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Copywork
About This Passage
When Wilbur asks what she is making, Charlotte does not name it; she paints the coming dawn instead. The repeated 'when...' phrases build a slow, hushed sunrise, one small waking thing after another, until the promise lands on a single held-back word: 'masterpiece.' Copying it shows how a writer can build anticipation with rhythm and save the surprise for the very last word.
When the first light comes into the sky and the sparrows stir and the cows rattle their chains, when the rooster crows and the stars fade, when early cars whisper along the highway, you look up here a...
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell what happens in this chapter in sequence, from Templeton's evening errand to Wilbur falling asleep. Which moment do you think matters most on this quiet night, and what in the chapter makes you choose it?
Discussion Questions
- Charlotte cannot read the word Templeton brings; she has it read aloud, hears 'humble,' and at once calls it 'Wilbur all over,' noting it can mean 'not proud' and 'near the ground.' Explain what Charlotte's quick reading of the word reveals about how she sees Wilbur. Use Charlotte's own words about 'humble' to explain your thinking.
- Charlotte has woven other words for Wilbur before, like 'terrific' and 'radiant'; tonight the word for him is 'humble.' What is different about this word from the earlier ones, and why might that difference matter for how we see Wilbur at the Fair? Use details from this chapter and one earlier word to explain your thinking.
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Vocabulary
Item 1
Not proud, and close to the ground; the last word Charlotte weaves for Wilbur.
Item 2
The welcome ease felt when something hard is over; the cool evening brings it after the day's heat.
Item 3
A person who is always making clever plans; Templeton's teasing name for Charlotte.
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Critical Thinking
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