In this activity, students will demonstrate their comprehension of the text through summarizing three or more events, and develop an understanding of plot structure.
The Wormwood family is not like any other. Mr. and Mrs. Wormword don't care that their 5 1/2 year old daughter Matilda is a genius, and Matilda doesn't quite realize what she is capable until she tries.
At school, Matilda's life isn't much better. Her teacher, Miss Trunchbull, is mean and simply horrible, bringing out Matilda's telekinetic powers and the prankster within her.
Matilda uses her telekinetic powers to write on the chalkboard and scare Miss Trunchbull, causing her to pass out.
Miss Trunchbull has left the school, and Miss Honey's life is starting to fall back into place. Matilda is able to skip some grades and finally feels challenged in school.
Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood and their son head to Spain without Matilda. Matilda and Miss Honey become a family and never have to think about their horrible families again!
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Make a plot diagram of Matilda.
Empower students to craft a connected summary by teaching them to link events and use transition words. This helps summaries flow smoothly and reflect deeper comprehension.
Show students how to highlight or list main events from the beginning, middle, and end of Matilda. This ensures they focus on the most important plot points.
Introduce words like first, next, and finally to help students logically link each part of the story. This creates a summary that reads smoothly.
Remind students to avoid copying text and instead explain events in their own language. This builds understanding and original thinking.
Guide students to share and discuss summaries together, offering suggestions to clarify ideas or add missing details. This collaborative review improves writing and confidence.
Matilda is a story about a gifted girl whose parents treat her poorly. She finds support from Miss Honey, her kind teacher, and together they overcome the cruel Miss Trunchbull. The story shows how Matilda and Miss Honey help each other to find happiness and safety.
To teach parts of a story with Matilda, have students identify the beginning (Matilda’s family life), middle (meeting Miss Honey at school), and end (defeating Miss Trunchbull). Students can create pictures and write sentences for each part to reinforce understanding.
Try activities like drawing scenes from the beginning, middle, and end of Matilda, writing a sentence under each picture, or creating a simple storyboard. These help students practice summarizing key events in a creative way.
Summarizing helps 4th and 5th graders improve reading comprehension by focusing on main ideas and key events. It encourages them to process what they’ve read and express it in their own words, building critical thinking skills.
Example: In Matilda, a smart girl with unkind parents finds a caring teacher, Miss Honey. Together, they stand up to the mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and create a better life for themselves.