Exploring Matilda's Wit

Lesson Overview

Curriculum Area: English (Key Stage 2, Year 6 – Reading Comprehension and Authorial Choice)

Focus: Deep dive into Matilda Chapter 2 by Roald Dahl. Students will explore Dahl's language techniques, themes, and characterisation, and develop skills relating to inference, vocabulary understanding, and opinions supported by evidence.

Duration: 45 minutes
Pupils: Mixed-ability Year 6 class of 30 students

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Identify specific textual details in Chapter 2 of Matilda that illustrate Matilda’s intelligence and her parents’ cruel attitudes.
2. Infer thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the key characters based on the language choices made by the author.
3. Use evidence to justify their responses to the text.
4. Write a creative response in the style of Roald Dahl.

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Resources & Preparation

• Copies of Matilda (enough excerpts from Chapter 2 for students to share in pairs).
• Interactive whiteboard or flip chart for notes.
• "Wit and Wisdom Tracker" handout: A simple table where pupils list evidence of Matilda's cleverness vs her parents’ attitudes.
• Small laminated cards with short excerpts (Dahl's vocabulary to analyse).

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Timetable of Activities

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Set the Scene: Begin by reminding pupils of what happened in Chapter 1. Discuss how Matilda’s intelligence and love for books already establish her as extraordinary for someone her age.
• Objective Overview: Explain today's focus: Unpicking Chapter 2 to see how Roald Dahl uses language and characterisation to make us sympathise with Matilda and dislike her parents.

Question to Ponder: Why do authors carefully choose every word when creating their characters?

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2. Reading & Discussion (10 minutes)

Activity: Modelled Reading followed by Group Discussion

• Read an excerpt aloud (teacher or selected pupil). Use dramatic voice to emphasise tone—especially Mr and Mrs Wormwood’s speech!
• Think-Pair-Share:
  • “What words or phrases describe Mr and Mrs Wormwood’s treatment of Matilda?”
  • “How do we know Matilda is clever, even from an early age?”

Expected Vocabulary Insights:

• Words like “imbecile”, “ignorant little twit”, and the contrast in tone between Matilda’s calm inner thoughts vs her parents’ over-the-top insults.

Record pupils' answers on the whiteboard under two columns: “Matilda’s Cleverness” and “Wormwoods’ Cruelty”. Discuss how Dahl uses exaggerated descriptions for comedic effect while still showing a deeper message.

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3. Group Activity (15 minutes)

Activity: Sentence Detective – Focus on Authorial Choice

• Divide pupils into small mixed-ability groups.
• Each group receives a Sentence Detective challenge: laminated cards with short excerpts from Chapter 2. Examples could include:
  • “Daddy”, she said, “you’re a crook.”
  • “Somewhere inside her, you could now see her tiny body filling itself with power.”
  • “Ignorant little twit.”

Task: In their groups, pupils will:

1. Analyse the sentence: What do these words tell you about the characters saying them?
2. Infer feelings without being told explicitly (e.g., Matilda feels fearless, Mr Wormwood is insecure).
3. Prepare to share their findings creatively (example ideas: as a short roleplay, a quick sketch with captions, or reading with exaggerated voices).

Bring the class back together to share examples and reflections, recording their insights on the board.

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4. Independent Task (10 minutes)

Activity: Writing like Dahl

• Pupils will write their own short ‘Dahl-style’ paragraph using what they’ve learned about exaggerated language. Prompt: Write a NEW scene where Matilda cleverly outwits her parents in an argument using her intelligence and charm.
  Extension Challenge for Early Finishers: Add a subtle description using metaphors, similar to Dahl’s famous example: “Matilda’s brain was so nimble it could weave itself through the narrowest packed maze.”

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5. Plenary (5 minutes)

Activity: Class Vote – Matilda’s Best Line

• Ask for volunteers to share their short stories, with the class choosing the most “Dahl-worthy” reimagining of Matilda’s cleverness.
• Recap learning objectives: Highlight how examining an author’s language helps us better understand the characters and themes in a story.

Final Thought (to take home): If YOU were Matilda and had her wit, how would you deal with someone as rude as Mr Wormwood?

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Differentiation

1. Lower-Ability Students: Provide scaffolded support during group discussion (e.g., simpler excerpts). Allow them to use word banks/lists for their writing activity.
2. Higher-Ability Students: Challenge them to identify additional literary devices (e.g., hyperbole, irony) and analyse their effect.
3. EAL Pupils: Use illustrated vocabulary cards to assist with comprehension of key terms such as "imbecile" or "ignorant".

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative Assessment: Observe group discussions, questioning to check understanding, and quality of answers shared.
• Summative Assessment: Evaluate pupils’ writing, focusing on their ability to emulate Dahl’s playful tone and use of evidence to characterise.

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Homework/Extension Suggestion

Reading Curiosity – Pupils should read the next chapter of Matilda at home, focusing on how Matilda cleverly solves problems. Ask them to note three sentences that show her exceptional mind, so they can share in the next lesson.

Creative Challenge – Pupils can draw a cartoon strip of a scene from Chapter 2, creatively imagining Matilda as a superhero defeating her parents' cruelty.

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This lesson encourages deep textual engagement, critical thinking, and creativity—the perfect combination for a rich Year 6 English exploration of Matilda!