The Wizard of Oz

By L. Frank Baum

Name:

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 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 1 - 2

Before you read the chapter:

The protagonist in most novels features the main character or “good guy”. The
protagonist of The Wizard of Oz is Dorothy, a feisty young girl who experiences many
exciting adventures as the story unfolds. Think back on some of your favorite characters
from past novels you have read or movies you’ve seen. What do you think makes for an
especially interesting protagonist?

Vocabulary:
Choose a word from the list to complete each sentence.

garret gaunt solemn resolved dismal

luscious hesitation evident bondage greensward

1. Despite the draught, there were lovely patches of ____________ all over the
estate.

2. After not eating for a week my uncle began to look very ____________.

3. Jerome baked a ____________ apple pie for dessert.

4. There was only one window in the tiny ____________, and it was covered over
with plywood.

5. I’m sorry to say that my mark in math was quite ____________.

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6. Without a moment’s ____________, the old pirate drew his sword and waved it in
front of our faces.

7. A funeral is usually a most ____________ occasion.

8. “I am ____________ never to enter a candy store again,” my sister announced.

9. The village was kept in ____________ by King Kong for several long years.

10. It was quite ____________ that no one thought Miss McGregor was a good
teacher.

Questions

1. What is the setting of Chapter One and Chapter Two?

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Good to Know
What is the difference between a cyclone (mentioned in Chapter
One), a hurricane, tornado and typhoon? A cyclone is any rotating
low pressure system (rotating counter-clockwise in the northern
hemisphere). Hurricanes, tornadoes and typhoons are the same
but get their names from where they exist. For example, the tropical
cyclone is called a hurricane over the Atlantic basin and eastern
Pacific Ocean, while in the western Pacific is called a typhoon.

2. What effect did farming on the Kansas prairie have on Aunt Em and Uncle Henry?

3. Do you think Aunt Em acted responsibly when the cyclone was approaching the
farm? Why or why not?

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4. What happened that made Dorothy not get to the cellar before the cyclone struck
the house?

5. The house was carried by the cyclone for:

a) several days b) 15-20 minutes c) several hours d) one hour

6. Dorothy ended up in the Land of the ______________, where her house landed on
the Wicked Witch of the ___________.

7. Dorothy was told that the Land of Oz was cut off from the rest of the world. What
was it that cut them off in this way?

8. What did Dorothy wish to do more than anything else?

9. What did the Witch of the North suggest that Dorothy should do next? Why?

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 Language Activities

A. Design a Brochure
Unfortunately, the author of The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum, does not give the reader a
very good impression of the state of Kansas. It is even possible that the
novel had a harmful effect on the tourism industry in this beautiful part
of the United States. Imagine that the governor of Kansas approached
you and your classmates and asked you to design a brochure to
advertise the many attractions of his state, so that people around the
world would be tempted to visit this lovely locale.

Using resources in your school library or on the Internet your task is to

design a brochure advertising the many wonderful attractions of the state of Kansas –
one that will help draw even more travelers there. You may wish to examine different
samples of brochures before beginning your project. The front cover should feature a title
and colored picture. The inside of the brochure should feature at least four fascinating
features of the state that will entice people to travel there as soon as they possibly can.

B. Personification is giving human qualities to something that is not human. In

Chapter One when describing the storm, the author states, “… across the room there
came a great shriek from the wind…” In this sentence the wind is given human
characteristics (it shrieks).

a) Why do you think personification is a literary device used by many authors?

b) Create your own example of personification.

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 Extension Activity

Storyboard
A storyboard is a series of pictures that tell about an important event in a story. A
storyboard can tell the story of only one scene – or the entire novel.

Complete the storyboard below illustrating the events described in the first
two chapters of The Wizard of Oz. You may wish to practice your drawings
on a separate piece of paper.

1 2

3 4

5 6

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 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum
Chapters 3 – 4

Before you read the chapters:

I’m sure that if Dorothy had one wish to make at this point in the story it would be to get
back to Kansas. In the next two chapters Dorothy meets a character who really thinks he
knows what he wants too, and is willing to make every sacrifice to obtain it. If you were
given the opportunity to have one wish granted by the great Wizard of Oz – what would it
be – and why? (You can’t ask for more wishes.)

