The Witches — Roald Dahl • Ages 8+

The Witches — Teaching Resources

SummaryCharactersThemesVocabularyReading GuideTeaching Resource

Free teaching resource for The Witches by Roald Dahl. Printable using Ctrl+P.

Classroom Activities

How to Spot a Witch

Pupils create an illustrated 'Witch Identification Guide' using details from the book. They should include all the signs Grandmother describes, set out as a factual guide. Encourage precise, specific language.

Grandmother's Speech — Analysis (KS3)

Read the speech where Grandmother explains that the boy's life as a mouse will be short but wonderful. Pupils identify: the argument she makes, the language she uses, how it makes the reader feel, and what it reveals about her character.

Mouse-Eye View

Ask pupils to rewrite one scene from the novel from the mouse's point of view — focusing on what seems different, bigger or more frightening when you are mouse-sized.

Assessment Questions

KS2 Retrieval

  1. What is Formula 86?
  2. What are the four signs that reveal a real witch?
  3. How does the boy turn the witches into mice?
  4. What happens to Bruno Jenkins at the end?

KS3 Analysis

  1. How does Dahl build tension during the scene where the boy hides behind the screen?
  2. Explore how the relationship between the boy and his grandmother develops across the novel.

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📖 Summary👤 Characters🌟 Themes📚 Vocabulary📖 Reading Guide📋 Teaching Resource