FANTASTIC MR. FOX Roald Dahl
Introduction: The book that we will begin reading today is a fantasy/adventure book. What can you tell me about fantasy books? About adventure books? This book is about one clever and fantastic fox and three of meanest farmers you will ever meet – Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. One farmer is very fat, one is very thin, and one is very short. These mean guys are determined to put an end to Mr. Fox who steals their farm goods every night. But, Mr. Fox has other plans… As we read this book, we will be completing worksheets and writing responses to questions that are asked. To keep this work orderly, we are going to create a folder. Today, please write the title and author of the book and your name on the cover.
Chapter 1: “The Three Farmers” In the first chapter you will be introduced to the main characters that include Mr. and Mrs. Fox and their four Small Foxes. You will also meet the farmers. After reading the chapter, you will complete the worksheet on Characters. Find a simile on p. 13. On p. 14 there is a song that children used to sing when they saw the three farmers. Make up a tune for the song and sing it to the class. Chapter 2: “Mr. Fox” Read to find out how Mr. Fox outsmarted the farmers night after night. What is the meaning of the word blighter on p. 18? Chapter 3 & 4: “The Shooting” “The Terrible Shovels” Read chapter 3 to find out who is shot. Read chapter 4 to find out what Mr. Fox’s plan is. Poor Mr. Fox has lost his tail, and not the family is in some trouble trapped down in the hole! Mr. Fox came up with a good plan. Do you think that this plan will work? Why or why not? What are some other things Mr. Fox and his family could have done? What is the meaning of goons on p. 21? cocky on p. 21? pricked on p. 23? murky p. 23? glint on p. 23? glum on p. 25? Can you find a simile on p. 21? On p. 23? At the end of Chapt. 4, Mrs. Fox says to the Small Foxes, “Your father is a fantastic fox.” Do you agree or disagree with this? Write your response on paper in your folder. Read the title of Chapt. 5. Predict what you think will happen in this chapter and write it on paper in your folder.
Chapter 5: “The Terrible Tractors” In Chapters 5, 6, and 7, life just never slows down for the Fox family. The farmers are very determined to get Mr. Fox. Have you ever been determined to do something? How did it feel? Read Chapter 5 to find out why Bean is deaf. Also read to find out what Bean’s idea is to solve the problem of digging the foxes out of their hole. Can you find a metaphor on p. 34? Can you find an example of personification on p. 34?
Chapter 6: “The Race” Read to find out between what two groups the race was begun. Can you find a simile on p. 39? Use a dictionary to find the meaning of dervish on p. 39 and obstinate on p. 40. Write the definitions on paper in your folder.
Chapter 7: “We’ll Never Let Him Go” What plan do the three farmers have for catching and killing the Fox family? On index cards, write the following: Character name, character trait. Do this for at least 5 characters. (Boggis, Bunce, Bean, Mr. Fox, Mrs. Fox, Small Fox) These cards will be used for playing the game Concentration.
Chapter 8: “The Foxes Begin to Starve” Chapter 9: “Mr. Fox Has a Plan” Things look very grim for the Fox family in these chapters. The family has not had any food for three days and nights. But, Mr. Fox never gives up. Think about a situation in which you’ve felt that you didn’t stand a chance. What was it like? Why did you decide to give up or stick with it? After reading the chapters, write a letter to Mr. Fox and his family telling them what you think they should do to survive.
Chapter 10: “Boggis’s Chicken House Number One” – Chapter 14: “Badger has Doubts”
Mr. Fox has made his way to two of the storehouses so far. On one expedition he bumps into Badger. Badger has doubts about what Mr. Fox is doing. Badger calls it stealing, but Mr. Fox responds to him, “…do you know anyone in the whole world who wouldn’t swipe a few chickens if his children were starving to death?”
How would you have responded to Mr. Fox? Do you think what he’s doing is right or wrong? Why?
On your notes sheet, write your thoughts. Give an example of a situation (like this one) where you might do the wrong thing for the right reasons or the right thing for the wrong reasons.
Complete the crossword puzzle sheet.
Chapter 15: “Bean’s Secret Cider Cellar” and Chapter 16: “The Woman”
Badger, Mr. Fox, and Small Fox ran into Rat in Bean’s secret cider cellar. What do you think of Rat? Why?
How did you feel when the woman almost pulled the jug out from where the characters were hiding?
Have you almost been caught for doing something you shouldn’t have been doing?
In your journal, write a new ending to Chapter 16 where the woman does pull the jug down and sees the characters.
Chapter 17: “The Great Feast” and Chapter 18: “Still Waiting” In celebration of outsmarting the farmers, Mrs. Fox prepared a wonderful feast for her family and all of the underground animals. Mr. Fox announced at the feast that he plans to build an underground village so the families would never have to leave their homes in search of food.
What would that be like to never have to leave your home. Would that be a good thing or a bad thing?
Reread the description of the proposed village on p. 88. Draw an underground map of what this village would look like. (Use copy paper.)