This page features all the lesson plans and classroom ideas I’ve collected. They’re organized by topic, with general education and Dahl resources first, books next, and shortstories last. If you’d like to contribute, please contact me. Thanks!
Topics
- General
- Books
- Billy and the Minpins
- Boy – Tales of Childhood
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
- Danny the Champion of the World
- Dirty Beasts
- Esio Trot
- Fantastic Mr. Fox
- George’s Marvelous Medicine
- Going Solo
- James and the Giant Peach
- Matilda
- My Year
- The BFG
- The Enormous Crocodile
- The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me
- The Magic Finger
- The Minpins
- The Twits
- The Vicar of Nibbleswicke
- The Witches
- Short Stories
General
- 3rd Grade Says “Hello!”
- Teach students how to use the Internet for research, and then send email for comments/questions
- Can Teach
- Non-commercial site created to assist teachers in finding and using resources online
- Dahl Day
- Lots of activity ideas for your classroom!
- Grade 2/3 Class Study
- Designed to get students interested in reading and have a good time learning about an author
- Houghton Mifflin Education Place
- Great site with free information for teachers, parents, and students
- Minecraft: Wonderful World of Roald Dahl
- Series of lessons is aimed at developing literacy skills using Minecraft to create Dahl's most memorable settings
- Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake Activities
- A set of activities comparing the lives of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake
- Roald Dahl’s Imaginormous Challenge – Lesson Plan
- PDF file with lessons and activity ideas exploring Roald Dahl’s process as a writer, particularly how he drew inspiration from the world around him
- Roald Dahl: His Life and Work
- Includes a brief biography of Dahl as well as questions and a timeline to fill in
- TeacherVision.com
- An on-line community of teachers that provides resources and lesson plans specifically designed for teachers, by teachers
- The B.F.D. – The Bowen Festival of Dahl
- Holiday literary festival with many different activities for different age levels (6–16)
- Welcome to the Scrumdiddlyumptious World of Roald Dahl
- PDF from Penguin.com with ideas and activities for learning about Roald Dahl all through September
Billy and the Minpins
- Billy and the Minpins – Lesson Plans
- Get your class to think of ways to help Billy escape the Gruncher with the YPO lesson plans which include Art and Literacy Objectives on spoken language, imagining worlds and celebrating achievements.
Boy – Tales of Childhood
- Boy – “Goat’s Tobacco” Activities
- Includes a number of story analysis exercises pertaining to the “Goat’s Tobacco” incident
- Boy – Book Review & Activity
- Fun activity to help improve students’ ability to write with descriptive details that allow the reader to visualize in their head.
- Boy – The Great Mouse Plot
- Six brand new lesson plans for teaching Roald Dahl's Boy: Tales of Childhood create by YPO to explore Literacy and PSHE objectives, whilst exploring themes such as descriptions, colourful characters and information gathering.
- Boy – Unit Lesson Plan
- Includes unit of instruction for 20 lessons, 5 lesson plans, condensed first lesson, autobiographical scaffold, and comparative question
- Boy – Vague Pronouns
- Students read and analyze a mentor text (an excerpt from the book), write their own narrative vignette, and analyze their use of pronouns in their vignette.
- Quick Student Workbooks
- Designed to get students thinking critically about the text they read and provide a guided study format to facilitate in improved learning and retention
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Activity Guide
- A variety of activities all around the book
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Children’s Theatre Activities
- Includes activities devised to introduce the story to children who will perform the play
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Comprehension and Analysis
- Activies, quizzes, worksheets and extension ideas for studying the book (note: Archive.org)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Cooking Activity
- Includes recipe for chocolate balls
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Creative Writing Activity
- Scroll down to find “Design a New Room for the Chocolate Factory”
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Lesson Plans
- PDF file including extracts, Literacy and PSHE learning objectives, lesson plans and fun activity sheets
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Lesson Plans
- Bring Willy Wonka’s world into your classroom with these splendiferous PSHE and Literacy YPO lesson plans.
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Reading Club Activities
- PDF file with plan and activities for a summer reading club. In addition to reading and discussing, students make a candy machine and construction-paper candy bars with a Golden Ticket. (note: Archive.org)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Selection Quick Check – Part 1
- PDF with questions related to first part of story (note: Archive.org)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Selection Quick Check – Part 2
- PDF with questions related to second part of story (note: Archive.org)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – TeacherVision.com Resources
- Includes several enrichment activities and projects, a list of Internet resources, and a short Dahl bibliography.
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Wonka Bingo!
- Designed for a special education class of 11-13 year olds, but would be great for kids of any age
- Quick Student Workbooks
- Designed to get students thinking critically about the text they read and provide a guided study format to facilitate in improved learning and retention
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
- Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
- Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator – Something Nasty in the Lifts
- PDF with activities related to exploring Dahl's use of descriptive language including drawing an alien
Danny the Champion of the World
- Danny the Champion of the World – Chapter 12
- PDF with activities to explore and develop strategies to write a script
- Danny the Champion of the World – Chapter 5
- PDF with activities to analyse, design and evaluate a new pheasant-catching trick
- Danny the Champion of the World – Chapter 7
- PDF with activities to make a word-picture describing a story entitled: "The first time I..."
