Here are a few books written by Roald Dahl with some ideas for activities to use in your classroom along with videos of read alouds.
Before reading any of these books, start with a book walk. A book walk consists of showing the title and pictures in the book. Have students make predictions based on the pictures. Depending on how much time you have you can make a chart of your students predictions so you can go back after you read the story and see if they are correct.
The Magic Finger
The Greggs love to hunt but the girl next door doesn't and tries to talk them out of it. When she gets mad because they laugh at her things go wrong. Her magic finger turns them into birds. Now the Greggs are living as birds and ducks have taken over their house. The Greggs learn there lesson when the ducks try to shoot the Greggs and promise to never shoot an animal again.
The Greggs love to hunt but the girl next door doesn't and tries to talk them out of it. When she gets mad because they laugh at her things go wrong. Her magic finger turns them into birds. Now the Greggs are living as birds and ducks have taken over their house. The Greggs learn there lesson when the ducks try to shoot the Greggs and promise to never shoot an animal again.
Activities
Put students in three groups. Give each group a part of the story, the beginning, the middle or the end. In their groups have students discuss what important things happened in the part of the story they are working with. Once they decide have them write down a few sentences explaining what that part of the story was about. Then have students decide who will play what characters and act out their part of the story. Provide props and materials for students to make their own props. Once all the groups figure out what they are going to do to perform their part of the story have the class come together and watch all the groups. After everyone is done have the class discuss what everyone did and if they agree with the important parts. If they don't have them decide what would be better. Then using anchor chart paper write the name of the book, author, and the main points from the beginning, middle, and end of the book.
* This activity could be used for the other Roald Dahl books *
Put students in three groups. Give each group a part of the story, the beginning, the middle or the end. In their groups have students discuss what important things happened in the part of the story they are working with. Once they decide have them write down a few sentences explaining what that part of the story was about. Then have students decide who will play what characters and act out their part of the story. Provide props and materials for students to make their own props. Once all the groups figure out what they are going to do to perform their part of the story have the class come together and watch all the groups. After everyone is done have the class discuss what everyone did and if they agree with the important parts. If they don't have them decide what would be better. Then using anchor chart paper write the name of the book, author, and the main points from the beginning, middle, and end of the book.
* This activity could be used for the other Roald Dahl books *
PA Standards:
R3.A.1.4: Identify and explain the main ideas and relevant details
1.3.3.C: Identify literary elements in selected readings
1.5.3.C: Organize writing in a logical order. Include a recognizable beginning, middle, and end
1.6.3.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations
1.6.3.B: Use appropriate volume and clarity in formal speaking presentations
R3.A.1.4: Identify and explain the main ideas and relevant details
1.3.3.C: Identify literary elements in selected readings
1.5.3.C: Organize writing in a logical order. Include a recognizable beginning, middle, and end
1.6.3.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations
1.6.3.B: Use appropriate volume and clarity in formal speaking presentations
The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me
Billy lives near a building that used to be a "Grubber," a sweet shop. He has heard stories from his mother about how wonderful it was and longs for someone to buy it and turn it back into a Grubber. One day he sees someone did in fact buy it but they turned it into a ladder less window washing company. That's when he meets a special group of friends, a giraffe, a pelican, and a monkey. When they are called to do business for the Duke they end up going above and beyond window washing and catching a famous burglar. The Duke is so thankful he offers the animals to live with him forever and to eat their favorite foods. For Billy he gets one wish as well and Billy knows exactly what he wants, the Grubber back. The Duke turns the building back into a Grubber with sweets from all different countries and makes Billy the owner.
Billy lives near a building that used to be a "Grubber," a sweet shop. He has heard stories from his mother about how wonderful it was and longs for someone to buy it and turn it back into a Grubber. One day he sees someone did in fact buy it but they turned it into a ladder less window washing company. That's when he meets a special group of friends, a giraffe, a pelican, and a monkey. When they are called to do business for the Duke they end up going above and beyond window washing and catching a famous burglar. The Duke is so thankful he offers the animals to live with him forever and to eat their favorite foods. For Billy he gets one wish as well and Billy knows exactly what he wants, the Grubber back. The Duke turns the building back into a Grubber with sweets from all different countries and makes Billy the owner.
