Matilda by Roald Dahl is a fun book to read. Matilda is a super-genius. She lives with parents who neglect her and are mean. Matilda must take care of herself and even teaches herself to read. She decides that every time her parents are mean, she will get them back with a prank. First, she puts glue in her dad’s hat. Next, she disguises a neighbor’s parrot as a ghost. Then, she dyes her dad’s hair blonde.
When Matilda begins school, her life is both the same and different. Her teacher, Miss Honey, realizes right away how extraordinary Matilda is, but the school’s headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, is a tyrant and bully of the worst sort.
Will Matilda pull pranks on Miss Trunchbull as she does her family? You will have to read the book to see how Matilda deals with the school.
Activities for Matilda by Roald Dahl
Book Unit Samples
This sample includes
- Vocabulary Practice for Chapters 1-2
- Comprehension Questions for Chapters 1-2
- Constructed Response Question – Point of View
Teaching Idea #1 ~ My Favorite Books
Your students will enjoy putting this booklet together. Each page has a new task.
Students:
List their favorite books.
Write a paragraph explaining why their #1 choice is their favorite.
Compare the main character of their favorite book to Matilda.
Contrast their favorite character to Matilda.
Draw an illustration of their favorite scene.
Teaching Idea #2 ~ Videos
Video #1 – This video contains the full audiobook. Better yet, the text is displayed as the book is read.
Video #2 – Movie Clips
Teaching Idea #3 ~ Resources on the Web
Twinkl – This website has a number of Roald Dahl resources. For the book Matilda, you will find character maps, word-find puzzles, and other book-related materials.
Teaching Ideas – This website has a great list of book-related activities broken down by subject areas.
Reading is Fundamental (RIF) – Students will enjoy these crossword and word search puzzles.
Teaching Idea #4 ~ Reader’s Theater
Having students read this script can be a fun way to engage students with the story.
Check out this reader’s theater version of Matilda’s confrontation with Miss Trunchbull. This reader theater can help students understand the importance of standing up for what’s right.
This second script can help students understand the importance of standing up for their beliefs and the value of true friendship.
The scripts are on editable Google Slides. You can get it here.
Teaching Idea #5 ~ Vision Board
Creating a vision board is a fun and creative way for students to visualize their goals. They can help motivate students to follow their dreams. Vision boards serve as a reminder of what students want to achieve in life.
Have students create their own vision boards inspired by Matilda’s positive outlook on life. Topics can include empathy, self-confidence, and resilience.
Instructions:
Materials:
- a poster board or canvas
- magazines, newspapers, or printed images
- glue or tape
- markers, colored pencils, or pens (optional)
Steps:
Decide on a theme.
Gather your materials. Look for images, words, and phrases that represent your theme. You can use magazines, and newspapers, or print out images from the internet.
Cut out the images and words that resonate with you. You can also use markers, colored pencils, or pens to add your own drawings or quotes.
Arrange the images and words on the poster board or canvas. Experiment with different layouts until you find one that feels right.
Glue or tape the images and words onto the board or canvas. Make sure everything is securely attached.
Hang your vision board somewhere you will see it every day.
See the product that inspired this post.
Matilda Novel Study includes vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, constructed response writing, and skill practice.