Vocabulary:
Many of the words in this Crossword Puzzle are from Chapters 1 to 4. Use the words in
the box to complete the puzzle.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

13

14 15 16 17 18

19

20 21 22 23

24 25

26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33

34 35

36 37 38

39 40 41 42 43

44 45 46

47 48 49 50 51

52 53

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 Down Across
1. A homonym of 15 Down. 2. Dorothy ___ a sandwich for dinner.
3 A seabird. 6. Exclamations of surprise.
4. Aunt __. 9. A person who studies and practices
5. To stop a runaway car you hit the _. magic.
6. Valleys that are usually long and deep. 12. The ___ City.
7. Advertisement. 13. Hour without the h.
8. Witch. 14. Dorothy’s companion.
9. One who is thought to have 16. These people lived in Oz.
supernatural powers. 19. Frighten.
10. A pimple. 20. Uncle ___.
11. Unable to speak. 23. Someone might do if nervous.
15. Used to row. 24. Part of the novel’s title.
17. Tornado. 25. You do this with a dirty plate.
18. Used to keep away the birds. 26. Express sadness.
21. Apparently. 28. A drab color.
22. Years of Experience. 31. A farm building.
26. Dorothy’s dress was made of this. 32. The healing marks leftover from
27. See 6 Down. wounds.
28. Dorothy carried this on her journey. 34. A tool for sewing.
29. Railroad. 35. One who runs away to marry.
30. The midpoint of the day. 36. To ___ out a living.
32. Homonym of so. 37. Past tense of wear.
33. Regret. 39. Warmer and warmer.
38. Royal. 42. Us.
40. A strap for guiding a horse. 44. Not today or tomorrow.
41. Prefix for three. 46. Type of fish.
43. This bird had a conversation with 47. Something you spread on a sandwich.
Scarecrow. 50. Type of tree or shrub found in Asia.
45. Ands (in French). 52. Dorothy’s home.
48. A tool for cutting down trees. 53. The __ brick road.
49. Yes. .
51. To __ or not to __.

KANSAS BASKET GINGHAM YESTERDAY NEEDLE MAYO

BROWN EVIDENTLY BARN AX ETS RR
EM ELOPER NOONDAY OR WE TOTO
YELLOW BRAKES WIZARD SCRAPE TERN RUE
CYCLONE CROW WORE SCARECROW GAR AD
SCARS HENRY PACES SEW WITCH REIN
OAR REGAL GLENS GRIEVE YOE SCARE
OUR HOTTER OZ MUNCHKINS TI DUMB
TRI BE VALLEY EKE OK ATE
EMERALD GASPS ZIT SORCERESS

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 Questions

1. How did Dorothy know which road to take in order to get to the Emerald City?

Good to Know
An emerald is a precious gemstone famous for its beautiful green color.
Although centuries ago emeralds were mainly mined in Egypt and India,
today more than half of these precious gems come from Colombia.
Zambia is the world’s second largest producer.

2. The Munchkins were good farmers and able to raise large crops. T or F

3. Why did Boq think Dorothy was a witch?

4. When Dorothy met the scarecrow, why wasn’t he feeling all that well?

5. What did the scarecrow want more than anything in the world? Why?

6. The one thing that the scarecrow was terrified of was ____________________.

7. Who was it that first put the thought in Scarecrow’s head that he would be
better off with a brain?

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 8. When compared to a real person, what were a couple of advantages enjoyed by
the scarecrow?

Language Activities

A. Copy out any three sentences from these chapters and underline the nouns.

B. Alliteration

The author seems to enjoy using alliteration – a literary device where the same sound is
repeated at the beginning of several words. An example from these chapters is: “… only
witches and sorcerers wear white”.

Using your imagination, create your own examples of alliteration from the following
topics. Each example must contain a minimum of three words.

A Munchkin singing

The sound of a crow

From your imagination

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 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 5 - 6

Before you read the chapter:

At one point in this selection the Tin Woodman says, “You people with hearts have
something to guide you, and never need do wrong…” Do you think the Tin Woodman is
correct? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
In each of the following sets of words, underline the one word that does not belong. Then
write a sentence explaining why it does not fit.

