Little Miss Muffet
Comprehension Questions (Understanding the Rhyme)
Who is the main character in the rhyme?
- The main character is Little Miss Muffet.
Where was Miss Muffet sitting?
- She was sitting on a tuffet.
What was she eating?
- She was eating curds and whey (a dairy food similar to cottage cheese).
What creature appeared next to her?
- A spider.
What did the spider do?
- It sat down beside her.
How did Miss Muffet react when she saw the spider?
- She was frightened and ran away.
What does the word “frightened” mean?
- It means scared or afraid.
Why do you think Miss Muffet was scared of the spider?
- Many people are scared of spiders because they look creepy or might bite.
Do you think the spider wanted to scare Miss Muffet?
- Probably not; it just sat down beside her.
What lesson can we learn from this rhyme?
- It teaches that not all creatures are dangerous, and we don’t always need to be scared of them.
Rhyming Words in the Poem
- Muffet : Tuffet
- Whey : Away
- Spider : Rider, glider, insider
- frightened. : Tightened
- sat : Hat, mat, bat
- Make a new line using a rhyme for "spider."
- The spider sat like a rider!
- What is a silly word that rhymes with “curds”?
- Birds, words, nerds
- Make a funny version of the rhyme with new rhymes.
- Little Miss Muffet sat on a chair,
Along came a monkey and messed up her hair!
- Little Miss Muffet sat on a chair,
- Can you make a sentence where "away" and "play" rhyme?
Miss Muffet ran away,
Because she didn’t want to play!
Opposite Words from the Poem
- Sat : Stood
- Big : Small
- Frightened : Brave
- Beside : Far away
- Away : Here
- Down : Up
- Came : Left
- Little : Big
- curds and whey" (a soft food) : Crunchy food like crackers
- scared : Fearless
Fun & Creative Questions
If you could change the spider into another animal, what would it be ?
- A butterfly because it’s pretty.
What if Miss Muffet wasn’t scared? What would she do ?
- She might talk to the spider or keep eating.
What do you think the spider wanted?
- Maybe it was just looking for a friend.
If you could add a new line to the poem, what would it be?
- Miss Muffet laughed and said, “Hello,
Let’s be friends before you go!”
What if the setting was a playground instead of a tuffet?
- Miss Muffet might be swinging on a swing instead of sitting.
What do you think curds and whey taste like?
- They probably taste like yogurt or cheese.
If you were Miss Muffet, how would you react to the spider?
- I would stay calm and watch what it does.
What if the spider was actually trying to help Miss Muffet? What could it do?
- It could spin a web to shade her from the sun.
What would happen if Miss Muffet sat on a couch instead of a tuffet?
- The rhyme would sound different:
Little Miss Muffet sat on a couch,
Eating her food, nice and slouch!
Can you make a funny version of this rhyme?
- Little Miss Muffet sat on her bed,
Along came a cat and tickled her head!
Real-Life Connections
Do people really eat curds and whey today?
- Yes! It’s similar to cottage cheese.
Are all spiders dangerous?
- No, most spiders are harmless and help catch insects.
Where do spiders usually live?
- In gardens, houses, and forests.
Have you ever been scared by a spider? What did you do?
- Your answer
What should you do if you see a spider?
- Stay calm and let it go outside.
What do spiders eat?
- They eat flies, mosquitoes, and other insects.
Why do people have fears of spiders?
- Because they look different and move quickly.
Can you think of another nursery rhyme with an animal?
- Baa, Baa, Black Sheep or Itsy Bitsy Spider.
Do spiders help the environment?
- Yes! They control the insect population.
If you were Miss Muffet, what food would you eat instead?
- Your choice: Pizza? Ice cream?