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Copywork
About This Passage
Chosen because this is the moment the invisible friend finally becomes visible — after a whole night of waking and a morning of searching, Wilbur looks up and there she is. The first sentence is built like a slow reveal: first the web stretched across the doorway, then the spider hanging from it, head down — the eyes travel exactly the way Wilbur's did. The second sentence lands the surprise: someone so important is only the size of a gumdrop. Copying the pair gives practice with a long, unhurried sentence followed by a short one, and that small-but-mighty contrast is the chapter's own gentle joke about Charlotte.
Stretched across the upper part of the doorway was a big spiderweb, and hanging from the top of the web, head down, was a large grey spider. She was about the size of a gumdrop.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Close your book and tell the story of the big morning: Wilbur's restless night, the quiet just before dawn, his search of the pen, his loud announcement and the old sheep's scolding, and then the voice from the doorway saying 'Salutations!' End with what Wilbur learns about his new friend Charlotte — her name, her web, and the breakfast that shocks him.
Discussion Questions
- Wilbur loves the quiet just before dawn — the chapter says he 'hated to break the lovely stillness of day by using his voice.' But he clears his throat and makes his big announcement anyway, even though all the animals stare and he blushes. Why do you think Wilbur speaks up even though it embarrasses him? What part of the chapter helps you see how much finding the friend matters to him?
- The oldest sheep scolds Wilbur: 'the quickest way to spoil a friendship is to wake somebody up in the morning before he is ready.' And the chapter says the sheep was right — the friend was still asleep. Why might the sheep say that? Use the sheep's words and what Wilbur does next to explain what this moment teaches him.
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
A small, soft shine of light.
Item 2
Turned red in the face from embarrassment.
Item 3
In a quiet, humble way, without arguing.
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Critical Thinking
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