Roald Dahl Teacher Resources

The dark whimsy of Roald Dahl has entranced readers for generations. Who can forget the fast friendship formed on top of a peach in James and the Giant Peach (1961), or the fantastic revenge exacted upon Mrs. Trunchbull in Matilda (1988)? Can you remember where you were when Dahl’s prose brought you through the gates of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) for the first time, or introduced you to the Big Friendly Giant in BFG (1983)?

Roald Dahl’s modern-day fairy tales present readers with precocious protagonists up against the oddness of their worlds—and often, of adulthood—amidst zany backdrops and magical adventures. An expert at engaging readers, Dahl often resolves the eccentricity in his stories with what children really want most: a calm, happy life.

Bring the fanciful universe of Roald Dahl to your classroom with high-quality resources, reviewed by teachers like you. If you’d like to cross the curriculum, check out a science lesson that tests the buoyancy of a floating peach, or a math resource that calculates exactly how much money Mr. Wormwood could make with his corrupt car-salesman schemes.

For additional ideas and background information, read a Lesson Planet article that discusses critical thinking and multimedia integration during a Roald Dahl-themed literature unit.

Showing 183 resources
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Activity
University of Virginia Library

Prism: "Learning to Chunk" Visualization

For Students 4th - 8th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] See the results of how users have highlighted Roald Dahl's "Learning to Chunk." Details that show characterization are blue while details that appeal to visualization or the senses are red and questions...
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Discussion Guide: George's Marvelous Medicine

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Scholastic presents this discussion guide of "George's Marvelous Medicine" by Roald Dahl. The guide includes discussion questions, extension activities, and more.
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Handout
PBS

Pbs: Who Made America?: Innovators: Martha Matilda Harper

For Students 9th - 10th
A former servant developed an influential beauty regimen -- and innovated business practices when she created the first franchise system of independently owned salons in the U.S. and Europe.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Writing fix.com: You're on a Gigantic Roll

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Front cover of the book James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Writing Fix: Show What Your Mind Sees: The Twits

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Front cover of the book The Twits by Roald Dahl.
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Lesson Plan
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: Requesting a Task Force to Prevent Child Endangerment

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this lesson, Roald Dahl's book The Witches is used as a mentor text. Students will attempt to save themselves and the other children. Students will analyze real population statistics from world-wide and details from the story to...
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Primary
University of Florida

Baldwin Library: Charcoal Burners

For Students 3rd - 5th
A scanned copy of the 1853 publication of Charcoal Burners by Matilda Wrench, a fiction book for children.
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Lesson Plan
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: Show What Your Mind Sees

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
This writing activity asks writers to make use of both showing and telling as they create a well-organized paragraph of description. After reviewing showing versus telling by building a writer's notebook page, each writer will show what...
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Unit Plan
E Reading Worksheets

E Reading Worksheets: Point of View Worksheets

For Teachers 2nd - 5th Standards
The learning module provides numerous drills via worksheet and video lesson links that cover different grade bands and text levels. Each exercise includes excerpts from famous works of literature and famous authors.
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Real Origin of the Franchise

For Students 9th - 10th
In this video lesson, Sir Harold Evans describes the remarkable story of Martha Matilda Harper, a beauty salon owner who invented franchising, one of the most successful business models today. [5:49]
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Get the Reel Scoop: Comparing Books to Movies

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Students compare a book to its film adaptation, and then perform readers theater of a scene from the book that they feel was not well represented in the movie version.
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Handout
Bibliomania

Bibliomania: Lewis Carroll Sylvie and Bruno Concluded

For Students 9th - 10th
Here, read all 25 chapters of Lewish Carroll's "Sylvie and Bruno Concluded."
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Handout
BBC

Bbc History: British History: Middle Ages: The Character and Legacy of Henry Ii

For Students 9th - 10th
A summary of Henry II's reign in England focuses on how his ruling style and key concerns were dictated by his character. Of particular interest is his relationship with members of his family, which determined the course of British...
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eBook
Can Teach

Can Teach: Novel and Picture Book Ideas (Lesson Plans)

For Teachers K - 1st
Novels and picture books are great ways to teach across the curriculum. This site lists about 75 novels and picture books around which CanTeach has constructed lesson ideas and plans. All grade levels indicated.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Photo of Carrie Derick

For Students 3rd - 8th
A brief biography of an important Canadian educator, Carrie Matilda Derick. The biography profiles Derick's work as a botanist and the fact that she will forever be known as Canada's first female university professor. The information,...