Teachers’ Notes

AIMED at Primary school pupils, the ideas in this study guide are intended as
starting points for a cross-curricular topic based on the film. The guide is divided up
into a series of photocopiable worksheets containing exercises that could he
achieved by a wide range of pupils at Key Stage 1 and 2. The activities seek to
complement and extend the pleasure the children will have derived from seeing the
film whilst at the same time meeting some of the requirements of the National
Curriculum and Scottish Guidelines. The tables below can be used for planning and
record keeping.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM GUIDELINES

A modern Fairy English KS1 AT2 1d,3
Tale AT3 2b
KS2 AT2 1d
AT3 1c
Goodies and English KS1 AT2 2c
Baddies
KS2 AT2 2b
AT3 1a
Character Profile English KS1 AT2 2c
KS2 AT2 2b
AT3 1a
What's in a KS1 AT2
Name
AT3
KS2 AT2 2d
AT3 2b
Books vs TV English KS1 AT1 1c, 2a,b
KS2 AT1 1c,d,2b
My Favourite English KS1 AT2 2c
Book
AT3 1b,c
KS2 AT2 2b,3
AT3 1a
Classroom English KS1 AT3 1c,2b
Rules
KS2 AT3 1c,2a
First Day at English KS1 AT2 1d
School
AT3 2b
KS2 AT2 1d
AT3 1c
Every Picture KS1 AT2 2c
Tells a Story
KS2 AT2 1c
How a film looks KS2 AT3
Art AT2
Matilda's Mental KS1 AT2 3c
Arithmetic
KS2 AT2 1a,4a

©Film Education 1
 SCOTTISH GUIDELINES
A modern Fairy English Listening/Watching - Awareness of Genre B-E
Tale language Reading - Awareness of Genre B-E
Writing - Imaginative B-E
Goodies and English Reading - Knowledge about language D
Baddies language Reading - To reflect on the writers ideas+craft D
Reading - Knowledge about language D
Character Profile English Reading To reflect on the writers ideas+craft D
language Reading - Knowledge about language D
What's in a Reading - Awareness of Genre B-E
Name Writing - Imaginative B-E
Books vs TV English Listening/Watching - In Groups B-E
language Talking -about experiences, feelings, opinions B-E
My Favourite English Reading - for enjoyment B-E
Book language Reading - Knowledge about language B-E
Writing - personal B-E
Classroom English Writing - functional B-E
Rules language
First Day at English Reading - To reflect on the writers ideas+craft D
School language Reading - Awareness of Genre B-E
Writing - personal B-E
Talking -about experiences B-E
Every Picture English Listening/Watching - Awareness of Genre B-E
Tells a Story language
How a film looks English Reading - Awareness of Genre B-E
Language
Art Evaluating + Appreciation B
Matilda's Mental Number Money + Management B-E
Arithmetic

SYNOPSIS
MATILDA is an extraordinary girl, a child of wondrous intelligence- unfortunately her
neglectful and deeply stupid parents. Harry and Zinnia Wormwood are too wrapped
up in their own little lives to care, or even to notice, that their daughter is a budding
genius. Matilda is in love with books and learning. When the Wormwoods finally
grants Matilda’s wish to attend school, they bundle her off to Crunchem Hall, a bleak
brick prison where students cower before the whip-hand and fist of a hulking
monster-Principal, Agatha Trunchbull.

Amid Crunchem's darkness, Matilda finds a single light in warm-hearted Miss

Honey, the first grade teacher who recognises the girl’s remarkable skills. Miss
Honey also sees a very special talent that allows the spirited girl to turn the tables
on the wicked grown-ups in her world. Matilda is a modern fairy tale. The story of a
little girl who creates her own place in the world through strength, courage, and an
exceptional knack for mischief.

'Roald DahI’s Matilda’, dir. Danny DeVito.

Running time: 98mins
Certificate PG

©Film Education 2
 A Modern Fairy Tale

The filmmakers describe the film Roald Dahl’s Matilda as an up to-date fairy tale,
In the box below, Write down the names of the fairy tales you have read.

Can you now try to describe what a fairy tale is? Think about the types of characters,
settings and events that occur.

How is the story of Matilda like a fairy tale? Think about the characters and events
etc Are there any differences between the story of ‘Matilda’ and a fairy tale?

©Film Education 3
 Rewriting Fairy Tales
Time to get writing! Can you modernise a traditional fairy tale so that it is more up-
to-date? For example, instead of 'Little Red Riding Hood'. You could write 'Little Red
Bomber Jacket' and have the girl rescue the boy.