Activities
Have students write a poem like the ones written in the book. Show an example using one of the ones from the book. The poem should be related to the story. They can choose to write about a character, the plot, a theme, etc. After they write the poem have them type it up on the computer using a font and color of their choice. Provide templates of the main characters and allow the students to pick one to put their poem on. They can then decorate the character.
Students can also come up with what they would ask for from the Duke. This could be used as a writing prompt.
Have students write a poem like the ones written in the book. Show an example using one of the ones from the book. The poem should be related to the story. They can choose to write about a character, the plot, a theme, etc. After they write the poem have them type it up on the computer using a font and color of their choice. Provide templates of the main characters and allow the students to pick one to put their poem on. They can then decorate the character.
Students can also come up with what they would ask for from the Duke. This could be used as a writing prompt.
PA Standards
1.4.3.A: Write poems and stories
1.5.3.A: Write with a focus, with an understanding of topic, task, and audience1.5.3.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing
1.4.3.A: Write poems and stories
1.5.3.A: Write with a focus, with an understanding of topic, task, and audience1.5.3.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Mr. Fox goes out every night to steal food for his family from the three local farmers, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. The farmers know it is is Mr. Fox and hide on their farms with their guns trying to catch him. They don't succeed because Mr. Fox can smell them from far away when the wind blows. Fed up they come up with a new plan to dig the Fox family out. First, they use shovels and then machines but the foxes fig faster. Finally, the farmers decide to surround the hill and wait for the fox to get so hungry he has to come out and get food. This not only affects the foxes but all the other digging families. Mr. Fox knows he needs to do something or all the families including his own will die of starvation. MR. Fox comes up with the perfect plan. He digs, with the help of his sons and the badger, tunnels to the three farmers houses. This allows them to come up from under the floor boards to steal the food and never have to go outside and risk their lives. They have a huge feast and decide they will all live together and enjoy marvelous food from the farmers for the rest of their lives.
Mr. Fox goes out every night to steal food for his family from the three local farmers, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. The farmers know it is is Mr. Fox and hide on their farms with their guns trying to catch him. They don't succeed because Mr. Fox can smell them from far away when the wind blows. Fed up they come up with a new plan to dig the Fox family out. First, they use shovels and then machines but the foxes fig faster. Finally, the farmers decide to surround the hill and wait for the fox to get so hungry he has to come out and get food. This not only affects the foxes but all the other digging families. Mr. Fox knows he needs to do something or all the families including his own will die of starvation. MR. Fox comes up with the perfect plan. He digs, with the help of his sons and the badger, tunnels to the three farmers houses. This allows them to come up from under the floor boards to steal the food and never have to go outside and risk their lives. They have a huge feast and decide they will all live together and enjoy marvelous food from the farmers for the rest of their lives.
Activities
Break students up into small groups and then they will work together to come up with a plan to feed everyone in their group. Have different routes for them to chose to go. Have a dice that they will roll and each number represents something different. (Example: roll a 1 and pick a scenario card, roll a 2 take an item from another group, roll a 3 and complete an activity, roll a 4 give one of your items to another group, etc.) The cards that will tell them what happens on their travels (they get stopped by a farmer, collect a certain food item(s), etc.). Activities can be questions about the book, a word search, a puzzle, a crossword, etc. Decide what the prize is for completing an activity in a specific amount of time. Give each group a checklist of all the items they can collect. One person will keep track and the first group that has enough food for the whole group wins.
Break students up into small groups and then they will work together to come up with a plan to feed everyone in their group. Have different routes for them to chose to go. Have a dice that they will roll and each number represents something different. (Example: roll a 1 and pick a scenario card, roll a 2 take an item from another group, roll a 3 and complete an activity, roll a 4 give one of your items to another group, etc.) The cards that will tell them what happens on their travels (they get stopped by a farmer, collect a certain food item(s), etc.). Activities can be questions about the book, a word search, a puzzle, a crossword, etc. Decide what the prize is for completing an activity in a specific amount of time. Give each group a checklist of all the items they can collect. One person will keep track and the first group that has enough food for the whole group wins.
