Ethos Education

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical: Finding Quiet

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Assembly Objective:

How can we learn to quieten our busy thoughts and worries? This assembly explores the theme of quiet reflection and prayer from a biblical perspective, helping children to build resilience and confidence.

Film:

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (Sony, 2022) certificate PG, click here to buy the DVD online.

Bible:

Psalm 46:10-11; Philippians 4:6-7 (International Children’s Bible)

Supporting Values Education:

The value of Individual Liberty enshrines the right of every citizen to enjoy freedom of thought and feeling. The value of Respect means that every individual should treat others with dignity.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Listening Challenge: (quiz)

Play a series of sound effects and invite pupils to guess what they are hearing. Either record your own effects on your phone, or use a video like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1m4h79JZso.

FILM CLIP:

  • From Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (Sony, 2022) certificate PG.
    • Start time: 01:12:24 (Miss Trunchball turns and then advances towards Matilda telling her she is not fit to be in the school, and that she is evil.)
    • End time: 01:16:57 (Miss Honey says, ‘Right, everyone, back to class, and please, please keep your heads down for the rest of the day’.)
    • Clip length: 4 minutes, 33 seconds.

If you cannot play this clip from the DVD, instead say: ‘Matilda Wormwood loves to learn, but the headteacher of her school – Miss Trunchball – hates all children, and in particular detests Matilda. After a gruelling PE class in the rain, where a pet newt has been discovered by Miss Trunchball in a cup of water, Matilda calls the headteacher a bully, causing her to turn on her. As Miss Trunchball shouts at her, Matilda begins to sing. In the song, Matilda dreams of being in a place that is quiet, away from all the voices of the adults who shout. We see her lying on a hammock in a hot air balloon, sailing far above the scene below. Eventually she returns to her place in the field where Miss Trunchball is still shouting in her face. Using her mind, she causes a cup to fly through the air and hit Miss Trunchball on the back of the head. Miss Trunchball then jumps up and down, screaming that the newt is in her knickers. She runs off in hysterics, and Miss Honey tells the children to return to class.’

TALK

Scripted Talk

Download the Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical PowerPoint for use with this talk.

  • [PowerPoint slide 1]
    • Welcome to our assembly, everyone. Are you feeling glad to be here today? What are you looking forward to at school today? [Take answers from the room]. In our assembly we are going to meet some children who really did not enjoy life in their school. They are pupils at a school run by a horrible bully of a headteacher called Miss Trunchball.
  • [PowerPoint slide 2]
    • Miss Trunchball is obviously nothing like our headteacher, and I hope that none of you feel the way that her pupils feel! Does anyone know the name of the book that Miss Trunchall appears in? The name of the book is also the name of the main character, a girl who stands up to the bully [take answers].
  • [PowerPoint slide 3]
    • [That’s right]. The girl’s name is Matilda. And we’re going to watch a clip from the musical version of the book.
  • [PowerPoint slide 4]
    • Before we watch the film I’d like to test your hearing. I’m going to play some sound effects, and after each one you are going to guess what you heard. Are you ready? Everyone will need to be very quiet so we can all hear the sounds.
    • [Play the sounds effect video or your recorded sounds. Make sure you leave time for pupils to guess what they are hearing].
    • It seems that your listening skills are very good. Well done, everyone! All of the sounds you heard were familiar to you. We live in a noisy world, and sometimes being in a noisy place can feel overwhelming. Sometimes we need to find somewhere quiet for a while.
  • [PowerPoint slide 5]
    • Matilda Wormwood loves learning. She has grown up in a house where there are no books, and where her parents don’t understand her. She has recently started school at Crunchem Hall, a school run by Miss Trunchball, a cruel headteacher who doesn’t like children.
  • [PowerPoint slide 6]
    • Miss Trunchball particularly hates Matilda. One afternoon Miss Trunchball takes Matilda’s class out into a muddy field and makes them tackle an assault course. She then tries to take a drink of water from a cup.
  • [PowerPoint slide 7]
    • In the cup is a newt – a pet lizard – owned by Lavender, one of Matilda’s friends.
  • [PowerPoint slide 8]
    • When Miss Trunchball spots the newt she blames a small, frightened pupil, and lifts him off the ground by his ears.
  • [PowerPoint slide 9]
    • Matilda grows more and more angry and eventually calls Miss Trunchball a stupid, cruel bully. Let’s find out what happens next.
    • Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (Sony, 2022) certificate PG.
    • Start time: 01:12:24 (Miss Trunchball turns and then advances towards Matilda telling her she is not fit to be in the school, and that she is evil.)
    • End time: 01:16:57 (Miss Honey says, ‘Right, everyone, back to class, and please, please keep your heads down for the rest of the day’.)
    • Clip length: 4 minutes, 33 seconds.

If you cannot play this clip from the DVD, instead say: When Matilda calls Miss Trunchbull a bully, she turns on her, and begins to shout loudly in her face. As Miss Trunchball shouts, Matilda begins to sing. In the song, Matilda dreams of being in a place that is quiet, away from all the voices of the adults who shout at her. We see her lying on a hammock in a hot air balloon, sailing far above the scene below. Eventually she returns to her place in the field where Miss Trunchball is still shouting in her face. Using her mind, she causes a cup to fly through the air and hit Miss Trunchball on the head. Miss Trunchball then jumps up and down, screaming that the newt is in her knickers. She runs off in hysterics, and Miss Honey tells the children to return to class.’

