Matilda

Guided Reading Questions and Activities

Chapters 1 and 2
Day 1 Day 2
1. What is the librarian’s name? 1. Why is the librarian stunned?
2. What is the first adult book that 2. What makes Matilda feel sad
Matilda reads? about her parents?
3. How will a fine writer always 3. Why do you think Matilda's
make you feel? parents are so unkind to her?
4. Where did Matilda go with 4. How does Matilda make her
Rudyard Kipling? father angry?
5. What is Mr Wormwood’s secret?
Challenge: Draw a detailed,
Challenge: Collect words to labelled character sketch of Mr
describe Matilda. Wormwood.

Day 3 Day 4
1. Which parts of the opening make How do you think Roald Dahl
you want to read on? feels about people who watch a
2. What language is used to show lot of TV?
that Mr Wormwood is ‘dishonest’? 2. Whose viewpoint is this story told
from and how do you know?
3. How does Dahl describe the
librarian’s amazement at 3. What genre of story do you think
Matilda’s reading? this is going to be?
Challenge: Write 5 super similes to Challenge: Predict Matilda’s revenge
describe Matilda. on her father.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 3 and 4
Day 1 Day 2
1. Why does Mrs Wormwood 1. Why does Matilda have to take
turn pink? care with timing her tricks?
2. What makes Mr Wormwood 2. What do we learn about Mr and
angry in Chapter 4? Mrs Wormwood’s relationship?
3. What book is Matilda reading? 3. What lesson do you think
Matilda’s family learn?
4. Who is Chopper and what
does he say? Challenge: What is the worst
thing you have ever done and
Challenge: Can you find evidence to
why did you do it?
prove Matilda is a good actor?

Day 3 Day 4
1. Does this build up make you want 1. What is the purpose of this part of
to read more? the story?
2. How is language used to show Mr 2. Has anything ever made you feel
Wormwood’s fury? like Matilda does?
3. What does Fred say is ‘pretty 3. What do we learn about
marvellous’ and why? the reasons behind Mr
Wormwood’s fury?
Challenge: Collect examples of
powerful verbs and use them in your 4. Where do you think the story is set?
own sentences.
Challenge: Design your own trick.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 5 and 6
Day 1
Day 2
1. What colour is Mr
1. Why does M r Wormwood talk
Wormwood’s jacket?
to his son about business, not
2. What is Mr Wormwood’s his daughter?
total profit?
2. Is Matilda a meticulous person?
3. What do the family eat How do you know?
for supper in Ch.5?
3. What do you think Mrs Wormwood
4. What is Mr Wormwood’s thinks of M r Wormwood? How
hair lotion called? do you know?
5. What does Michael Challenge: Is Matilda right to punish
have for breakfast? her parents? Give 3 reasons.
Challenge: Collect ambitious
words and find definitions for
them.
Day 4
Day 3
1. Whose side do you think the reader
1. What does ‘comparatively is on and why?
civil’ mean? 2. What do you think Roald Dahl
2. Is ‘foulness’ a good word to describe thinks about sexism?
Mr Wormwood’s behaviour? 3. How could this book influence
3. What is the purpose of Mr the reader?
Wormwood’s noise and clatter? Challenge: If you were Matilda’s
friend, how would you feel
Challenge: Use bullet points to record about what is happening?
the main steps of the plan. Write a letter to her.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 7 and 8
Day 1 Day 2
1. How many children are 1. Why is Matilda ‘reluctant’ to read
in Matilda’s class? her limerick?
2. Who does Miss Honey 2. Why does Miss Honey feel
lie to and why? ‘wildly excited’?
3. Who taught Matilda to read? 3. Would you like to have Miss
Trunchbull as your head teacher?
4. What does Mr Wormwood tell
Explain your answer.
Miss Trunchbull about Matilda?
Challenge: Write a letter to Miss
Challenge: Draw a detailed, labelled
Trunchbull to persuade her of
character sketch of Miss Honey.
Matilda’s genius.

Day 3 Day 4
1. Why do you think each chapter is 1. What advice does Miss Honey give
named after a teacher? her class?
2. Can you find a simile to describe 2. How do you think Roald Dahl feels
Miss Trunchbull? about teachers?
3. What do Miss Trunchbull’s words 3. Have you read any other books
tell us about her personality? that are set in a school?
Challenge: Draw a detailed, labelled Challenge: Miss Honey wants to
character of Miss Trunchbull. help Matilda. Make a plan for her,
explaining exactly what she must do.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 9 and 10
Day 1 Day 2
1. What do Matilda’s parents call 1. Why does Mrs Wormwood
Miss Honey? think Matilda is wasting her
time reading?
2. Why does Hortensia call
Matilda a liar? 2. Why are Matilda and
Lavender friends?
3. What did Miss Trunchbull do in
the Olympics? 3. Why is Matilda ‘enthralled’ by
Hortensia?
4. How do the parents feel about
Miss Trunchbull? Challenge: Write a letter of
complaint to the school from Amanda
Challenge: Find powerful verbs and
Thripp’s mother.
look up their meanings.

Day 3 Day 4
1. How does Dahl build up tension? 1. What was the purpose of
Chapter 9?
2. Is ‘a war’ a good way to describe
Matilda‘s school? 2. Do you think all of Hortensia’s
stories are true?
3. What does ‘formidable’ mean and
is it a good description for Miss 3. Do you think Roald Dahl used his
Trunchbull? own experience of school to help
him write?
Challenge: Write 2 similes to describe
each of the main characters. Challenge: Summarise the story so
far in 10 bullet points.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 11 and 12
Day 1 Day 2
1. What is Bruce’s crime? 1. How do you think the children feel
as they watch Bruce eat the cake?
2. What is Bruce’s punishment?
2. How do you feel when you read
3. What time will Miss Trunchbull
Lavender’s plan?
teach the class?
3. Why does Lavender keep her
4. Can you describe a newt?
plan a secret?
5. Where does Lavender keep the
Challenge: Draw a character sketch
Newt and why?
of Lavender.
Challenge: Write a cheer to
support Bruce!

