THE BFG

STAGE 3 INTEGRATED IMAGINATIVE TEXTS ENGLISH UNIT

Unit duration: 7 weeks




Outcomes
En3-2A composes, edits and presents well
structured and coherent texts
En3-3A
uses an integrated range of skills,
strategies
and knowledge to read, view and

comprehend
a wide range of texts in different

media and technologies
En3-4A
draws on an appropriate range of
strategies
to accurately spell familiar and

unfamiliar
words when composing texts

En3-5B discusses how language is used to achieve

a widening range of audiences and context
uses knowledge of sentence structure,
En3-6B

grammar,
punctuation and vocabulary to respond
compose clear and cohesive texts in
to and

different
media and technologies

En3-7c thinks imaginatively, creatively,

interpretively
and critically about information and
ideas and identifies connections between texts
when responding to and composing texts

UNIT DESCRIPTION

This purpose of this novel study is to provide stage 3

students with the opportunity to engage in a study of
imaginative texts through the novel the bfg by roald
dahl. Students will participate in reading, writing,
grammar and spelling activities related to this novel.

Stage three integrated imaginative texts unit - The bfg

Week 4
VCOP/
Spelling

Vocabulary
hesitated, longed, peering, cavern,
desolate, craggy

Connectives
TBA based on connectives within the
text

Chapter 1- The Witching Hour & Chapter 2 The Who?

Reading &
Comprehension

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:

Openers
Punctuation
Sophie couldnt sleep. A
Write it Right edit the BFGs sentences
brilliant moonbeam was
Redunculous and umpossiple. They is
slanting through a gap in the
going two times as fast as me and they is
curtains.
finished their guzzle before we is halfway.
Chapter 3 - The Snatch & Chapter 4 The Cave
Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following
comprehension questions:

1. What is the witching hour?

1. What does Sophie think that the Giant is going to do with her?
2. Describe what Sophie sees when she looks out of the window?
2. Describe where the Giant brings Sophie.
3. What do you think the giant blows into the Goochey childrens
3. What do you predict will happen to Sophie next?
room?
4. Why do you think things often seem more frightening in the middle of
the night?
5. Think of at least one advantage and one disadvantage to living in
an orphanage?
Quick Write Have you ever been awake in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep? What did you do? What is it like?
Quick Write Describe the scariest moment youve ever experienced?
Imagine that you are Sophie and that you have been kidnapped by the giant. What would your reaction be? Describe your emotions and what you
might do.

Figurative Langauge imagery, personification & simile

Writing

In these chapters, Roald Dahl uses many similes to convey a spooky feeling. Identify some similes from the first two chapters. Come up with three
similes of your own.
Openers
Discuss the purpose and features of an orientation in narrative writing (hook the reader, introduce).
Watch the opening paragraphs section in the PowerPoint.
Discuss sizzling starts (7 Steps to writing).
Students can select an opening line from a given list (all well-known stories) and must continue the orientation part of the story. At the conclusion of
the lesson, students work with a partner to read each others work and checklist various aspects of the orientation. Students reflect and discuss what
could be improved for future development.

Stage 3 2016

Castle Cove Public School

Stage three integrated imaginative texts unit - The bfg

Week 5
VCOP/
Spelling

Vocabulary
cross, hullaballoo, colossal, forlorn,
transfigured, contempuously

Connectives
TBA based on connectives within the
text

Chapter 5- The BFG & Chapter 6 The Giants

Reading &
Comprehension

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:
1. Summarise Sophies and the BFGs first conversation.
2. Why does the BFG claim that Sophie must live with him forever?
3. What are some differences between the BFG and the other giants?

Openers
TBA based on
openers within the
text

Punctuation
Write it Right edit the BFGs sentences
If I wasnt a titchy little runty giant only twenty-four
feet high then I would be stopping them

Chapter 7 - The Marvelous Ears & Chapter 8 Snozzcumbers

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following
comprehension questions:
1. What surprising information does the BFG tell Sophie about dreams?
2. Describe the BFGs remarkable abiity?
3. In these chapters the BFG becomes sad several times. Why? Explain?

Define compassion: What do you think would be the benefits of feeling

compassion for someone who is different or perhaps not as fortunate as
yourself.
Quick Write Have you ever tried to communicate with someone that spoke a different language than you. Write about how you felt about the
experience.
Quick Write Do you believe in anything that you cant see with your eyes? What is it? If you cant see it, how do you know its true?

Writing

Setting
Examine the setting in a variety of well-known stories, e.g. Harry Potter. Discuss how the setting affects the overall storyline and action in the story.
Discuss the settings in the BFG. Is there a single setting or multiple settings?
Display pictures of landscapes and have students write a setting description.
Explain to the class that they will be learning about features of imaginative texts this term, with the aim to create their own short story.

Stage 3 2016

Castle Cove Public School

Stage three integrated imaginative texts unit - The bfg

Week 6
VCOP/
Spelling

Vocabulary
ghastly, ecstacy, reverberated,
menace, dazed, anguish

Connectives
TBA based on connectives within the
text

Chapter 9- The Bloodbottler & Chapter 10 Frobscottle and Wizzpoppers

Reading &
Comprehension

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:
1. Choose two words to describe the Bloodbottler. Justify your choice of
words.
2. Summarise how Sophie nearly gets eaten by the Bloodbottler.
3. What are the differences between regular soft drink and Frobscottle?

