ABSTRACT
In mid-January 2009, the three Year 5 classes began a new unit of work on the book Charlotte’s Web . The children’s enthusiasm for the lessons based on this book was evident for all to see; even pupils like Dale, a science fiction fan who was initially sceptical about the book, became enthusiastic participants in class discussion. In this chapter we present a short excerpt from Ms Cane’s class in which the pupils are encouraged to empathize with the character of Wilbur as he prepares to go to the country fair. When Dale takes on the persona of the helpless pig Wilbur, he voices Wilbur’s feelings of concern that he’ll be killed if he doesn’t win first prize at the fair. When asked who might ‘save the day’, Dale gives an unexpected response, but one that shows understanding and engagement with the text.
