activity sheets
Boy
by Roald
Dahl
Na
me
:
BOY
Have you read anything by Roald Dahl before? Have you seen a film of one of his books? Do you know
anything about him?
Before you start the book, read the back cover and look at the illustration on the back cover.
Do you think that you will enjoy the story? Why or why not?
Before you read each chapter, you will be asked to learn some new VOCABULARY.
This is important because:
It will help you to read the chapter more easily.
You will gradually build your English vocabulary, helping to make future reading easier.
You may learn the vocabulary in the way you find best for your own style of learning. Below are some
suggestions;
Look up the word in Spanish and write it.
Look up and write the definition in English
Draw a picture of the word.
Make a word web.
Use the word in a sentence.
To help you and your group remember the words, try some of the following games and strategies:
Play “ Spot the vocabulary word” as you read.
Try using some of the new vocabulary words when you talk to each other, or in your next piece
of writing.
Test each other from time to time.
WHEN YOU DO YOUR WRITING, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO INCLUDE SOME NEW VOCABULARY
WORDS IN YOUR WRITING (UNDERLINE EACH WORD)
1 Papa and Mama,
Vocabulary: ambitious tremendous excruciating trawler harbour (vb)
Ask your family if they have an anecdote to tell about a member of your family
(grandparents/ parents/ uncles…). If you can add photos it would make it really special! Tell
the story in the most interesting way possible. Next week you will read it aloud to the class.
2 Kindergarten 1922-1923 (aged 6-7)
Vocabulary: overwhelmed grief catastrophe courageous emphatically
Good readers like to discuss the books they are reading and relate them to their own lives.
What are your first memories? They are usually related to strong emotions; scary, funny,
exciting, painful. Discuss your first memories in your reading groups. Write down what you
discussed here:
3 The Bicycle and the Sweet Shop
Vocabulary: jaunty bizarre linger baffle loathsome troop (vb)
Why do you think that Thwaite’s father told him that liquorice bootlaces were made of rat’s
blood?
Roald Dahl is very good at describing the characters in his books. Look at the description of
Mrs. Pratchett on pages 33 and 34. See how many ADJECTIVES you can find to describe
her:
Roald Dahl uses many techniques as a writer to make us want to keep reading. What does he
say at the end of the chapter and why does it make you want to read on?
4 The Great Mouse Plot
Vocabulary: prise strive strut victor victim
treasu floor- mous
re board plot e
her Mrs. gobstopp
o Pratchett ers
j
a vic
r tim victor
The words above are used in this chapter. Work at your tables to try to PREDICT what will
happen in the chapter. Use all the words above in your prediction:
Have YOU ever done anything naughty?! Write a PERSONAL NARRATIVE in your literacy
book to tell us about your experience. Remember to so your best work, you will be reading it
to us aloud.
5 Mr. Coombes
Vocabulary: triumph smithereens perch(verb)
During this chapter, Roald Dahl builds up the tension in the story. How does he do this?
6 Mrs. Pratchett’s Revenge
Vocabulary: sidle riveted exhort spur on
Use the words in the box below to summarise what happened in this chapter
Sidle riveted exhort spur on Mrs. Pratchett
Mr. Coombes Roald Dahl study cane reluctance
Bath mama Thwaites Burning sting
Summary (using 8 complex sentences):
7 Going to Norway
Vocabulary: idyllic ancient dock dauntless quayside cavalcade
8 The Magic Island
Vocabulary: vessel funnel flaxen raucous rabble
These two chapters are about Roald Dahl’s Summer holiday destination as a child: Norway.
Write what is so special about YOUR favourite holiday destination:
Discuss at your tables your favourite holiday destinations.
Where would you like to go in the future? Why?
9 A Visit to the Doctor
Vocabulary: seduce outrage groggy peer
Discuss at your tables your own experiences of going to the doctor or hospital.
How are they DIFFERENT to Roald Dahl’s experience?
If you were able to interview Roald Dahl, what would you like to ask him? Think of 5
interesting, OPEN questions:
Watch the Roald Dahl interview on the South Bank Show. Maybe he will answer your questions!
10 First Day
Vocabulary: seedy flank ravenous cunning churn apprehensive
It was common to take a tuck box to boarding school to keep small special things and food
from home. What would you take with you? Draw them inside the tuck box then label each
thing around the side:
First Day(continued)
In this chapter, Roald Dahl writes: “the headmaster smiled the kind of flashing grin a shark
might give to a small fish just before he gobbles it up”
Write three more ways that he could have finished the sentence:
The headmaster …
smiled the kind of
smile….
…
…
11 Writing Home
Vocabulary: thrash subtle censor
Imagine that you have gone to boarding school for the first time. Write a letter home to a
family member about your first experiences:
12 The Matron
Vocabulary: bosom lurk relish reluctance crimson phenomenal
summon culprit chamber-pot
In this chapter Roald Dahl describes the Matron in detail. This really helps us to imagine
what she was like. In the box below draw a picture of how you imagine the Matron to be.
Around the edge write quotes from the chapter that describe her:
Also, with your group choose 6 ADJECTIVES that best describe HOW she is and add them
to the box
13 Homesickness
Vocabulary: devastatingly devise drape(vb) ether bristles
Stagger foul inflammation
In this chapter, two characters tell lies. Who are they, what lies do they tell and why do
they tell them?