1 inconvenient inopportune accessible disobliging

2 earnest jocular grave serious

3 satisfaction contentment gratification contemptible

4 comrade commiserate companion cohort

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 5 obnoxious obliged forced accommodated

6 resolved determined decided neglected

7 well-bred heedless inconsiderate disrespectful

Questions
Cloze Call

Complete the following exercise filling in the correct words from the Word Box.

neck Scarecrow Munchkin year Emerald tinsmith

spell teeth beetle rust courage cowardly
marry mystery Tin unkind arms jaw
bread heart lazy eat Toto joints

In these two chapters Dorothy meets two new characters. The first is the

____________ Woodman, and the second is the ____________ Lion. Dorothy was

worried because her ____________ was almost gone. She was thankful that the

Scarecrow didn’t have to ____________ anything. When they saw the Tin Woodman

Toto attacked him, but ended up hurting his ____________. The Tin Woodman asked

Dorothy to get his oil-can so she could oil all his ____________. The Tin Woodman

asked that his ____________ be oiled first and then his ____________. He told Dorothy

that he’d been standing there for more than a ____________. The Tin Woodman decided

to travel to the ____________ City with Dorothy to ask the wizard to give him a

____________. He told Dorothy that at one time he had been in love with a

____________ girl who lived with a ____________ old woman. The old woman put a

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____________ on him causing him to cut off all of his body parts one at a time.

Fortunately a ____________ was able to make tin body parts for him. As a result,

however, he lost his love for the girl and no longer wished to ____________ her. There

was only one danger remaining for the Tin Woodman – his joints would ____________.

A Lion suddenly bounded on to the road and struck the ____________ and Tin

Woodman. When the Lion tried to bite ____________, Dorothy slapped him on the nose.

When asked, the Lion confessed that it was a ____________ as to why he was a coward.

He decided to join Dorothy and the others to ask the great Oz for ____________. After

they had resumed their journey the Tin Woodman stepped on a ____________, causing

him to weep, which caused his ____________ to rust shut. Because he had no heart the

Tin Woodman was very careful not to be ____________ to anything.

What Do You Think?

In these chapters we find that the Scarecrow is obsessed with the fact that he doesn’t have a
brain, and the Tin Woodman with the realization that he doesn’t have a heart. They both feel
they will be much better off with these organs working for them. Find proof from Chapters 5-6
that the Scarecrow is really quite intelligent; and that the Tin Woodman has a very big heart.

Scarecrow:

Tin Woodman

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 Language Activities

A. Place the following words from these chapters in alphabetical order.

bread 1.
basket 2.
breakfast 3.
comfort 4.
branches 5.
become 6.
brains 7.
axe 8.
bite 9.
beast 10.

B. Choose ten words from these chapters with two or more syllables. Indicate the
syllables by drawing a line between each syllable. Example: good / bye.

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C. Talk Show
With two or three other students prepare to participate in a television
talk show featuring characters from these chapters. Choose an
interesting character from the book (it doesn’t necessarily have to be
Dorothy). Prepare about 6 questions to ask and possible answers.

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 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 7 - 8

Before you read the chapters:

Be on the Lookout. As you read the next two chapters, be on the lookout for the
Scarecrow showing wisdom, the Lion showing courage or the Tin Woodman showing
tenderness or affection. Then return to this question and enter your observations below.

Vocabulary:
Draw a straight line to connect the vocabulary word to its synonym or definition.
Remember to use a straight edge (like a ruler).

1. peculiar a. provided with an opportunity

2. eventful b. horrible
3. enabled c. fragile
4. despair d. awakened
5. monstrous e. odd
6. delightful f. tasty
7. frail g. did something as a favor
8. aroused h. momentous
9. delicious i. fantastic
10. obliged j. gloom

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 Questions

Indicate whether the following statements are True or False.

1. The Tin Woodman objected to the Lion killing a deer for them to
eat for their evening meal. True or False

2. When they arrived at the ditch, the Tin Woodman volunteered to

go over first on the Lion’s back. True or False

3. When the suggestion was made to him, the Lion decided that
taking a running start before jumping across the ditch was worth a try. True or False

4. The Kalidahs were monstrous beasts with bodies like tigers and
heads like bears. True or False

5. When they arrived at the river, the Tin Woodman made a raft for
them to cross over on. True or False

6. The river’s current carried them far off course, and away from the
yellow brick road on the other side of the river. True or False

7. The Scarecrow was rescued by a large heron.

True or False

8. In the story, the odor of so many poppies together in one field is

powerful enough to put someone to sleep. True or False

9. The odor of the poppies had no effect on the Tin Woodman,

Scarecrow or the Lion. True or False

10. Forced to leave poor Dorothy and Toto in the poppy field, the Tin
Woodman called out for help, hoping the good witch would hear him True or False
and come to their rescue.

Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger is a literary device used by authors when they leave their readers in suspense at
the end of a chapter. How is the end of Chapter Eight an example of a cliffhanger?

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 Language Activities

A. Write the plural of the following nouns from these chapters. Careful – you may wish
to consult a dictionary for some of these words.

Singular Noun Plural Noun

Woodman
deer
ditch
country
Kalidah
city
grass
poppy
beast
party

B. A simile is a comparison using the words “like” or “as”. We find an example of this in
Chapter Seven: “… he panted like a big dog that had been running too long.” In this
example the Lion is compared to a panting dog.

Invent your own similes comparing the following items with something from your
imagination:

a the sound of a lion’s roar

b A baby’s cry

c your own example

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C. Interview
Interview at least three other students for their views of this novel so far.
(Try to get both positive and negative comments.) Write a brief report
putting these views together.

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 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 9 - 10

Before you read the chapters:

As Chapter Eight concludes the reader is left wondering what will become of the poor
Lion – left to die in the middle of the poppy field. Surely the Lion will be rescued, won’t
he? But how? He’s much too heavy for the Tin Woodman and Scarecrow to move!
Predict what you think will happen next.

Vocabulary:
Choose a word from the list that means the same or nearly the same as the underlined
word(s).

indignant grave fragrance evident perplexed

spectacles portal brilliant dignified generous

1 The Scarecrow was very confused when the road led

right up to the river, but there was no bridge on which
for them to cross.
2 The door into the city was closed and barred shut.

3 It was plain to all who saw the game that Gretzky was
the best player on the ice.
4 Penelope removed her eyeglasses and dabbed her
eyes with a handkerchief.
5 My grandmother was a very prim and proper woman.

6 The old farmer was a very serious man.

7 Andrew Carnegie was a bighearted person.

8 Casper the Ghost was very angry to learn that the old
mansion was already haunted.
9 The sweet odor wafting from the poppies made
everyone who smell them quite sleepy.
10 The glittering light shining from the space capsule was
a startling sight to behold.

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 Questions

1. What heroic deed did the Tin Woodman perform in Chapter Nine?

2. Describe how the Queen and her subjects repaid the Tin Woodman for his kind
act.

3. When Dorothy and the others reached the Land of Oz they found that people all
painted their houses the color _____________.

4. When Dorothy and the other travelers knocked on the door of a farmhouse to
see if they could spend the night there, why did the woman of the house
hesitate at first?

5. The farmer informed them that the Wizard of Oz could take

any form he wished. T or F

6. Why did the man at the gate of the Emerald City give Dorothy and the others
spectacles to wear before entering the city?

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 Language Activities

A. Copy out any three sentences from these chapters and underline the verbs.

B. Rewrite the following sentences putting in the correct capitalization and

punctuation.

dorothy and toto made their way into the emerald city to see oz

what did mr landon say when you asked him about going to toronto

the beatles were a musical quartet who came from liverpool england

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C. What’s It All About, Dorothy?
We have already read about some rather unusual topics in our novel: wildcats, Kansas,
cyclones, witches and wizards, crows and scarecrows, field mice, lions, emeralds,
and poppies, (or another topic related to the novel and approved by your teacher). Your
task is to choose an interesting topic from the novel, then use the chart below to create a
research organizer. Place the topic in the middle balloon, then in the connecting balloons
choose subtopics which would help you to do a thorough investigation of the topic.

For example: if your main topic is dogs, subtopics might include breeds, diet, lifespan,
grooming, etc.

5. 1.

Main Topic

4. 2.

3.

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 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 11 - 12

Before you read the chapters:

In the coming chapters several of the characters have close calls. Tell about a time when
you (or a friend) had a close call. Be sure to describe how you felt at the time.

Vocabulary:
Choose a word from the list to complete each sentence. Careful – some words may fit in
more than one sentence, but each word has only one true home!

prosperous assorted contented admitted bestow

dominion compel forthwith immense cunning

1. ____________ there was a loud buzzing in the air.

