This document provides background information and activities related to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and the film adaptation of the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It includes facts about the popularity and sales of the books, details about the film production, and questions to test students' comprehension of the provided information. The activities guide students to discuss the differences between reading the book and watching the film, roleplay a conversation between Rowling and the film director, and write responses comparing their experiences with the book and film versions of Harry Potter or other stories.

1. P e n g u i n d o s s i e r s . c o m F a c t s h e e t s l e v e l
PREINTERMEDIATE
Harry Potter
UBefore reading the Dossier2001
UAfter reading the Dossier2001
Ask your students these questions:
What do you know about Harry Potter?
Would you like to see the film Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone? Why (not)?
Question 1
This question tests the students’ understanding of the
Dossier and the vocabulary used.
After students read the Dossier, ask them to answer
these questions from memory. When they finish, they
check their answers with another student. Finally, they
read the Dossier again to check their answers.
Question 2
This question tests students’ understanding of
numbers and amounts by asking them to read the
numbers in words and convert them to numerals. Tell
the students to fill in the gaps from memory. When they
finish, they can compare answers with another
student. Go over the answers with the whole class.
Question 3
This question tests the students’ comprehension in
more depth. After they decide individually whether the
sentences are True or False, ask them to compare
their answers with another student’s. In pairs, they can
make changes if they agree. Then go over the answers
with the whole class.
Question 4
a)
Tell students to work in pairs. One is the director and
the other is the writer. Tell them they have a lot of
information in the Dossier which will help them to
imagine the first conversation between Rowling and
Columbus. They should write the conversation, with
some questions, answers and opinions. When they
finish, ask the pairs to do their role plays for the class.
b)
1.Working with either the book Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone or the film. 1(i) is for those who have
read the book.(ii) is for those who have seen the film.
2. This is a general section about reading or watching
any story in a book or on film.
When you read a book, the pictures form in your mind.
The mental pictures are different for everyone. In a
film the pictures are there already, decided on by the
director.A film story is usually simpler than in a book.
Is a story better in a film or book? Or is it just different?
Do the students have examples of which books they
liked/didn’t like as films? Perhaps a questionnaire
could be set up.
Ask them to write about one film/story as an example
of the differences between film and book.
Perhaps they might like to suggest a story from a book
they know which could be made into a film.
Answers to activities
Question 1
(a) The book is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone
(b) Rowling got many of the names from old English.
(c) Harry and his friends live in England, but it is a
magic England.
(d) Chris Columbus
(e) Daniel Radcliffe
Question 2
(a) 100,000,000 (b) 46 (c) 16,000 (d) 10
(e) £100,000,000
Question 3:
(a) False. They know the books very, very well!.
(b) True.
(c) False. Rowling helped at every stage of the
making of the film..
(d) True
(e) True
Te a c h e r’s n o t e s
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© Pearson Education Limited 2001
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2. A c t i v i t i e s
P e n g u i n d o s s i e r s . c o m F a c t s h e e t
1 Answer these questions.
(a) What is the name of the most popular book in
the world?
(b) Where did Rowlings get many of the names
and strange words from?
(c) Where do Harry and his friends live?
(d) What is the director’s name?
(e) What is the name of the actor who plays
Harry?
2 Write the numbers in the sentences below.
(a) ___________ copies of the book have sold.
(b) The Harry Potter books are in __________
languages.
(c) __________ boys in Britain and the US
auditioned for the part of Harry Potter.
(d) _____ years ago Rowling was a young teacher
(e) Columbus has spent ___________ pounds on
making the film.
3 True or False?
Change the false sentences and make them true.
(a) Harry’s fans don’t know the books very well.
(b) Rowling has written four Harry Potter books.
(c) Rowling did not help with the film.
(d) Rowling thought that Daniel Radcliffe was
perfect for the part of Harry.
(e) The director uses special effects because he
wants to film unusual things, like strange
animals for Hagrid.
4
a Working with a partner
One of you is Chris Columbus, the other is JK
Rowling. Read the Dossier carefully again.
What do you think they said when they met for
the first time? Write the conversation, then role-
play it for the class.
b Individual work
1.(i) For students who have read the book and not
seen the film, write on one topic about translating
the book into a film; for example, the topic could be:
how do you think the magic will be done? Or,
imagine you have to dress your favourite character.
What do their clothes look like?
(ii) If you have seen the film, think of some
questions about the story, which you may find the
answers to in the book.
(iii) Which stories do you know which are both a
film and a book?
2.(i) Do you like seeing a film after reading the
book? Why (not?)
(ii) Do you like reading a story in a book after you
have seen the film?
(iii) Choose a story and film and write about them.
Harry Potter
Visit our websites: penguinreaders.com / penguinenglish.com/ penguin.co.uk / longman-elt.com
© Pearson Education Limited 2001
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