Lesson Plan – Class 8 English
Unit – 4 Poem: The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt
1. Learning Objectives
The teacher expects the students to:
Read and appreciate the poem The Spider and the Fly.
Understand the theme, characters, and moral of the poem.
Identify the dangers of flattery and deception.
Learn new vocabulary from the poem.
Develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
Appreciate the poetic style and dialogue used in the poem.
2. Learning Outcomes
The students will be able to:
906 - reads aloud and recites poems/prose with proper stress, pause, tone, and intonation.
907 - reads with comprehension the given text/materials employing strategies like skimming, scanning, predicting, previewing, reviewing, inferring, and summarising.
908 - reads silently with comprehension and interprets layers of meaning.
922 - explains specific features of different literary genres for interpretation and literary appreciation.
923 - identifies and appreciates significant literary elements, such as, metaphor, imagery, symbol, simile, personification, onomatopoeia, intention or point of view, rhyme scheme, themes, titles, etc.
Explain the story of the Spider and the Fly in their own words.
Identify the tricks used by the Spider to deceive the Fly.
Understand the importance of being cautious of false praise.
Apply the moral of the poem in their day-to-day life by avoiding bad influences and flattering people.
Express their thoughts and opinions confidently.
3. Introduction
The teacher may ask the following questions:
Have you ever seen a spider's web?
Why do insects get trapped in a spider's web?
Have you ever been praised or flattered by someone?
Is every compliment genuine? Why or why not?
What should we do when strangers try to attract us with sweet words?
After eliciting responses, the teacher introduces the poem The Spider and the Fly.
4. Reading and Understanding
New Words and Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Parlour | A sitting room |
| Winding stair | A stair that twists and turns |
| Weary | Tired |
| Pantry | A room for storing food |
| Gauzy | Thin and transparent |
| Wily | Clever and deceitful |
| Flattering | Praising someone excessively |
| Subtle | Cleverly designed |
| Dismal | Dark and gloomy |
| Counsellor | A person who gives advice |
Activity: Students read the poem aloud and learn the meanings of the new words.
5. Mind Map
THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
|
----------------------------------------
| |
Spider Fly
| |
Clever and Cunning Careful at first
| |
Invites Fly to Parlour Refuses Invitations
| |
Offers Bed, Food, Mirror Avoids the Trap
| |
Uses Flattery Becomes Proud
| |
Fly Believes Praise Returns to Spider
| |
Catches the Fly Falls into the Trap
\ /
\ /
----------- MORAL ---------------
|
Never trust flattering words or evil advice6. Consolidation and Presentation (Summary)
The poem tells the story of a clever Spider and a Fly. The Spider wants to catch the Fly and eat her. He invites her to his parlour and offers her a comfortable bed, delicious food, and many interesting things. The Fly wisely refuses because she knows that those who enter the Spider's web never return.
The Spider then changes his strategy. Instead of offering food and comfort, he praises the Fly's beauty, wings, eyes, and appearance. The Fly becomes proud and starts believing the Spider's flattering words. She forgets the danger and slowly moves closer to him.
Finally, the Spider catches the Fly in his web and drags her into his den. The Fly never comes out again. Through this story, the poet teaches children not to listen to flattering words or evil advice. One should always think carefully before trusting others.
Moral: Do not be deceived by false praise and flattery.
7. Reinforcement
Additional Information:
The poem was written by Mary Howitt (1799–1888).
It is a narrative poem because it tells a story.
The Spider symbolizes cunning and deceit.
The Fly symbolizes innocent people who may be misled by flattery.
The poem teaches an important life lesson about being careful with strangers and dishonest people.
Even today, people may use sweet words to influence others. We should think wisely before trusting them.
8. Evaluation
a) Lower Order Thinking Questions (LOT)
Who invited the Fly to the parlour?
What did the Spider praise about the Fly?
What happened to the Fly at the end of the poem?
b) Middle Order Thinking Questions (MOT)
Why did the Fly refuse the Spider's first invitation?
How did the Spider change his plan to attract the Fly?
Why did the Fly finally come near the Spider?
c) Higher Order Thinking Questions (HOT)
Do you think the Fly could have avoided the danger? How?
How is flattery harmful in real life?
What lesson can children learn from this poem and apply in their daily lives?
9. Remedial Teaching
For slow learners, the teacher will:
Explain the poem stanza by stanza using simple language.
Use pictures of a spider, web, and fly for better understanding.
Teach difficult words through flashcards.
Conduct role-play activities between the Spider and the Fly.
Ask simple oral questions and provide individual guidance.
Encourage peer learning by pairing slow learners with advanced learners.
10. Writing Activity
Write a paragraph (8–10 sentences) on:
"The Moral Lesson I Learnt from the Poem 'The Spider and the Fly'"
OR
Imagine you are the Fly. Write a diary entry describing your experience with the Spider.
11. Follow-up Activity / Homework
Draw a spider's web and write the moral of the poem inside it.
Learn the new words and their meanings.
Memorize any one stanza from the poem.
Collect and write two real-life situations where flattery can mislead people.
Write five sentences on why we should be careful while making friends with strangers.
Teacher's Closing Note:
"Think before you trust. Sweet words are not always true. Wisdom and caution protect us from danger."