2. The mayor will ____________ the highest honor in the land upon the Scarecrow.

3. Queen Victoria had ____________ over more land than was scarcely imaginable.

4. The career criminal finally ____________ to robbing the express office.

5. The tiger used a lot of ____________ to outwit the hunting party.

6. My uncle moved to Australia and became a ____________ sheep rancher.

7. The townspeople raised an ____________ statute honoring their local war heroes.

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8. The little kitten lay down before the fireplace and let out a ____________ sigh.

9. He opened the small strong box and revealed an ____________ collection of

valuable baseball cards.

10. “I won’t ____________ any of you soldiers to accompany me,” General Custer
said in a loud voice. “But I would be obliged if you saddled up.”

Questions

1. Why do you think Oz met with each of Dorothy and her friends separately instead
of all together?

2. Character review. Match each character from the novel with his or her correct
description:

A Boq 1 Lacked courage.

B Witch of the East 2 Guardian of the Gates.
C Witch of the North. 3 A rich Munchkin.
D King of Beasts. 4 A large bird.
E Saved the Scarecrow. 5 A good witch.
F An officer of the Emerald City.. 6 A wicked witch.

3. What task did Oz give to Dorothy and her friends before he would grant them their
wishes?

4. Oz can apparently take on many different appearances. For each of his guests,
describe his appearance:

Dorothy
Scarecrow
Tin Man
Lion

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 5. When Dorothy and the others left the Emerald City she is surprised to discover
Toto’s ribbon and her dress have lost their green color. Why do you suppose this
happened?

6. Describe how Dorothy’s friends defeated the first three attacks by the Wicked
Witch.

Attack of the wolves

Attack of the crows

Attack of the bees

7. What literary device is the following an example of: The Wicked Witch was so
angry when she saw her black bees in little heaps like fine coal…

8. Why didn’t the flying monkeys (or the Wicked Witch) harm Dorothy?

9. Describe how Dorothy finally defeated the Wicked Witch.

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 Language Activities

A. The word “crow” (found in Chapter 12) can be used as a noun or a verb,
depending on the sentence. Use your imagination and write sentences to illustrate how
this word can be used as both a noun and a verb.

CROW

Noun

Verb

B. Beside each of the following words from these chapters, write its root word.

wonderful bigger

returned beautiful

strangely frightened

taking chopped

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C. Homonyms
These chapters include a number of examples of words that have homonyms – heart –
hart and too – to - two are just two examples. Two words are homonyms if they are
pronounced or spelled the same way but have different meanings.

Think of two more examples of homonyms and use each in a sentence showing the
meaning of each word quite clearly.

Example 1

Homonyms Sentence
1
2

Example 2

Homonyms Sentence
1
2

D. Anagrams
An anagram is a word that is formed by changing the order of the letters of another word.
For example, the letters in the word PAN can also form the word NAP. Follow these
directions to form the anagrams:

a) read the clue in the right-hand column.

b) Using the word in the left-hand column move the letters around in any order, but you
must use all the letters.

The words in the left-hand column are found in Chapter 11 - 12 of our novel.

Word Anagram Clue

sleep Strips off an outer layer of something.
spider Groups of lions.
fear Cost of riding a bus or taxi.
shoes Of importance to fire fighters.
times To strike.
part Ensnare.

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 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 13 - 14

Before you read the chapters:

Creative chapter titles can really add to a good story. The author of The Wizard of Oz
came up with some very imaginative titles for the chapters in this novel, including those
selected for Chapters 13 and 14. Your task is to return to this question after you have
read these chapters and see if you can create new titles for these chapters which reflect
the contents. (You may wish to work with a colleague on this question to brainstorm some
possibilities.)

13. ____________________________

14. _______________________________

Vocabulary:
Solve the following word search puzzle using the words from the Word Box. Remember
– the words can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal, forward or even backward!

REJOICING OBLIGED PLIGHT REUNITE EMERALD

DIRECTIONS PLAGUE INTENDED GAYELETTE HASTENED
BURNISHED BRACELET DETERMINED SOLDERING BONDAGE

D Q W E D E D N E T N I R D E
M I N B T E L E C A R B E E M
G V R M N B G V C Q W T E R E
R N T E Y U I I O T E P Q E R
E E I G C V E F L R H T W U A
J T H R M T D T M B T G E G L
O I J F E D I I T F O Y I A D
I N H D N D N O G E R U R L M
C U G X B E L G N D L I T P P
I E F C D E S O H S E E Y H N
N R D D E N E T S A H O Y M B
G B O N D A G E J S W P U A V
F D S V D E H S I N R U B N G

35
 Questions

1. Describe how the Winkies reacted to news of the Witch’s death.

2. In Chapter 13 the Winkies helped in the rescue of both the

Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow. T or F

3. Describe how the Scarecrow’s clothing was retrieved from the tall tree.

4. The Winkies saw to it that the Tin Woodman’s axe-handle was replaced by one
made of solid ____________ and they polished the blade until it shone like
burnished ____________.

