Exploring Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

Introduction

In this adventure, you will take a deep look into the life of Leigh Botts, a sixth-grade boy trying to understand who he is while navigating challenges at home, school, and in his friendships. Beverly Cleary’s novel invites readers to explore growing up through the unique format of letters and diary entries, giving us a close look at Leigh’s innermost thoughts and feelings.

Task

This WebQuest is designed to help you dig deeper into Leigh’s journey, understand how authors build meaningful stories through character perspectives, and reflect on how writing and storytelling can help real people cope with real feelings. Get ready to read, reflect, imagine, and create as you explore Leigh Botts’s world and learn more about your own.

Your final task is to create a “Leigh’s Life Project,” a multimedia presentation (Google Slides, PowerPoint, or poster) that includes:

  1. A character study of Leigh Botts
  2. A timeline of important events in Leigh’s life
  3. A collection of journal entries written from Leigh’s perspective
  4. An analysis of the theme(s) in the novel
  5. A creative product (choose one):
    • A letter from you to your favorite author
    • A redesign of the book cover
    • A recorded diary entry as Leigh (audio or video)

Your project should show deep understanding, creativity, and personal reflection.

Process

Follow these steps to complete the WebQuest:

Step 1: Read the Novel

Read Dear Mr. Henshaw carefully, taking notes on:

  • Important events
  • Leigh’s challenges
  • How Leigh changes over time

Step 2: Character Study

Using your notes, create a profile of Leigh Botts that includes:

  • Personality traits
  • Major conflicts
  • Emotional growth
  • Relationships with others

Step 3: Build a Timeline

Create a timeline of at least 8–10 key events, including:

  • Letters to Mr. Henshaw
  • School events
  • Family changes

Step 4: Write Journal Entries

Write 3–5 journal entries from Leigh’s perspective that:

  • Describe important events
  • Capture his feelings
  • Show growth in his thinking and writing

    Write in first-person voice (“I…”).

Step 5: Identify the Theme(s)

Choose one or more major themes, such as:

  • Coping with change
  • Growing up
  • Importance of writing
  • Dealing with loneliness
  • Parent–child relationships

Explain how the theme appears in the book, using examples.

Step 6: Create Your Final Product

Choose one creative extension:

  • Letter to your favorite author
  • Redesigned book cover
  • Audio/video diary entry

Make sure your product reflects effort and understanding.

Step 7: Put It All Together

Combine your character study, timeline, journal entries, theme analysis, and creative project into a single multimedia presentation.

 

 

 

 

Evaluation

Your project will be evaluated using the rubric below:

WebQuest Rubric (20 points)

Category

4 – Exceeds Expectations

3 – Meets Expectations

2 – Approaching

1 – Beginning

Character Study (4 pts)

Detailed, insightful, shows deep understanding

Accurate, clear

Some inaccuracies or missing details

Minimal or incorrect

Timeline (4 pts)

10+ events, clear explanations

8 events, mostly clear

Some events unclear or missing

Very few or inaccurate

Journal Entries (4 pts)

Strong voice; emotional depth; accurate to Leigh

Clear and accurate; some voice

Limited detail; voice inconsistent

Minimal effort

Theme Analysis (4 pts)

Thorough, supported with examples

Clear explanation

Some support but unclear

Vague or inaccurate

Creative Component (4 pts)

Highly original and polished

Complete and creative

Basic effort

Missing or incomplete

Total: 20 points

 

Conclusion

Congratulations—you have completed the Dear Mr. Henshaw WebQuest!

Through this journey, you explored the emotional world of Leigh Botts and learned how authors use letters, journals, emotions, and everyday experiences to develop characters and themes. Take a moment to reflect:

  • How did Leigh change throughout the story?
  • What personal connections did you make to his experiences?
  • How did writing help Leigh—and how can writing help you?

Your work demonstrates that reading is not just about words on a page—it’s about understanding people, emotions, and the world around you.

Credits

Resources

These curated resources will help you explore the novel:

Author & Book Background

Novel

·      Internet Archive

https://archive.org/stream/DearMr.Henshaw/henshaw_djvu.txt

Character and Theme Resources

Technology Resources for Final Project

 

Educator Page

Standards Alignment

This WebQuest aligns to the following Common Core State Standards (Grades 4–6):

Reading Literature

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2 / RL.5.2 / RL.6.2

    Determine a theme and summarize the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3 / RL.5.3 / RL.6.3

    Describe how a character responds to challenges.

Writing

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3 / W.5.3 / W.6.3

    Write narratives using effective technique and details.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4 / 5.4 / 6.4

    Produce clear and coherent writing.

Speaking & Listening

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4 / 5.4 / 6.4

    Present ideas clearly and logically.

Technology Integration

  • Students use digital tools to create multimedia presentations (ISTE Standards 1.6 Creative Communicator).