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Charlotte's Web
Scouts · 1st–3rd
The crowd cheers Wilbur and Mr. Zuckerman wins the prize, while the loud speaker says spiders cannot write. Who has really earned this prize?
The tension Charlotte hears every word in the quiet pigpen and feels it is her hour of triumph, while the cheers and the money go to others, and a rat's bite goes unseen.
Notice who is cheered, who gets the prize, and who is quietly listening.
The loud speaker announces Mr. Zuckerman and his famous pig, and the truck rolls to the judges' ring. Wilbur is praised, hears about the special prize, and faints. Templeton bites his tail to revive him, the crowd cheers, and the judge gives the money and medal. Lurvy soaks Mr. Zuckerman, Avery clowns, and the truck goes back to the pigpen.
Start with the loud speaker's speech. Ask what it says about the writing in the web, and who is listening.
Retell The student tells the chapter back in order: the announcement, the ring, the speech, the faint, Templeton's bite, the prizes, and Lurvy's water.
Imitate the author After copying the passage, the student writes two sentences in the same pattern: what something gave a person, then what that hour was.
Debate Take sides on the big question: who has really earned this prize? Each side must use one line from the chapter.
Purpose Close by asking why a story might let the loudest part of the day be the one the hero sees from far away.
Easier Read the loud speaker's speech aloud together and talk through discussion questions 2 and 4 only.
On level Talk through all six discussion questions, then have the student answer one critical-thinking question aloud with two reasons from the chapter.
Harder Ask the student to say what the loud speaker would announce if he knew who wrote the words, using what he says in the chapter.
1. Mrs. Zuckerman is "scared to death" of the crowd, but Mrs. Arable says "this is fun." Which woman handles it better? What makes you think so?Character
What it asks It asks the student to compare two ways of facing a big crowd, and say which seems wiser.
Mrs. Arable handles it better: she stays cheerful and keeps things light.
Cheer up," replied Mrs. Arable, "this is fun.
Don't shout, Fern!
Mrs. Zuckerman handles it well enough: she says what she feels and still looks after Avery.
I'm scared to death," whispered Mrs. Zuckerman.
Tuck your shirt in, Avery!
A strong answer Mrs. Arable stays cheerful and tells Mrs. Zuckerman it is fun, so she seems at ease. But Mrs. Zuckerman is honest that she is scared to death, and she still finds time to tell Avery to tuck his shirt in. A strong answer picks one woman and says what the other does well.
2. The speech makes Wilbur feel "happy but dizzy," and then he faints. Why might good news make him faint?Inference
What it asks It asks why a pig who has hoped for this moment falls over when it comes, from what the chapter shows about how he feels.
The attention is too much for a shy pig.
Wilbur blushed.
He gets embarrassed easily.
The long speech and the nerves of the day wear him down.
He felt happy but dizzy.
Wilbur had been feeling dizzier and dizzier through this long, complimentary speech.
A strong answer Wilbur may be overwhelmed by being looked at: he blushes, and Mr. Zuckerman says he gets embarrassed easily. The speech is also long, and the chapter says he was feeling dizzier and dizzier through it. A strong answer picks a reason and uses one thing Wilbur does or feels.
3. Templeton bites Wilbur's tail as hard as he can to bring him around. Was that kind or cruel? What makes you think so?Moral reasoning
What it asks It asks whether a painful act that helps someone can be called kind, and what Templeton's grin adds.
Kind: the bite wakes Wilbur and saves the moment.
The pain revived Wilbur. In a flash he was back on his feet.
Everyone was delighted.
Cruel: he grins and bites as hard as he can, and Wilbur screams.
He took Wilbur's tail in his mouth and bit it, just as hard as he could bite.
Ouch!" he screamed.
A strong answer It helped: the pain revived Wilbur, he was back on his feet in a flash, and everyone was delighted. But Templeton grins and bites as hard as he can bite, and Wilbur screams. A strong answer takes a side and says what the other side would answer.
4. Charlotte murmurs to herself, "Oh, they can't, can't they?" How does she sound, and what tells you?Tone
What it asks It asks the student to hear Charlotte's quiet answer to the speaker and decide what feeling is in it.
She sounds amused and proud, glad of what she has done.
The words gave her courage.
This was her hour of triumph.
