Charlotte's Web
Chapter 6:
Summer Days
Setting the Scene: Early Summer
on the Farm
Chapter 6 brings us into the heart of summer on Zuckerman's farm
through rich sensory imagery:
1 "Lilacs bloom" - capturing the visual beauty and sweet fragrance
2 "Rattle of the machine" - distinctive sounds of farm work
3 "Sweet and warm hay" - texture and smell of freshly cut hay
4 "Ice-cold drinks" - refreshing taste that contrasts with summer heat
Activity:
Underline 233 sensory descriptions from the first pages of Chapter 6
that help you imagine summer on the farm.
Words to Know
Here are some important farm words from Chapter 6:
Lilacs Apple Blossoms Brook Mowing Machine
Sweet-smelling purple Pretty white flowers on apple A small stream of water Equipment used to cut grass
flowers that bloom in early trees that later become fruit. running through the farm. and hay in the fields.
summer.
Cutter Bar Swathes Hay Wagon Timothy
The sharp part of the mowing Long rows of cut grass or hay A cart used to collect and A common grass grown in
machine that cuts the grass. lying in the field. transport hay after it's cut. meadows that provides food
for farm animals
Words to Know
Clover Dandelion Nectar Potato Vine
Sweet-smelling flowering Common yellow wildflowers The sweet liquid produced by The above-ground part of the
plants that grow low to the found in fields and lawns flowers that attracts insects potato plant with stems and
ground leaves
Goslings Cellar
Baby geese that hatch from An underground room used
eggs in the springtime for storage on a farm
Character Focus: Fern
"Fern visited the barn almost every day..."
What does this reveal about her character?
Personality
Fern's daily barn visits show:
Loyalty and kindness through her care for Wilbur
Patience and thoughtfulness in her quiet observation
Animal Relationships
Animals with Fern:
Act naturally around her due to her stillness
Feel secure in her presence
Character Trait Activity:
& Identify 2 traits of Fern with story examples:
1. Kind - Example: _________________
2. Patient - Example: _________________
A Turning Point 4 The Goslings Hatch
Charlotte's Formal Goose and Gander's Reaction Fern's Silent Presence
Announcement "We are the p-p-proudest parents Fern sat quietly, watching the
"I am delighted to inform you that in the b-b-barn!" stammered the goslings with wonder in her eyes.
the Goose eggs have hatched," Goose.
Her smile showed she
Charlotte announced from her
The Gander strutted importantly, understood the significance of
web.
showing off his new family to this moment.
Charlotte acts as the barn's news everyone.
reporter, sharing key events with
the animals.
Discussion:
How do different animals celebrate this moment?
Why is this hatching significant to the barn's life cycle?
Think About: , How does news spread in the barn community?
Tone & Voice 4 Charlotte vs.
Templeton
Charlotte's Dialogue Templeton's Dialogue
Charlotte speaks with wisdom and Templeton speaks with sharp,
patience: selfish language:
"I am not entirely happy about "What's in it for me?"
my diet of flies and bugs, but "I'm no errand boy."
it's the way I'm made."
"Let's not make a big fuss."
"By helping you, perhaps I was
trying to lift up my life a trifle." His words are direct, often rude,
and focused on his own interests.
Her language is elegant and
thoughtful, using words like
"salutations" instead of simple
greetings.
Activity
ð Read Charlotte's and Templeton's lines aloud. What does their
language reveal about their characters?
Big Questions
Theme Exploration:
How does the author show nature's rhythm?
Seasonal descriptions (summer mornings, weather)
Animal life cycles (gosling hatching, web building)
Farm routines tied to natural cycles
Why is Templeton portrayed so negatively?
Creates contrast with Charlotte and Wilbur
Represents selfishness in a community story
Highlights kindness through its absence