©Film Education 4
 Goodies & Baddies
"All good books have to have a mixture of extremely nasty people - which are
always fun - and some nice people. Can you imagine how boring 'The BFG' would
be if he were the only giant in Giantland?"
(Roald Dahl)

In all of Dahl's books there are 'goodies' and 'baddies'. The baddies are not just a little
bit nasty - but really bad! Dahl believed that to make characters interesting it was best
to exaggerate their good or bad qualities. One of the ways in which he did this was to
think about little details, such as crooked noses or twitching ears so that the reader can
really picture the person.

TASK
In the box below write down the names of the 'goodies' and 'baddies' in books or films
that you have read recently.

GOODIES BADDIES

TASK
Think about what is about these characters that makes them really good or really bad.
Is it the way they look, the way they behave, or the way they sound? Can you tell they
are good or bad just by looking at them?

©Film Education 5
 Character Profile Sheet

Using what you have learnt about goodies and baddies, choose a character from the
film Roald Dahl’s Matilda and write about what they are like in the spaces below,
TASK
CHARACTER’S
NAME

HOW THEY
LOOK
(CLOTHES,
HAIR)

HOW THEY
SOUND

HOW THEY
BEHAVE
(KIND, NASTY,
NAUGHTY?)

DO WE
LIKE/DISLIKE
CHARACTER?
WHY?

©Film Education 6
 What’s in a Name

The names of the characters in Matilda tell you a lot about them. This idea is not new
and has been used in many different ways throughout the ages.

In medieval times characters in plays had names which told you about their good
points, e.g. Faithful, or their bad points, e.g. Anger.

Look at some of the names of the people in ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ and see what
their names tell you about them. In Victorian stories for children the idea became
very complicated. One of the characters in 'The Water Babies’ by Charles Kingsley is
Mrs [Link] do you think she is like? Can you find out
some of the other names in the hook.

Roald Dahi also uses descriptive names in his books. Look at some of his other
books and see if you can make a list of your favourite names.

Make up some wonderfully descriptive character names of your own.

Books versus TV
"Why read a book, when you can get it from the TV much quicker?”
(Harry Wormwood)

MATILDA’S family have no time for reading material at all, apart from magazines.
They prefer to get their information and enjoyment from the television. Matilda, on
the other hand, spends her whole time with her nose in one book or another.
Through reading she is able to learn many things which is one of the reasons that she
is so knowledgeable at school.
TASK
Have a debate in your class about books versus television. Is one better than the
other? Divide up into two groups. The first group for supporting books and the
second for television. You will also need a chairperson who will lead the debate and
make sure that each side has a fair time to speak and that neither side gets too
rowdy. In your groups write down all the points you can think of as to whether either
books or TV might be better. When you have finished you will be ready for your
debate. Make sure that everybody gets a turn to speak.

©Film Education 7
 My Favourite Book
All of us have a favourite book that we enjoy reading again and again. What is your
favourite book? Describe your book below. What type of story is it? When did you
first read it? How many times have you read it? What is it about the book that makes
you like it so much?

TITLE:

AUTHOR:

PUBLISHER :

DATE WRITTEN:

©Film Education 8
 Classroom Rules

Miss Trunchbull is very strict with all the girls at Crunchem Hall. Each classroom has
rules displayed up on the walls for all the children to obey. Heaven help the child
who breaks a rule - for they must meet THE CHOKEY!

Some of the rules include:

NO LAUGHING
NO PIGTAILS
NO DAYDREAMING
NO COLOURING
NO FUN

At your school you probably have rules as well, but not as many as at Crunchem
Hall. Rules are made so that pupils know how to behave.

TASK
It is time that you made up some rules of your own but not for you. - for your
teacher! For example, no drinking coffee in the classroom.

©Film Education 9
 First Day at School

Jane Eyre

Look at these extracts from books which describes the heroine first day at school.
Jane Eyre was written in the nineteenth century. Some of the words in it are difficult
so look them up in a dictionary and if in doubt ask your teacher. A Little Princess
was written at the beginning of this century and Matilda is modern.

When I again unclosed my eyes, a loud bell was ringing; the girls were up and
dressing; day had not yet begun to dawn, and a rushlight or two burnt in the room. I
too rose reluctantly; it was bitter cold, and I dressed as well as I could for shivering,
and washed when there was a basin at liberty, which did not occur soon, as there
was bill one basin to six girls, on the stands down the middle of the room. Again the
bell rings all formed in file, two and two, and in that order descended the stairs and
entered the cold and dimly-lit schoolroom: here prayers were read by Miss Miller;
afterwards she called out - 'Form classes!’