She sounds quiet and a little lonely, since no one can hear her.
Over in the pigpen, silent and alone, Charlotte rested.
murmured Charlotte to herself
A strong answer She can sound amused and proud: the speaker is wrong about spiders, and the chapter calls this her hour of triumph. She also says it softly to herself, silent and alone in the pigpen. A strong answer reads the line aloud and says which voice it hears, or that it hears both.
5. The loud speaker says the web's words came from "supernatural forces." Why might a crowd like that explanation?Theme
What it asks It asks why a crowd would choose a wonder over a plain answer, from what the speaker says.
A wonder is exciting, and it is good for the Fair.
This miracle has never been fully explained
attracting many valuable tourists to our great State
The plain answer is hard for them to believe, so they set it aside.
Not from the spider, we can rest assured of that.
Spiders are very clever at weaving their webs, but needless to say spiders cannot write.
A strong answer A wonder is exciting, and the speaker says it is bringing tourists to the state. A plain answer, that a spider wrote the words, is harder for a crowd to believe, and he says spiders cannot write. A strong answer picks a reason and uses one thing the speaker says.
6. After Wilbur's big moment, Lurvy soaks Mr. Zuckerman and Avery acts like a clown. Why might the author put a funny scene there?Author's choice
What it asks It asks what a funny scene does for the reader right after a tense, proud one.
It lets everyone, and the reader, laugh after the worry.
The crowd roared with laughter.
Finally Mr. Zuckerman had to laugh, too.
It shows how the crowd loves a show, and who gets the attention.
Avery heard nothing but the applause.
He liked being a clown in a ring, with everybody watching, in front of a grandstand.
A strong answer The funny scene lets the reader laugh after the tension: the crowd roars and Mr. Zuckerman has to laugh too. It also shows how a crowd likes a show, since Avery hears nothing but the applause. A strong answer says what the reader feels and why the author may have put the scene there.
1. The speaker praises Wilbur's coat, and Mrs. Arable whispers, "It's the buttermilk." What does that show about the praise? Give two reasons.
What it asks It asks the student to see that some of the praise belongs to the people who washed Wilbur, and some to the words in the web.
Some of the praise belongs to the people who gave him a bath.
Note the smoothness and whiteness of the coat
It's the buttermilk," whispered Mrs. Arable to Mrs. Zuckerman.
Some of it is borrowed from the web's words, which the speaker credits to something else.
this radiant, this terrific, this humble pig
Whence came this mysterious writing?
A strong answer Part of the praise rests on the buttermilk bath, which Mrs. Arable whispers about, so it belongs to the people who gave it. The speaker also uses the web's words, radiant, terrific and humble, and says no one knows where they came from. A strong answer gives two pieces of evidence and says what the praise rests on.
2. Lurvy dashes the water at Wilbur and says, "You asked for water." What does this show about Lurvy? Give two reasons.
What it asks It asks what Lurvy's rush with the pail shows about him, and what his answer to Mr. Zuckerman adds.
He is eager to help and does exactly what he was asked.
Lurvy came charging through the crowd carrying a pail of water.
You asked for water," said Lurvy meekly.
He is flustered, and his excitement ruins his aim.
His eyes had a wild look.
In his excitement he missed his aim
A strong answer Lurvy is eager: he charges through the crowd with the water and says meekly that he was asked for it. He is also flustered, with a wild look, and in his excitement he misses his aim. A strong answer gives two pieces of evidence and a word for him.
3. The chapter calls this "the greatest moment in Mr. Zuckerman's life." Why? Give two reasons from the chapter.
What it asks It asks what makes the prize so big for Mr. Zuckerman, from what he does and what the chapter says.
The prize itself: the money, the medal and the handshake.
He handed Mr. Zuckerman two ten dollar bills and a five dollar bill.
Then he tied the medal around Wilbur's neck.
Winning in front of a crowd.
It is deeply satisfying to win a prize in front of a lot of people.
Mr. Zuckerman took off his cap and bowed.
A strong answer Mr. Zuckerman gets a handful of money and a handsome medal for Wilbur, which is a real prize. But the chapter also says it is deeply satisfying to win in front of a lot of people, and he takes off his cap and bows to the crowd. A strong answer gives two pieces of evidence and says which seems to matter more.