5. When Dorothy and the others found themselves lost on their journey back to
the Emerald City, upon whom did they call for help – and what solution did their
rescuers come up with?

6. Write a brief synopsis of the story that the King of the Winged Monkeys told
Dorothy about why they had to obey the charm of the Golden Cap.

36
 Language Activities

A. Find three examples of the following parts of speech from these chapters.

Nouns Verbs Adjectives

B. Try to reassemble the word parts listed below into ten compound words found in
these chapters of The Wizard of Oz.

man smith where crow board comfort fully grand in tin

Scare able thing care father side Wood every any cup

1 6
2 7
3 8
4 9
5 10

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C. Mapping the Land of Oz
From the time that Dorothy’s house set down in the land of Oz she has
experienced some rather exciting adventures. Oz has turned out to be a rather
fascinating (and dangerous) place! From what has happened so far in the
novel, review the main events in the story, then (using your imagination as
well) draw a map highlighting the places that have stood out in Dorothy’s
adventures – and where they would probably be located on such a map. You
will, of course, have to use your imagination as well to “fill in the holes” left
by the author. You may create your own symbols to represent important sites on the island (i.e.
where her journey began, where she found each of her three friends, the detour at the river, the
poppy field, the Emerald City, the home of the Wicked Witch of the West, etc.) Feel free as well to
add some creative details which might only be found in your imagination!

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 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 15 - 16

Before you read the chapters:

In Chapter 15 Oz tells the Lion, “You have plenty of courage. All you need is confidence
in yourself… True courage is facing danger when you are afraid…” Do you agree with this
definition of courage or did Oz miss something?

Vocabulary:
Write a sentence using the following words. Make sure that the meaning of the word is
clear in your sentence.

vexed

converse

meek

bewilderment

ventriloquist

39
fulfillment

hesitate

thoroughly

splendid

confidence

Questions

1. When Dorothy and the others returned from defeating the Wicked Witch, why
do you think that Oz did not see them at once?

2. After growing tired of waiting for Oz, the ______________ sent a message to
the Wizard telling him that if he didn’t see them at once they would call upon
the _______________ for help.

3. Describe how it came about that Oz’s true identity was discovered by Dorothy
and her friends.

4. When the Scarecrow tells Oz that he should be ashamed of himself, Oz replies

that he certainly is. There is evidence in the story, though, that seems to
indicate otherwise. How does the author reveal that Oz is actually quite proud
of being able to trick everyone for so long?

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 5. Describe how Oz ends up fulfilling these wishes.

Scarecrow

Tin Woodman

Lion

Language Activities

A. Observation Chart
The Wizard of Oz is a novel filled with sights and sounds – especially those from nature.
Look back over the novel and get as many examples of the five senses, then list them in
the chart below with a brief description about where each was found. You may wish to
choose your examples from one particular scene, or include a number of different scenes.

Sight Sound Touch Taste Smell

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B. A Letter to a Friend
Imagine Dorothy decided to take a few minutes following the events
described in these chapters to write a letter to a friend back in Kansas.
Dorothy’s adventures might seem almost too fantastic to be true to her
friend, but it also might make for some very interesting reading. Use
your imagination to put yourself in Dorothy’s place and then create
such a letter letting your friend know something of the experiences
which you have gone through so far, and your feelings. Your letter
should be at least a half-page in length and follow the proper format of a friendly letter.

42
C. Collector’s Cards
Sports Cards have been a very popular collector’s item
for a number of years. A Willie Mays 1952 Topps rookie
card is worth $3000.00 today.

The Cowardly Lion is one of the most memorable

members of the cat family (felidae – biological family of
cats) that we meet in fiction. Lions and other members
of the cat family have long been a favorite of authors
(i.e. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Alice in
Wonderland, The Incredible Journey). There are, of
course, many members of the cat family other than the
lion: jaguar, panther, tiger, leopard, snow leopard,
Canadian lynx, cougar, cheetah, bobcat, ocelot . . .
and many others.

