Roald Dahl's 100th Birthday

The 13th of September 2016 would have been Roald Dahl's 100th birthday.
Dahl’s books are full of songs and poetry. He even wrote three books of only poems. The poem in the video is from the collection Dirty Beasts.

Before you watch the video

1. Make a list of the books by Roald Dahl you know. The titles can be in English or Dutch.
2. If you only know the Dutch title, find out what the original English title is as well. Write it down next to the Dutch title.
3. Compare your list with those of your classmates.

Tip: Even if you’ve never read one of Roald Dahl’s books, you’ll probably have seen one or more movies based on his books.

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. Piggy was a "wonderfully clever pig".
   Name three or more clever things Piggy the Pig could do.


2. "One question drove him round the bend..."
   This means there was one question Piggy just couldn’t find an answer to.
   Which question was that?


3. Eventually Piggy does figure out the answer. What was the answer?


4. What does Piggy the Pig do in the end?

Can’t get enough of Roald Dahl?
Extra reading assignment
1. Read the complete poem here.
2. Discuss the meaning of words and lines you don’t understand with a classmate or with the entire class.

Extra speaking assignment
1. Form a groups of five or six students.
2. Divide The Pig poem in five or six chunks (depending on the number of people in your group).
3. Each student is assigned one chunk.
4. Learn your lines by heart.
5. Recite the complete Pig poem with your group.

Extra listening assignment
1. Check out this earlier Dahl listening assignment.