RA2007-TP412

The Magic Finger

Level: P.4-6

Book: Author: Illustrator: Publisher: Date of Issue: Language: ISBN Synopsis:

The Magic Finger Roald Dahl Quentin Blake PUFFIN 2001 (This Edition) English 0141311290
When the girl in this story gets really angry, she zaps people with her magic finger, with alarming results.

Suggested teaching theme: Suggested teaching time:

Anger Management 90mins (during the reading session)

RA2007-TP412 07-08

A. Reading the Story (Home Task)

Learning and Teaching Objectives 1. To read the story independently 1. Ask children to read the story at home. Children can read the text softly (emergent or developing readers) or silently (fluent readers) to themselves. 1. To motivate children to read the book. 2. To promote creativity. 3. To draw childrens attention on details of the story. e. 2. I am an illustrator! (App.1) ~Ask children draw an end illustration for the book. ~its better to provide guided questions: a. c. Did the girl put her magic finger on the Coopers? What was the Coopers ending like? Like the Greggs or Mrs Winters? d. Was it a happy ending or a sad ending? b. What happened to the Coopers? * Not to focus on the skills of drawing and painting. App.1 The book Activity / Task Remarks Materials

B. Revisiting the Story (During the reading session)

Learning and Teaching Objectives 1. 2. To draw childrens attention To improve comprehension and sense of story. 3. To locate the specific information 1. Warm Up Game: (10 mins) ~Put 10 word cards into a bag. (App.2) ~Invite some children to draw cards from the bag. ~Each child has to say 1 sentence about the story using the word. ~e.g.: magic finger The girl had a magic finger. The girl put the magic finger on her teacher. The girl used her magic finger when she was angry. (accept any reasonable sentences) Before the reading session, its better to list out all the possible sentences that the children may say. The words should be related to the story. App.2 Activity / Task Remarks Materials

P 2/11

RA2007-TP412 07-08 Learning and Teaching Objectives 1. 2. To organize information. To enhance oral proficiency. 1. 2. 3. To promote critical thinking To promote co-operation skills To present the information and ideas. 3. Discussion (20 mins) ~Divide children into few groups of 4. ~Discussion topic: At the end, the girl wanted to put her magic finger on Coopers. What do you think? Do you agree with what she wanted to do? ~Distribute each group a sheet of App.3. ~Ask children to discuss with their group members and give reasons. ~Invite children to do the presentation. Agree: 1. Hunting is wrong. 2. Animals might be saved. 3. The Coopers might stop hunting. 4. Disagree: 1. The Cooper might not be right again. when she was angry. 3. She has no rights to decide what is right or wrong. 4. 2. The girl would do this every time App.3 Invite children to take turns and retell the main ideas of the story. (10 mins) Demonstrate retells may be needed. Activity / Task Remarks Materials

1. 2. 3.

To present the information and ideas. To build up a positive attitude as a listener. To enhance oral proficiency.

4. Sharing of the picture of I am an illustrator! (15mins) ~Invite children to describe their picture.

Not to focus on the skills of drawing and painting.

P 3/11

RA2007-TP412 07-08 Learning and Teaching Objectives 1. To work out the meaning of unknown words by context. 2. To understand and make use of the simple expression see red 3. To read with right intonation and good expressions. 4. 5. To locate the specific information To apply the text to their own lives and experience. c. 5. Oh! I see red! (15 mins) ~Invite some children to read aloud the selected text from the book. a. pg. 4, From The boys laughed and made faces at me to I PUT THE MAGIC FINGER ON THEM ALL! b. Pg. 5, From You are a stupid girl! to I put the magic finger on Mrs Winter. Pg. 8, From The Magic Finger is something I have been able to do all my life. to Then the tip of the forefinger of my right hand begins to tingle most terribly d. Pg. 56-57, From Someones shooting! to Suddenly I started to see red ~Ask them to find out the phrase that repeated on those pages. (see red / saw red) ~Ask children to guess the meaning of see red by context. ~What did the girl do when she got red with someone? (She put her magic finger on the people whom she got angry with.) ~Encourage children to share their experience of seeing red. (What made you see red?) (What did you do then?) (What happened? Did the problem solved?) ~Sometimes we do something very wrong when we see red. A very bad result might be caused. So, its important to learn to deal with our angry emotions. Teacher can share his / her own experience first if the children have less confidence. Its no necessary to blame what children did when they were angry. It would discourage them. But its better to make a short conclusion. See Red -to become very angry
(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

Activity / Task

Remarks Teacher can read the first part to demonstrate how to read with good expressions. Read with the children if he / she have less confident.

Materials The Book

P 4/11

RA2007-TP412 07-08

C. Follow-up Activity
Learning and Teaching Objectives 1. 2. To build up a positive attitude To promote co-operation skills. 1. Magic Finger (Anger Management) (20mins) Remind children a good way to deal with angry emotion is not to hurt others. App.4 ~The girl in the story used her magic finger to deal with someone or something that made her angry. We all have magic fingers. What can we do with our magic fingers to deal with our angry emotion? ~Ask children to think some effective ways to deal with angry emotion ~ask children to write down on App.4. ~invite some children to share. ~collect childrens work and paste on a big colour drawing paper. ~Put the title Control Anger Before It Controls You on the poster. ~Encourage children to give more ideas that can be put on the poster so as to promote anger management. ~Invite children to decorate the poster. Other suggested follow-up activities: 1. Design an Anti-Hunting Poster. Other Books Written by Roald Dahl: Teacher / children can rename the title of the poster. Activity / Task Remarks Materials

1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2. The Witches 3. Matilda

2. Write a meaningful ending. 3. Drama

Resources: 1. 2. Know more about Roald Dahl Anger Management From Hong Kong Baptist University 3. http://www.roalddahl.com/ http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/sa/cdc/developmentnet/articles/0207ac.htm Office of Student Affairs Counselling and Development Centre

Controlling Anger Before It Controls You http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/anger.html From American Psychological Assosiation

P 5/11

RA2007-TP412 07-08 Appendix 1

What was the story going on? Please draw a picture as the end illustration.
May these questions help you?
Did the girl put her magic finger on the Coopers? What happened to the Coopers? What was the Coopers ending like? Like the Greggs or Mrs Winters? Was it a happy ending or a sad ending?

Do you want to write something to describe your picture? Just do it!

P 6/11

RA2007-TP412 07-08 Appendix 2.1

Magic Finger

Mrs Winter

nest
Appendix 2.2

hunting

P 7/11

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guns

ducks

hammer
Appendix 2.3

cat

P 8/11

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angry

Mr Egg

P 9/11

RA2007-TP412 07-08 Appendix 3

The girl wanted to put her magic finger on the Coopers.

What do you think? Do you agree with her? Discuss with your friends and write some reasons that support you.

Reason 2

Agree / Disagree

Reason 4 Reason 1 Reason 3

P 10/11

RA2007-TP412 07-08 Appendix 4

To deall wiith anger? To dea w th anger?

I have a magic finger! I have a magic finger!

To deall wiith anger? To dea w th anger?

I have a magic finger! I have a magic finger!

To deall wiith anger? To dea w th anger?

I have a magic finger! I have a magic finger!

To deall wiith anger? To dea w th anger?

I have a magic finger! I have a magic finger!

P 11/11