  • [PowerPoint slide 10]
    • Poor Miss Trunchball. She really was not a very happy person, but that didn’t mean that she had the right to take her unhappiness out on children like Matilda and her friends. Can we think of some words that describe how Matilda felt in the clip that we watched? [Take suggestions – angry, scared, frightened, nervous, tired, indignant, fed up].
  • [PowerPoint slide 11]
    • Miss Trunchball was a bully, but there were other adults in Matilda’s life who caused her to feel angry and sad. Her parents often shouted at her and didn’t understand the fact that she loved to read books and learn. What about other noisy things – any ideas? [Take suggestions – other children, her busy thoughts].
  • [PowerPoint slide 12]
    • Matilda wanted quiet because her life was full of noise. It was hard for her to find places where she could be still. I wonder if any of us feel like that. Some people are quieter than others. Some people are very noisy. All people need times of quiet as well as times of noise. When we’re quiet we have space to think, space to read, space to rest, space to be still.
  • [PowerPoint slide 13]
    • Matilda also wanted to be quiet because the noisy voices around her made her feel afraid and angry. She wanted quiet because she wanted to find peace. In the Bible, peace is mentioned a lot. Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace, and Christians believe that God gives peace to those who need it.
    • In the Bible there is a poem that says God can be found when we are quiet and still. The poem is called a psalm and it was written many years ago to remind people what God is like.  Let’s read some of the psalm to find out what it says.
  • [PowerPoint slide 14]
    • Read Psalm 46:10-11

God says, “Be still and know that I am God.
I will be praised in all the nations.
I will be praised throughout the earth.”
The Lord of heaven’s armies is with us.
The God of Jacob is our protection.

  • [PowerPoint slide 15]
    • For thousands of years the words in this psalm have helped people to remember that God is with them when they feel afraid or angry. They remind people that God is the Prince of Peace in the middle of wars and anger. The verse that is especially important is the one that says, ‘Be still and know that I am God’. Christians who face difficulties still use this psalm to remind them that when they are quiet and listen for God’s voice they can feel more peaceful and they can remember that he is with them.
  • [PowerPoint slide 16]
    • Christians have a special word for the time they spend being quiet with God – prayer. Prayer is sometimes about asking God for help or thanking him, but prayer is also being with God in a quiet space, a bit like Matilda on the hammock, far away from the noise, finding peace, even when life feels far from peaceful.
    • We’re going to finish our assembly by spending a moment being quiet together. There are words on the screen that are from a different part of the Bible. As we sit quietly I’m going to read the words out to you. You might want to close your eyes, take some deep breaths and listen to them.
  • [PowerPoint slide 17]
    • Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks. And God’s peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The peace that God gives is so great that we cannot understand it. (Philippians 4:6-7)
    • Our school is noisy at times, but let’s try to remember to give each other space to be quiet when we feel sad or angry. And let’s live peacefully.

Headings and bullets

Download the Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical PowerPoint for use with this talk.

  • [PowerPoint slide 1]
    • Welcome.
    • Are you feeling glad to be here today?
    • Pupils at a school run by a horrible bully of a headteacher called Miss Trunchball.
  • [PowerPoint slide 2]
    • Miss Trunchball.
    • Guess the title of the book and film.
  • [PowerPoint slide 3]
    • [That’s right]. The girl’s name is Matilda. And we’re going to watch a clip from the musical version of the book.
  • [PowerPoint slide 4]
    • Listening Test.
    • Play the sounds effect video or your recorded sounds.
  • [PowerPoint slide 5]
    • Matilda Wormwood loves learning.
    • House with no books.
    • Misunderstood.
  • [PowerPoint slide 6]
    • Miss Trunchball hates Matilda.
    • PE lesson in a muddy field.
  • [PowerPoint slide 7]
    • Newt in the cup.
  • [PowerPoint slide 8]
    • Miss Trunchball blames a small, frightened pupil.
  • [PowerPoint slide 9]
    • Matilda is angry.
    • What happens next.
    • Play the clip.
  • [PowerPoint slide 10]
    • Words to describe Matilda and her friends – angry, scared, indignant, fed up.
  • [PowerPoint slide 11]
    • Noises – Miss Trunchball, parents, thoughts.
  • [PowerPoint slide 12]
    • Matilda wanted quiet.
    • All people need times of quiet as well as times of noise.
    • When we’re quiet we have space to think, read, rest, be still.
  • [PowerPoint slide 13]
    • Matilda wanted to find peace.
    • Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace.
    • Christians believe God gives peace to those who need it.
    • Introduce psalm.
  • [PowerPoint slide 14]
    • Read Psalm 46:10-11.
  • [PowerPoint slide 15]
    • Be still and know that I am God.
    • Reminder that God is with people.
  • [PowerPoint slide 16]
    • Prayer.
    • Being with God in a quiet space.
    • A way of finding peace.

Reflection

Photo Copyright for Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Assembly PowerPoint: Slide 1 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 2 Dan Smith/Netflix inc 2022/ Slide 3 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 4 Pixabay.com / Slide 5 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 6 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 7 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 8 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 9 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 10 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 11 Matilda’s parents Sony Pictures UK Matilda Sony Pictures UK / Slide 12 and 16 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 13 Sony Pictures UK / Slide 14 Pixabay.com / Slide 15 Pixabay.com / Slide 17 Pixabay.com 

RESPOND

Reflection

There are words on the screen from the Bible. You might want to close your eyes and take some deep breaths as you listen to the words being read out.

  • [PowerPoint slide 17]
    • Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks. And God’s peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The peace that God gives is so great that we cannot understand it. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Prayer

  • Dear God, we thank you for moments of peace and quiet in our noisy world. Please help us to find peace when we feel unhappy or angry. Help us to remember that you are the Prince of Peace. In Your name we pray. Amen.

YOU WILL NEED:

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