- Danny the Champion of the World – Chapter Study Guides
- Vocabulary words and questions for each chapter of the book, along with a suggested final project (note: Archive.org)
- Danny the Champion of the World – Literature Guide
- PDF including Initiating Activity, Mini Lessons, Critical Thinking Questions, Related Activites, and more
- Danny the Champion of the World – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
- Quick Student Workbooks
- Designed to get students thinking critically about the text they read and provide a guided study format to facilitate in improved learning and retention
Dirty Beasts
- Dirty Beasts – A New Dirty Beast
- PDF with activities related to creating a poem, using rhyming couplets, about a new dirty beast
- Dirty Beasts – The Tummy-Beast and The Porcupine
- PDF with activities related to exploring parent and child relationships in The Tummy-Beast and The Porcupine
Esio Trot
- Esio Trot – Classroom Activities
- Includes ideas for studying backwards writing
- Esio Trot – Tortoise
- PDF with activities related to identifying patterns and relationships involving numbers or shapes
Fantastic Mr. Fox
- Fantastic Mr. Fox – Character Traits
- PDF with activities related to alliterative character traits and names
- Fantastic Mr. Fox – Classroom Ideas
- Mostly language and reading type activities
- Fantastic Mr. Fox – Comprehensive Unit Plan
- Includes various social studies, math, writing, and creative activities
- Fantastic Mr. Fox – Lesson Plans
- Using Fantastic Mr Fox to explore Roald Dahl’s use of alliteration
- Fantastic Mr. Fox – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
- Fantastic Mr. Fox – Online Games
- Online matching, concentration, and flash card games with concepts from the book
- Fantastic Mr. Fox – Unit Plan
- Comprehensive unit plan, including lesson plans, vocabulary words, worksheets, and more!
- Quick Student Workbooks
- Designed to get students thinking critically about the text they read and provide a guided study format to facilitate in improved learning and retention
George’s Marvelous Medicine
- George’s Marvellous Medicine – Lesson Plans
- Get your class to create recipes for their own perilous potions in these marvellous YPO lesson plans which include PSHE and Literacy Objectives on the power of words, exciting writing and mixed feelings.
- George’s Marvelous Medicine – Extension Activities
- Classroom activities such as making punch, writing stories, and learning about first aid
- George’s Marvelous Medicine – Following Instructions Activity
- Scroll down to find “George’s Marvelous Medicine”
- George’s Marvelous Medicine – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
Going Solo
- Going Solo – Green Mamba
- PDF with activities exploring suspense writing
James and the Giant Peach
- James and the Giant Peach – Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker
- PDF with activities exploring metaphors and similes
- James and the Giant Peach – Classroom Activities
- Classroom activities related to the book
- James and the Giant Peach – Complete Novel Guide
- Excellent guide with vocabulary words, questions, and lots of activities
- James and the Giant Peach – Lesson Plan
- Comprehensive lesson plan with unit plan, diagrams, and vocabulary tests
- James and the Giant Peach – Lesson Plans
- Bring a world of giant peaches and talking insects to life in your classroom with these brilliant beyond belief YPO lesson plans.
- James and the Giant Peach – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
- James and the Giant Peach – Peachy Ideas
- Includes some peach-related ideas for teaching the book
- James and the Giant Peach – Project for Children and Parents
- Includes summary, discussion questions, activities, and recipe
- James and the Giant Peach – TeacherVision.com Resources
- Includes several good ideas for enrichment activities, a list of Internet links, and a Dahl bibliography
- James and the Giant Peach – Writing Lesson
- Activity where students write their own large-object-rolling-through-something paragraph.
- Quick Student Workbooks
- Designed to get students thinking critically about the text they read and provide a guided study format to facilitate in improved learning and retention
Matilda
- Matilda – Educators’ Guide
- PDF guide for educators to using Matilda in the Classroom, including chapter-by-chapter lessons plans and tie-in to Broadway musical
- Matilda – Lesson Plans
- Several lesson plans for various chapters in the book, which develop various skills through wordplay, drama and many other methods
- Matilda – Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary
- Includes excerpt from the text and interactive worksheet
- Matilda – Sorting Out Homophones
- Lesson plan where students learn how to identify homophones in a reading passage and how to best use the Visual Thesaurus to help them decide on the appropriate homophones to complete quotations from the book
- Quick Student Workbooks
- Designed to get students thinking critically about the text they read and provide a guided study format to facilitate in improved learning and retention
My Year
- My Year – Classroom Activities
- Several activities for various sections of the book
The BFG
- Quick Student Workbooks
- Designed to get students thinking critically about the text they read and provide a guided study format to facilitate in improved learning and retention
- The BFG – “If I were a giant…”
- Creative prompt for writing and drawing
- The BFG – BFG for President!
