Roald Dahl Day 2011

Roald Dahl Day takes place every year on 13 September, on the birthday of the world's no. 1 storyteller and  this year will be no different: there will be many different celebrations around the UK and the world. As I posted here last year, I still enjoy reading his books and one of my favourites is undoubtedly Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Have a look at the trailer of the most recent film adaptation:

 

Now a curiosity...

Source: roalddahlmuseum.org

During the time Roald Dahl attended Repton School in South Derbyshire from 1930 to 1934 he and his schoolmates were used by Cadbury to taste and rate new products before they went to market.
The school believes this sparked not only the inspiration but also a lifelong love of chocolate culminating in Dahl's world-famous story.
Today it is holding a day of celebrations to mark what would have been the author's 95th birthday. The special day includes a quiz, an assembly about the author and a visit to The Priory, the Repton school house where Dahl lived.
Another curiosity...

Many of Roald Dahl's best loved and unforgettable stories, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach, were written in a small hut at the bottom of his garden in Buckinghamshire. It was built in the 1950's and hasn't been touched since the author's death.
The hut is falling apart and now a fund-raising campaign has been launched to preserve it for future generations. Check here:

http://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/uploads/SAVE%20THE%20HUT%20Press%20release%20FINAL.pdf
However, this can become controversial particularly now in these tough economic times, don't you think? With such a wealthy family which still earns huge royalties from Dahl's classic children's books, is it fair to ask for public fundraising when Sophie Dahl (Dahl's granddaughter) and her husband are wealthy enough to support the expenses? Shouldn't they pay to preserve the family's legacy???

Anyway, as for resources, check here : there is a book description, teaching ideas in / for different topics (art / science / maths...) and useful resources as wordsearches, crosswords,... just browse by category or author; as simple as that!!! By Roald Dahl you'll also find The Twits, George's Marvellous Medicine orThe BFG
Check them out and ... enjoy :))

13th September - Roald Dahl Day

Image Credit: scholastic.co.uk

Who doesn't know Roald Dahl, one of the world's best selling authors???

Born on the 13th September 1916 in Wales to Norwegian parents, Roald Dahl rose to prominence in the 1940s with his works for both adults and children. Indeed, named after the polar explorer Roald Amundsen (a national hero in Norway at that time), Dahl wrote the world famous

Image Credit: telegraph.co.uk

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (do not miss the film!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Danny the Champion of the World

James and the Giant Peach

Matilda (just don't miss this film either!!!!)

to name some of the many great books he had written by the time of his death on 23rd November 1990 at the age of 74.

If you wish to know more on the world's No.1 Storyteller, try wikipedia, visit the official website (ROALD DAHL / ROALD DAHL BIOGRAPHY) or read this news article; for a listing of his books click here.

On their own (as homework or research) learners can answer a simple quiz on the author (MEET ROALD DAHL with questions / answers / scoring as well as the possibility of filling in personal data and having everything printed in the end).
As for teachers, if you are looking for resources, click here:
(ROALD DAHL and then TIPS FOR TEACHERS). Once there you'll see this:

If you browse a bit, you'll have lesson ideas, resources and activities with PDF files we can download and or print. Furthermore, for those interested in READING, there's a competition going on and nice resources and suggestions are presented here including a chart to register one's progress in the Roald Dahl Reading Relay Diary. Ah... there is a certificate and all in the end!
Here you'll also find nice activities ranging from quizzes, multiple choice exercises, matching or bingo to childish arts and crafts to celebrate this day either at home or at school.
Nice readings!!! Enjoy Roald Dahl ;)