Matilda Movie Guide | Comprehension Questions, Vocabulary, Extension Activities

Engage your students with this comprehensive Matilda (1996) movie guide!
Perfect for Grades 2-5, this resource includes a variety of activities that promote critical thinking, creativity, and literacy skills. Whether you’re using the movie as part of a literature unit or for a fun classroom activity, this guide will help students dive deeper into the themes, characters, and lessons of Roald Dahl’s Matilda.

This resource is provided as a PDF and is ready for easy printing. Ideal for classroom use

What’s Included:

• Pre-Viewing Questions: Encourage students to think critically about key themes before watching.
• Comprehension Questions: A two-part set of questions that includes 10 recall questions and 5 deeper thinking, analytical questions.
• Vocabulary Activities: 20 essential words from the movie, with space for students to define each word and use it in a sentence.
• Discussion Prompts: Foster meaningful conversations about family, courage, education, and justice with open-ended questions.
• Post-Viewing Choice Board: 9 engaging activities to suit a variety of learning styles, including creative writing, drawing, and comparison tasks.
• Extension Projects: Long-term projects that allow students to explore the themes of Matilda even further. Activities include creating a sequel, designing a new school, and making a time capsule for one of the characters.

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Why You’ll Love This Resource:

• Versatile: Use it as part of a literature unit, for independent work, or even as a fun project for early finishers.
• Differentiated Activities: Offers a variety of options for different learning styles and levels, helping every student engage with the movie in a meaningful way.
• Creative and Fun: From drawing key settings to designing a movie poster, this guide encourages students to use their imaginations while developing key skills.

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How It Aligns with Learning Objectives:

• Develops reading comprehension skills: Through recall and analysis questions.
• Promotes critical thinking: Encouraging students to reflect on character motivations, plot developments, and themes.
• Supports creative expression: With art, writing, and project-based activities.

 

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This resource supports key literacy and critical thinking skills as outlined in Common Core standards for reading comprehension and analysis.

 

Summary of Relevant Standards:

• Reading Literature: RL.2.1, RL.3.1, RL.4.1, RL.5.1 (Comprehension)
• Writing: W.2.3, W.3.3, W.4.3, W.5.3 (Creative Writing/Narratives)
• Speaking and Listening: SL.2.1, SL.3.1, SL.4.1, SL.5.1 (Discussion)
• Vocabulary: L.2.4, L.3.4, L.4.4, L.5.4 (Vocabulary Acquisition)

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Copyright Information:

This product is intended for personal classroom use only. You may print and use it with your students, but it may not be shared, posted online, or distributed in any form without permission from the author. This resource is not endorsed by or affiliated with the creators of Matilda (1996) or Roald Dahl’s estate.

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