CHARACTER LIE WHY THE LIE WAS TOLD
GROUP DISCUSSION:
Is it alright to lie? When might you be able to lie? Have you ever lied? Why? Did you regret
it?
Write down here some interesting things that were said in your discussion:
14 A Drive in the Motor-car
Vocabulary: perpetual competence quiver vehicle spur on
Windscreen scrimmage crimson dismount
SCAN the chapter to find the vocabulary words in CONTEXT.
Rewrite the sentence the word is in using a different word/s to replace the vocabulary word
so that the sentence still means the same thing(see example):
PERPETUAL
Or walk all day long always in fear of the long yellow cane that lay on top
of the corner-cupboard in the Headmaster’s study.
COMPETENCE
QUIVER
VEHICLE
SPUR ON
SCRIMMAGE
CRIMSON
DISMOUNTED
15 Captain Hardcastle
Vocabulary: corrugated sneer glare smirk dais
circumstance infernal thrashing lacerate
Roald Dahl writes that Captain Hardcastle thinks:
“Small boys are insects that will turn and bite you if you don’t get them first and squash
them hard.”
What does he mean? Explain why he thinks this.
This is a METAPHOR for boys. Can you think of some funny METAPHORS of your own?
SUBJECT METAPHOR
Boys
Girls
Teachers
16 Little Ellis and the Boil
Just read this chapter to enjoy it. You may need the following vocabulary words:
WORD MEANING
Reign To rule over somebody/ something
Immense Very big
Schooner A big yacht
Scalpel A surgeon’s knife for cutting skin
Crouch To bend down
outrage Extreme anger
17 Goat’s Tobacco
Vocabulary: resent betrothed dropping conspiracy vigorously
Intently unadulterated enthralled
Summarise this chapter by writing 9 sentences and drawing some cartoon pictures to help
retell the story:
18 Getting Dressed for the Big School
Vocabulary: rigmarole garment dignified eccentric
In this chapter, Roald Dahl describes the very uncomfortable and eccentric uniform he had
to wear when he went to his big school.
SHOULD SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE TO WEAR A UNIFORM? Discuss this with your group.
In the boxes below, try to think from different people’s POINTS OF VIEW:
PROS
Yes, children should have to wear uniform because;
CONS
No, children should not have to wear uniform
We will DEBATE this issue in literacy. You may be asked to argue for either side so make
sure you are prepared to participate. Ask your family their OPINION.
Add any more ARGUMENTS that you can think of.
19 Boazers
Vocabulary: prefect summon misdemeanour bemused glimmer
In this chapter, Roald Dahl describes how older boys were allowed to cane the younger
students for any misdemeanor.
SHOULD OLDER SCHOOL CHILDREN BE ABLE TO PUNISH YOUNGER ONES? (obviously,
nowadays it would not be with the cane!) Discuss this with your group. In the boxes below,
try to think from different people’s POINTS OF VIEW:
PROS
Yes, older children should be able to punish younger ones because;
CONS
No, older children shouldn’t be able to punish younger ones because;
We will DEBATE this issue in literacy. You may be asked to argue for either side so make
sure you are prepared to participate. Ask your family their OPINION.
Add any more ARGUMENTS that you can think of.
20 The Headmaster
Vocabulary: bishop clergyman flog lecture buttocks
Misdeed shoddy
In this chapter, Roald Dahl tells us that he started to have doubts about religion and even
about God. Explain:
21 Chocolates
Vocabulary: gusto subtle concoct unbearable
In this chapter, Roald Dahl explains how, as a student, he was asked by Cadbury’s to test new
chocolates!
What did this inspire Roald Dahl to write later on?
With your group brainstorm and use a THESAURUS to come up with as many words as you
can related to chocolate and sweets:
Chocolates (continued)
NOW, INVENT A CHOCOLATE OF YOUR OWN!
What shape would it be? How would it be made? What would it be made with? Draw a labeled
picture here:
What would you call it? What would the wrapper be like?
CHALLENGE:TRY TO MAKE YOUR INVENTION AT HOME! BRING IT IN FOR US TO TRY!!!
22 Corkers
Vocabulary: dull/dreary ungainly lapel lumber(vb) countenance
serenely
Corkers puts a CONUNDRUM to the children:
“How thick will a piece of paper be if you fold it fifty times’?”
Now Ms. Gould has a CONUNDRUM for you:
“How many times can you fold a piece of paper in two?” Try it with various pieces of paper.
What did you find out?
23 Fagging
Vocabulary: supercilious obnoxious slog peer dispute
Stampede menial bog
Sometimes it’s nice just to read and enjoy…read and enjoy this chapter!
24 Games and Photography
Vocabulary: swift privilege conspicuous snag melancholy
What are your favourite hobbies / sports?
25 Goodbye School
Vocabulary: stroll swift trudge uninhabitable inhospitable
Hoist scold ecstatic
“NOWADAYS YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD IN A FEW HOURS AND
NOTHING IS FABULOUS ANYMORE”
What did Roald Dahl mean by this?
Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
What did Roald Dahl want to do after he left school?
What are your AMBITIONS?