The Enormous Crocodile
The enormous crocodile is determined to eat children for lunch. He tells all the animals in the jungle how he has clever tricks that will definitely get him some children to eat for lunch, unlike before when the children saw him and ran away. The problem is every time the enormous crocodile goes to his trick one of the animals he talked to along the way comes and warns the children so they can get away. Finally, Trunky the elephant shows up and tells the enormous crocodile they are tired of his clever tricks. Trunky swings the enormous crocodile around in the air so fast and then lets go. He shoots him so far that the enormous crocodile crashes headfirst into the hot sun.
The enormous crocodile is determined to eat children for lunch. He tells all the animals in the jungle how he has clever tricks that will definitely get him some children to eat for lunch, unlike before when the children saw him and ran away. The problem is every time the enormous crocodile goes to his trick one of the animals he talked to along the way comes and warns the children so they can get away. Finally, Trunky the elephant shows up and tells the enormous crocodile they are tired of his clever tricks. Trunky swings the enormous crocodile around in the air so fast and then lets go. He shoots him so far that the enormous crocodile crashes headfirst into the hot sun.
Activities
On strips of paper write down something that you choose to happen differently in the story, fold them up and put them in a container. Then have students pick out one piece of paper. Based on what they pick they will write what will happen in the story instead. Then have them tell their new story to the rest of the class. Some ideas to put on the strips of paper could be, the animals don't warn the children, the enormous crocodile isn't at the playground (or another spot that he is going to play a trick), the enormous crocodile doesn't sizzle when he hits the sun so what happens to him instead. Students can create a new book as an art project to go along with their story. They can create a front and back cover and then put their new story inside. Display them around the classroom or in the hallway.
On strips of paper write down something that you choose to happen differently in the story, fold them up and put them in a container. Then have students pick out one piece of paper. Based on what they pick they will write what will happen in the story instead. Then have them tell their new story to the rest of the class. Some ideas to put on the strips of paper could be, the animals don't warn the children, the enormous crocodile isn't at the playground (or another spot that he is going to play a trick), the enormous crocodile doesn't sizzle when he hits the sun so what happens to him instead. Students can create a new book as an art project to go along with their story. They can create a front and back cover and then put their new story inside. Display them around the classroom or in the hallway.
PA Standards
1.6.3.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations
1.6.3.B: Use appropriate volume and clarity in formal speaking presentations
1.5.3.A: Write with a focus, with an understanding of topic, task, and audience
1.5.3.B: Develop content appropriate for the topic
1.5.3.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing
1.6.3.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations
1.6.3.B: Use appropriate volume and clarity in formal speaking presentations
1.5.3.A: Write with a focus, with an understanding of topic, task, and audience
1.5.3.B: Develop content appropriate for the topic
1.5.3.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing
Final Activities
There are two ways to do the final activities depending on how you go about using Roald Dahl books. Either you can read all four of the Roald Dahl books listed as a class or pick one to do as a whole class and then have students sign up to read one of the other books on their own. Have students sign up so that all the students don't pick the same book. If you have students pick their own book this is a great way to teach them how to pick the right book for them. Teach them about looking at the front cover, the summary about the book, flip through a few pages, and the names of the chapters (if they have them).
There are two ways to do the final activities depending on how you go about using Roald Dahl books. Either you can read all four of the Roald Dahl books listed as a class or pick one to do as a whole class and then have students sign up to read one of the other books on their own. Have students sign up so that all the students don't pick the same book. If you have students pick their own book this is a great way to teach them how to pick the right book for them. Teach them about looking at the front cover, the summary about the book, flip through a few pages, and the names of the chapters (if they have them).
- Have students write a letter to a friend or relative about two of the books they read. They will compare and contrast the stories on a graphic organizer to get their thoughts together. Then they will write about the similarities and differences and tell the person they are writing to what book they liked better. The idea is to get the person receiving the letter excited about reading one of Roald Dahl's books.
- Have students pick one of the characters from two different books. They should choose one character they are similar to and one they have a lot of differences from. Once they pick the characters they will draw them and make a compare/contrast chart. Then the students will take a poll to find out which characters students where most like and different from. Then they can make a list of character traits for the most popular ones.
- Play a game of Jeopardy using one, a few, or all the books. An idea for a setup would be to have the topics be characters, setting, plot, and other elements. Then have questions based on the topics, getting harder the more "money" it's worth. Divide the class up in teams. Keep a record of how much "money" each team wins and have a prize for the winning team.