Wouldn’t it be great if a series of collectors cards were

issued celebrating these fascinating animals?

Design a card for the cat of your choice (you may choose a cat not on the list if approved
by your teacher). The front of the card should feature a colored picture of the cat, and the
back should include at least three interesting facts about it, i.e. diet, prey, habitat, etc.

D. Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger is a popular device used by both writers of novels and
movies. The conclusion to Chapter 16 is an excellent example of this.

What is a cliffhanger?

Why do you think it is so popular with writers like L. Frank Baum?

43
 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 17 - 18

Before you read the chapters:

In the coming chapters Oz comes up with a rather clever scheme to get Dorothy back to
Kansas. With one or two colleagues brainstorm other possible solutions to Dorothy’s
problem. If you were Oz, how would you get Dorothy across the surrounding desert and
safely back to Kansas? (See if your group can come up with two or three possibilities.)

Vocabulary:
Choose a word from the list that means the same or nearly the same as the underlined
word(s).

launched declared contented vexed mishap

respectful disappointment timid grieved gradual

1 The Lion thought of himself as a very fainthearted

creature.
2 No one could have foreseen the accident happening right
in front of the police station.
3 The boys hurled the rotten pumpkin into space with a
large slingshot.
4 Aunt Janie was most troubled when she was accused of
stealing
5 It was with a real sense of frustration to learn that his
story would not be published in their magazine.

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6 He stated the fact calmly and clearly, his voice never
letting on that there was a shadow of doubt in his mind.
7 The instructions were laid out in a step-by-step manner.

8 Oz seemed very pleased as he finished off the apple pie

that was baked for him by one of the Munchkins.
9 The president was saddened to learn of the death of his
friend.
10 The mayor is such a proud man that he expects everyone
to treat him in a deferential manner.

Questions

1. Describe the plan that Oz had made to get Dorothy back to Kansas.

2. What unexpected event happened at the last minute and made it impossible for
Dorothy to leave in the balloon?

Hot Air Balloons

The hot air balloon is the oldest flying device that successfully
carried a human being up – up and away. It happened in 1783 in
France. Unmanned balloons date back almost a thousand years to
China. Hot air balloons that are propelled through the air (instead of
being carried by the wind) are called airships. Most hot air balloons
carry an open flame as their source of heat for elevating.

3. Who did Oz designate to take his place as ruler of the Emerald City? Why do
you think he made this decision?

45
 4. Who was Glinda?

5. Why didn’t the Quadlings ever come to the Emerald City?

6. What were the reasons that the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and the Lion gave
for going with Dorothy to see Glinda?

Scarecrow

Tin Woodman

Lion

Language Activities

A. The Not-So-Lowly Adverb

An adverb is a part of speech which often modifies (or helps) a verb. We have many
examples of adverbs in the chapters we just read. Here is one: Gradually the balloon
swelled out… In this sentence the adverb gradually modifies the verb swelled. (How did it
swell? It swelled gradually.)

Your task is to come up with three possible adverbs that could replace gradually, and still
make sense of this sentence.

Possible Adverbs
1 2 3

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B. A News Report
Imagine you are a newspaper reporter at the time and place of The
Wizard of Oz. You have the opportunity of interviewing Dorothy, Oz or
one of their colleagues. Write a short news article detailing one of their
many adventures. You may wish to brainstorm ideas with a colleague
before beginning the news report.

47
 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 19 - 20

Before you read the chapter:

You have been introduced to a lot of unusual characters in the novel so far: Dorothy, the
Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and the Lion, Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West, the milkmaid,
King of the Winged Monkeys, and several others. Which character have you found to be
the most fascinating? Why did you select this character?

Vocabulary:
Choose a word from the list to complete each sentence.

extended whisked steeples bodices gorgeous

ermine sulk reproachful contented brittle

1. When she handed him his birthday gift, the little boy smiled happily and gave his
mother a most ____________ look.

2. The general ____________ his hand to the enemy leader as a token of his
respect.

3. There must be at least seven or eight church __________ decorating the town’s
skyline.

4. “Isn’t her wedding gown ____________?” the groom said proudly.