- Designed to teach about the election process
- The BFG – BFG Math
- Designed to teach concepts of scale and multiplication in a hands on way
- The BFG – Creative Commercial Activity
- Designed to teach creativity and teamwork
- The BFG – Creative Writing Activity
- Scroll down to find “Recipes for Dreams”
- The BFG – Educators’ Guide
- PDF guide for educators to using The BFG in the Classroom
- The BFG – Ideas for Classroom Activities
- Includes ideas for teaching language devices and a fun recipe for Frobscottle!
- The BFG – Ideas for Classroom Activities
- Includes ideas for studying dreams and depicting giants
- The BFG – Lesson Plans
- PDF file including extracts, Literacy and PSHE learning objectives, lesson plans and fun activity sheets
- The BFG – Lesson Plans
- These officially phizz-whizzing lesson plans include PSHE and Literacy Objectives for lessons on Friendship, Dreams and Believing.
- The BFG – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
The Enormous Crocodile
- The Enormous Crocodile – Alternative Endings
- PDF with activities to produce a piece of drama showing a new ending for the story
- The Enormous Crocodile – The Crocodile Trap
- PDF with activities to create a design for a new crocodile trap
- The Enormous Crocodile – Wanted
- PDF with activities to make a wanted or warning poster for children, warning them about The Enormous Crocodile
The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me
- The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me – Teamwork
- PDF with activities related to teamwork and cooperation, including designing a business with roles for all the team members
The Magic Finger
- The Magic Finger – Create a Character
- PDF with activities related to developing imaginative and empathetic skills
- The Magic Finger – Decision Alley
- PDF with activities related to debating the killing of wildlife for food or resources
- The Magic Finger – Transformation Tales
- PDF with activity using imaginative skills to create a transformation tale based on the story
The Minpins
- Billy and the Minpins – Lesson Plans
- Get your class to think of ways to help Billy escape the Gruncher with the YPO lesson plans which include Art and Literacy Objectives on spoken language, imagining worlds and celebrating achievements.
The Twits
- The Twits – English Lesson Plan
- Designed to teach creativity, writing, proofreading, literary analysis, teamwork, and more
- The Twits – Lesson Plans
- Several lesson plans for exploring themes within various chapters in the book
- The Twits – More Student Story Examples
- Builds on ideas provided in "English Lesson Plan"
- The Twits – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
- The Twits – Show, Don’t Tell
- A writing activity where that asks writers to make use of both showing and telling as they create a well-organized paragraph of description.
The Vicar of Nibbleswicke
- The Vicar of Nibbleswicke – Empathy
- PDF with activities related to dyslexia and empathy
The Witches
- The Witches – Classroom Activities
- Includes a few activities based on the story
- The Witches – How to Recognise a Witch
- PDF with activities related to researching and preparing presentations
- The Witches – Novel Study (Preview)
- PDF preview of Novel Study including everything you need to teach the novel (full version available for purchase on novelstudies.org)
- The Witches – Writing Across the Curriculum
- Letter-writing activity involving population statistics
“Dip in the Pool”
- “Dip in the Pool” – Additional Classroom Question
- Suggested additional question for "Classroom Activities"
- “Dip in the Pool” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
“Galloping Foxley”
- “Galloping Foxley” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
“Lamb to the Slaughter”
- “Lamb to the Slaughter” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a reading jigsaw, ranking features of the perfect murder, and vocabulary matching task
- “Lamb to the Slaughter” – Convince that Jury
- A R.A.F.T. Writing Prompt involving identification of important quotes from the story and then writing a persuasive essay in the form of a closing argument from a defense attorney
- Text to Text | Edward Hopper and Roald Dahl
- Activities and discussion prompts involving a comparison of Edward Hopper's paintings and Dahl's writing (from The New York Times)
“Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”
- “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
“My Lady Love, My Dove”
- “My Lady Love, My Dove” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
“Parson’s Pleasure”
- “Parson’s Pleasure” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
“Pig”
- “Pig” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a range of reading tasks, divided into story sections
“Poison”
- “Poison” – Online Games
- Online matching, concentration, and flash card games with concepts from the book
“Taste”
- “Taste” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
- “Taste” – Classroom Ideas
- Includes some ideas for teaching grammar
“The Boy Who Talked with Animals”
- “The Boy Who Talked With Animals” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a crossword, questions, who said what, vocabulary, summary, and writing a letter
“The Butler”
- “The Butler” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
“The Hitchhiker”
- “The Hitchhiker” – Character Comparison
- Includes a chart for comparing two characters
- “The Hitchhiker” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
“The Landlady”
- “The Landlady” – Britlit Kit
- Excellent study kit that includes materials around Pre-reading, Context, and Word Work. Also includes the text of the story and mp3 files for listening to it.
- “The Landlady” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a making your own story exercise (using extracts from Dahl’s story) and questions
- “The Landlady” – Exploring Foreshadowing Through Letter Writing
- A letter writing activity exploring foreshadowing based on the story
- “The Landlady” – Online Crossword Puzzle
- Online puzzle focusing on word definitions, synonyms, and antonyms
“The Way Up to Heaven”
- “The Way Up to Heaven” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story
“The Wish”
- “The Wish” – Classroom Activities
- Includes a number of questions and exercises pertaining to the story