Day 3 Day 4
1. How do these chapters build up a 1. How would you describe Lavender
picture of Miss Trunchbull? in one sentence?
2. How does Miss Trunchbull describe 2. Do you think it is right that the
Bruce Bogtrotter and what effect children retaliate?
does this have?
3. Do you think this story is set in
3. Is ‘unpredictable’ a good word to the past, present or future?
describe Miss Trunchbull?
Challenge: Write a possible ending
Challenge: Write a letter of for this story. What will happen to
complaint to Miss Trunchbull about Matilda and Miss Trunchbull?
her behaviour towards Bruce.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 13 and 14
Day 1 Day 2
1. What does Miss Trunchbull 1. What would Miss Trunchbull like
ask Nigel to spell? to invent and why?
2. How does Miss Honey 2. What made Miss Trunchbull
teach spelling? especially furious?
3. What was quite an 3. How do you think Matilda felt
extraordinary sight? when she managed to tip over
the glass?
4. Which headmaster does
Miss Trunchbull admire? Challenge: What sort of music would
accompany a film of Matilda and
Challenge: Write 5 questions
why? Explain your choices.
about the story for a friend to try
and answer.

Day 3
1. What is the effect of all the
stories told up to this point?
2. What explosive metaphor is used
to describe Miss Trunchbull?
3. Is ‘hypnotised’ a good word
to describe the class?
Challenge: Choose your favourite
descriptive phrase and explain
your choices.
Day 4
1. What do you think Roald Dahl
thinks about punishment?
2. Does Miss Honey’s attitude remind
you of anyone you know?
3. How does Roald Dahl’s writing
make you feel?
Challenge: Choose 5 verbs and 5
adjectives to describe Miss Trunchbull.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 15 and 16
Day 1 Day 2
1. Whose mouth drops open in 1. How does Matilda feel when she
shock and why? moves the glass?
2. Can you describe how Matilda 2. How does Miss Honey feel when
summons her powers? she sees her do it?
3. Where does Miss Honey live? 3. How does Matilda feel when she
sees Miss Honey’s house?
4. Whose poetry does Miss
Honey recite? Challenge: Make a list of all the
‘emotive’ words and look up their
Challenge: Draw a detailed,
meanings.
labelled character sketch of Miss
Honey’s cottage.

Day 3 Day 4
1. What is the main purpose of 1. What is the overall mood in
Chapter 16? Chapter 16?
2. Why does Dahl describe Miss 2. What is your opinion of the way
Honey as a ‘wise old bird’? that Miss Honey lives?
3. What is a ‘precocious child’? 3. What do you think is the mystery
connected to Miss Honey’s house?
4. How do we find out that Miss
Honey is poor? Challenge: How could Matilda test
her powers? Design an experiment to
Challenge: Can you think of an
see what she can do.
alternative title for Chapter 16?
explain your choice.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 17 and 18
Day 1 Day 2
1. Where did Miss Honey study? 1. Why is Miss Honey a ‘heroine’
to Matilda?
2. How much money does Miss
Honey live on? 2. How does Matilda feel when she
finds out who Miss Honey‘s aunt is?
3. How did Miss Honey find
her cottage? 3. Why do you think Miss Honey’s
aunt treated her so appallingly?
4. What questions does Matilda ask?
Challenge: Design an action plan to
Challenge: Write down 5 open-ended
help Miss Honey. What would you do?
questions that you would like to ask
Miss Honey.

Day 3 Day 4
1. How would you describe the 1. What is the purpose of Miss
ending of Chapter 18? Honey’s story?
2. How does the tension build up 2. How does Roald Dahl persuade
during Chapter 18? the reader to feel sympathy for
3. Can you find an effective Miss Honey?
description of Miss Honey’s 3. Can you think of any other stories
childhood? How does it make about bullies? What happened to
you feel? them in the end?

Challenge: Design a treat for Miss Challenge: Design an anti-

Honey to cheer her up after her awful bullying poster.
experiences.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters 19 to 21
Day 1 Day 2
1. Who notices the chalk moving 1. Why is Matilda so keen to help?
first?
2. Why do you think that Matilda’s
2. What document appears after powers disappeared?
Miss Trunchbull’s disappearance,
3. Why wouldn’t Matilda want to go
and what does it say?
through life as a miracle-worker?
3. Who is the new Head Teacher?
4. Why do Matilda’s parents agree
4. Why is it impossible to be bored that she can stay with Miss Honey?
with Matilda?
Challenge: What happens to Miss
Challenge: Who is your favourite Trunchbull next?
character in this story and why?

Day 3 Day 4
1. Can you think of an alternative 1. What is your opinion of Miss
title for this story? Trunchbull’s teaching methods?
2. Do you think the words that 2. Do you think this is a realistic
Matilda writes on the blackboard story? Explain your answer.
are well chosen, and why?
3. If you could change anything
3. How does Dahl show us that about this story, what would it
everyone is pleased Miss be and why?
Trunchbull is punished?
Challenge: Write an alternative
Challenge: Copy out your favourite ending. Happy, sad or a twist!
paragraph and explain why it stood
out to you.

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 Matilda
Guided Reading Questions and Activities
Chapters:
Day 1 Day 2

Challenge: Challenge:

Day 3 Day 4

Challenge: Challenge:

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