A great tumult succeeded for some minutes, during which Miss Miller repeatedly
exclaimed Silence! and Order! When it subsided, I saw them all drawn up in four
semicircles, before four chairs, placed at the four tables: all held books in their hands,
and a great book, like a Bible, lay on each table, before the vacant seat. A pause of
some seconds succeeded, filled up by the low, vague hum of numbers; Miss Miller
walked from class to class, hushing this indefinite sound.

A distant bell tinkled: immediately three ladies entered the room, each walked to a table
and took her seat; Miss Miller assumed the fourth vacant chair; which was that nearest
the dome, and around which the smallest of the children were assembled: to this
inferior class I was called, and placed at the bottom of it.

'Jane Eyre’ written by Charlotte Brontë

Published by Penguin Classics (1985)

©Film Education 10
 First Day at School
A Little Princess

After Sara had sat in her seat in the schoolroom for a few minutes, being looked at
by the pupils, Miss Minchin rapped in a dignified manner upon her desk.

‘Young ladies,’ she said I wish to introduce you to your new companion. All the little
girls rose in their places, and Sara rose also.

'I shall expect you all to be very agreeable to Miss Crewe; she has just come to us
from a great distance - in fact, from India. As soon as lessons are over you must
make each others acquaintance.

The pupils bowed ceremoniously, and Sara made a little curtsy, and then they sat
down and looked at each other again.

‘Sara,’ said Miss Minchin in her schoolroom manner, 'come here to me.'

She had taken a book from the desk and was turning over its leaves. Sara went to her
politely.

As your papa has engaged a French maid for you,’ she began, ‘I conclude that he
wishes you to make a special study of the French language.’

Sara felt a little awkward.

'I think he engaged her’ she said, 'because he - he thought I would like her, Miss
Minchin.’

‘l am afraid,’ said Miss Minchin, with a slightly sour smile, ‘that you have been a very
spoiled little girl and always imagine that things are done because you like them. My
impression is that your papa wished you to learn French.'

'A Little Princess' by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Published by Puffin (1961)

©Film Education 11
 First Day at School
Matilda

Naturally Matilda was put in the bottom class, where there were there were eighteen
other small boys and girls about the same age as her. Their teacher was called Miss
Honey, and she could not have been more than twenty-four. She had a lovely pale
oval madonna face with blue eyes and her hair was light-brown. Her body was so
slim and fragile one got the feeling if she fell over she would smash into a thousand
pieces, like a porcelain figure.

Miss Jennifer Honey was a mild and quiet person who never raised her voice and
was seldom seen to smile but there is no doubt she possessed that rare gift for
being adored by every small child under her care. She seemed to understand totally
the bewilderment and fear that so often overwhelms young children who for the first
time in their lives are herded into a classroom and told to obey orders. Some curious
warmth that was almost tangible shone out of Miss Honey’s face when she spoke to
a confused and homesick newcomer to the class.

TASK 'Matilda' written by Roald Dahl

Published by Puffin (1988)

Write about your first day at school. Compare your day with all three extracts.

Every Picture Tells a Story

The opening of the film 'Roald Dahl's Matilda' tells the story of Matilda growing up. It
portrays her as a baby at four and a half years old and finally at six and-a half.

Have you any photographs of yourself which could show you growing up?

Perhaps they might need a caption or a sentence to explain where you were at that
time.

Organise a 'Guess the Baby’ competition using photographs of yourselves. Don’t write
on them who they are. (Pictures with birthday cakes with names on are too much of a
giveaway). And, of course, your teachers have to join in as well.

©Film Education 12
 How a Film Looks

The designers of a film decide how a film is going to look. They can make us think
certain thoughts by the way they design things. Look at the picture of Mr
Wormwood’s car sales showroom. What makes it look like an advertisement?

Matilda’s Mental Arithmetic

In both the book and the him Matilda is very good at mental arithmetic. Here is some
arithmetic for you to try.
How many ways can you find of getting the answer 9 by just using addition

8+1=9
7+1+1=9
7+ 2 =9
How much of it can you do in your head?

EXTENSION TASK
Still getting the answer 9 - use any way you like to get there - division, subtraction,
multiplication, fractions... How complicated can you get?

©Film Education 13
 THE ROALD DAHL FOUNDATION

The foundation was set up by Liccy Dahl,

Roald Dahl’s widow, in 1991 -

Its aim is to help in the fields of literacy,

haematology and neurology -

3 areas which hold great significance

for Dahl’s family.

The Foundation has been able to

offer grants to hospitals,

specialist treatment centres and

also to individuals who may need help.

If you would like to apply for funds

or would like to help the Foundation in its work

by making a donation then please write to:

The Roald DahI Foundation,

92 High Street, Great Missenden,

Buckinghamshire HP16 CAN

©Film Education 14