagine the barn environment. This warm-up activates their senses and prepares them for the rich descriptive language in the text. Transition from sensory experience to how authors create this experience.
Reading and Interpretation: Wilbur Meets Charlotte
E.B. White, Charlotte's Web (excerpt)
"I'm up here," said the voice. "Way up here in the corner.
Look closely and you will see me."
Wilbur looked, but saw nothing. "Where are you?" he cried.
"I'm right here," answered the voice. "I'm Charlotte."
"Charlotte?" said Wilbur. "Who is Charlotte?"
"I am," said the voice. "I'm a spider."
Display the excerpt of the dialogue between Wilbur and Charlotte. Read it aloud with expression, highlighting the distinct 'voices' of each character. Prompt students to think about how each character speaks and what that tells us about them.
Dialogue Detective Activity
It's time to be a Dialogue Detective!
Your mission: Re-read the dialogue between Wilbur and Charlotte. Look for clues!
- How does Wilbur sound?
- How does Charlotte sound?
- What do you think each character is feeling?
Use your Dialogue Detective Handout to record your findings.
Explain the 'Dialogue Detective' activity and introduce the handout. Emphasize that students should be looking for clues in the words and how they are said. Encourage close reading and active participation.
Predicting a Friendship
Based on their first conversation:
What kind of friendship do you predict Wilbur and Charlotte will have?
- Will it be easy?
- Will they learn from each other?
- What makes you say that? (Hint: Use clues from the dialogue!)
Facilitate a class discussion. Guide students to share their observations from the handout. Challenge them to make predictions about Wilbur and Charlotte's future friendship, always asking for evidence from the text to support their ideas.
Journal Entry: Wilbur's Diary
Imagine you are Wilbur right after hearing Charlotte's voice.
Write a diary entry about:
- What happened.
- What you saw, heard, smelled, and felt.
- Your first impressions of Charlotte.
- What you hope or predict your friendship with her will be like.
Use your Wilbur's Diary Writing Prompt to guide your writing.
Introduce the journal prompt. Explain the purpose of writing from Wilbur's perspective and remind them to incorporate details from the lesson. This acts as a cool-down and a way to consolidate their learning.
Worksheet
Dialogue Detective Handout: A Voice in the Barn
Name: _________________________
Date: _________________________
Instructions: Re-read the dialogue between Wilbur and Charlotte from "Charlotte's Web." Be a dialogue detective and look for clues to answer the questions below.
Part 1: Observing the Voices
-
Wilbur's Voice: How does Wilbur speak when he first hears the voice? Circle the words that describe his voice and feelings.
- Scared
* Confused
* Brave
* Curious
* Happy
* Shy
Explain why you chose those words based on what he says:
- Scared
-
Charlotte's Voice: How does Charlotte sound when she first speaks? Circle the words that describe her voice and feelings.
- Loud
* Mysterious
* Friendly
* Quiet
* Bossy
* Helpful
Explain why you chose those words based on what she says:
- Loud
Part 2: First Impressions
-
What is your very first impression of Wilbur based on this conversation?
-
What is your very first impression of Charlotte based on this conversation?
Part 3: Predicting a Friendship
- Based on this initial dialogue, what kind of friendship do you predict Wilbur and Charlotte will have? Will they be good friends? Why or why not? Use specific details from their conversation to support your prediction.
Journal
Wilbur's Diary: My Mysterious Friend
Name: _________________________
Date: _________________________
Instructions: Imagine you are Wilbur. It's the end of the day, right after you heard that mysterious voice in the barn for the first time. You've just learned it belongs to a spider named Charlotte. Write a diary entry describing this amazing (and perhaps a little scary!) experience.
Remember to include:
- What happened (how you heard the voice, what was said).
- What you saw, heard, smelled, and felt in the barn at that moment.
- Your first impressions and feelings about Charlotte.
- What you hope or predict your friendship with her might be like in the future.
Dear Diary,
Today was... incredible! Or maybe a little strange. I was feeling so lonely and then suddenly...