Openers
TBA based on openers within the text

Punctuation
Write it Right edit the BFGs
sentences
Fleshlumpeater says he is never
eating a Queen and he thinks
perhaps she has a
scrumdiddlyumptious flavor.
Chapter 11 Journey to Dream Country & Chapter 12 Dream Catching

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:
1. Summarise what happens as soon as Sophie and the BFG exit his
cave?
2. How does the BFG catch dreams?
3. On the way to Dream Country, through a conversation with the
BFG, what does Sophie realise about humans.

Quick Write Have you ever been bullied, or has someone ever said unkind words to you? Write about your experience.
Quick Write Describe the best dream youve ever had.

Writing

Characterisation What makes a good character

Discuss the three elements of characterization:
- physical appearance - what does the character look like?
- actions, speech and behavior what does the character do? How does the character behave?
- interactions with others how other characters in the story react to this character.
Discuss the difference between protagonist and antagonist. What was it about the character that made him/her so memorable?
Jointly construct a character wheel about a well known character in The BFG.
Characterisation Create your own character/s
Students begin considering the characters needed in their own story.
Students create their own character and write a mini-bio about that character. Encourage students to give plenty of detail and to use strong
adjectives.

Stage 3 2016

Castle Cove Public School

Stage three integrated imaginative texts unit - The bfg

Week 7
VCOP/Spelling

Vocabulary
mystical, gravely, solemnly, aghast,
famished, thrashing

Connectives
TBA based on connectives within the
text

Chapter 13- A Trogglehumper for the Fleshlumpeater & Chapter 14 Dreams

Reading &
Comprehension

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:
1. Why do all the bad giants get in an enormous fight?
2. How did the BFG learn to read and write?
3. Where do the other giants say they are going at the end of this
chapter?

Openers
TBA based on openers within the text

Punctuation
Write it Right edit the BFGs
sentences
Now hang on a mintick. How is I
possibly going to get near enough
to the Queen of Englands
bedroom to blow in my dream.
You is talking dumbsilly.
Chapter 15 The Great Plan & Chapter 16 Mixing the dream

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:
1. Summarise the great plan that Sophie and the BFG come up with.
2. How does the BFG create a nightmare for the Queen?
3. What do you predict will happen next?

Quick Write Describe the worst nightmare youve ever had?

Quick Write Have you ever helped or wanted to help someone you dont know very well? Write about it.

Lesson on Idioms keep your skirt on, hold your horsefeathers

Writing

Plot
Discuss the plot in the BFG
Use a range of well known texts/short movies to create a plot anchor chart, discussing terms such as anticlimax and cliffhanger.
Discuss the concept of resolutions in stories. We have already read about a number of important conflicts in this novel. Conflict is an important
element. There are generally three types of conflict: person against person, person against self and person against nature. Find three examples of
conflict in the BFG and note which type of conflict each is.
Students create a storyboard for their story, using a plot anchor chart to determine complication and resolution.

Stage 3 2016

Castle Cove Public School

Stage three integrated imaginative texts unit - The bfg

Week 8
VCOP/Spelling

Vocabulary
determined, speechless, swivel,
absurd, distressed, vivid

Connectives
TBA based on connectives within the
text

Chapter 17- Journey to London & Chapter 18 The Palace

Reading &
Comprehension

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:
1. What do the BFG and Sophie see on their way to England?
2. Describe the setting of the Queens palace?
3. If you were Sophie, how would you feel in this situation, knowing you
were about to speak to the Queen?

Openers
TBA based on openers within the text

Punctuation
Write it Right edit the BFGs
sentences
I is beginning to see where you is
driving to. If the Queen is knowing
that part of her dream is true, then
perhaps she is believing the rest of
it is true as well.
Chapter 19 The Queen & Chapter 20 The Royal Breakfast

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:
1. Describe the Queens reaction to seeing Sophie in her window.
2. What sort of arrangements does Mr. Tibbs make to accommodate
the BFG?
3. How does the Queen confirm that the BFG and Sophie are telling
the truth?

Quick Write Which famous person would you like to meet? Why?
Quick Write Has anyone ever told you a story that you found hard to believe? What was it? Did you end up believing him/her?
As the novel nears its exciting conclusion think about how you would like it to end. Now write a paragraph describing what you think would be the
perfect ending (climax) to The BFG. Remember to include what happens to both Sophie and the BFG.
Point of view writing in 1st, 2nd, 3rd person
Discuss point of view in writing and have students analyse a variety of texts, identifying the perspective they are written from. Discuss why authors
might choose to write in a particular perspective.
Imagine that you are the Bloodbottler and you have just experienced the events Chapter 9. Write in the first person and describe what happened
from your point of view.

Writing

Stage 3 2016

Castle Cove Public School

Stage three integrated imaginative texts unit - The bfg

Week 9 & 10
VCOP/Spelling

Vocabulary
lunatic, modest, spectacle

Connectives
TBA based on connectives within the
text

Openers
TBA based on openers within the text

Reading &
Comprehension

Chapter 21- The Plan & Chapter 22 Capture!

Punctuation
Write it Right edit the BFGs
sentences
You is talking to loud! You is
forgetting that I is hearing every
little thingalingaling fifty times
louder than usual and there you is
shouting away right inside my ear!

Chapter 23 Feeding Time & Chapter 24 The Author

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:

Text read independently and as a whole class. Discuss the following

comprehension questions:

TBA

TBA

Quick Write Which famous person would you like to meet? Why?

Writing

Quick Write Has anyone ever told you a story that you found hard to believe? What was it? Did you end up believing him/her?
Students are given the opportunity to work independently and with the teacher to create their own short stories using the characters, setting and plot
developed throughout the term. Students draft, edit and publish their stories.

Stage 3 2016

Castle Cove Public School