5. The rich woman’s coat was made from expensive ____________.

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6. The bright-colored ____________ of the milkmaids were obviously worn to help
celebrate this festive occasion.

7. The president was ____________ from his hotel to the waiting limousine.

8. The little china girl was quite ____________ and had to be handled with care.

9. Just because you didn’t get your own way doesn’t mean you have to sit in the
corner and ___________.

10 As she left them the milkmaid cast many ____________ glances over her shoulder
at the clumsy strangers.

Questions

1. In order to reach Glinda, the Good Witch, Dorothy and the others had to walk
toward the Land of the ________________.

A) North B) South C) East D) West

2. Dorothy said that the Wizard was a good man but a bad _____________.

3. In Chapter 19 the Tin Woodman comes to the rescue on two different

occasions. What were they?

4. What was unusual about what they saw on the other side of the wall?

5. Describe how they got back down from the wall?

49
 6. What upset the milkmaid?

7. Describe what was so unusual about Mr. Joker’s appearance.

8. What would have happened to the little milkmaid if Dorothy had taken her back
to Kansas with her?

Good to Know
In Chapter 20 we are introduced to a rather odd set of characters –
ones made of china. Although the term, , is often used to refer to a
higher cost product, ceramic dishes have been a popular item in
many cultures for centuries. Table settings include the dishes,
flatware (cutlery) and glassware. But did you know that dishes
come in five different sizes? See if you can arrange the following five
dishes in order of their size (largest to smallest:

 Salad plate
 Dinner plate
 Charger
 Side plate
 Dessert plate

50
 Language Activities

A. Conflict
We have already read about a number of important conflicts in this novel.
Conflict is an important element in a novel. There are generally three
types of conflict: person against person; person against self; and
person against nature. Find two examples of conflict in The Wizard of
Oz, and tell which type of conflict each is.

Type of Conflict:
Description:

Type of Conflict:
Description:

B. Copy out any three sentences from these chapters and underline the adjectives.

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C. KWS Chart
Choose a topic which is featured in The Wizard of Oz (i.e. cyclones, Kansas, hot air
balloons, emeralds, crows, monkeys (of the nonflying variety), storks, lions, china
settings, etc.) With your teacher’s approval you may choose a topic not in the above list.
In each of the columns below add helpful details which would help someone who is
researching your chosen topic.

Topic:

What I Know What I want to Learn Possible Sources

52
 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 21 - 22

Before you read the chapters:

Many of the issues in this novel are resolved in the coming chapters. Predict how you
think the novel will end.

Vocabulary:
Circle the correct word that best matches the meaning of the underlined word.

1. John was the most disagreeable person in our class.

a) far-fetched b) unpleasant c) angry d) calm

2. At once the great assemblage hushed as if my magic.

a) conqueror b) costumer c) crowd d) army

3. “Will you obey me as King of the Forest?” inquired the Lion.

a) asked b) demanded c) whined d) stated

4. Did Jacelyn give Marjorie a look of disgust?

a) exasperation b) pity c) beseeching d) distaste

53
5. A chorus of boisterous laughter came from behind the rocks.

a) rowdy b) silly c) timid d) elegant

6. As they passed over the hill the Hammer-Heads yelled in vexation.

a) pity b) stupefaction c) horror d) frustration

7. The Lion became quite angry at the laughter caused by the Scarecrow’s mishap.

a) accident b) angry outburst c) crowing d) whimpering

Questions

Indicate whether the following statements are True or False.

1. The forest that Dorothy and the others found themselves in was
a delight to the Lion, but the Scarecrow found it gloomy. True or False

2. Five of the animals mentioned gathered in the opening were

tigers, elephants, bears, beavers and wolves. True or False

3. The spider monster had a body as big as an elephant and eight

long legs. True or False

4. When the Lion asked if there were any other lions in the forest
he was told that there had never been any other lions in that forest. True or False

5. The Lion agreed to put an end to the spider monster if the other
animals would make him King of the Forest. True or False

6. The weak spot of the spider monster was its neck, which
although quite thick, was soft and bare. True or False

7. The arms of the Hammer-Heads were about the same length as

one of Toto’s legs. True or False

8. The Tin Woodman made the suggestion to call upon the Winged
Monkeys to fly them over the Hammer-Heads. True or False

9. The Winged Monkeys felt so sorry for Dorothy’s plight that they
kindly granted her a fourth wish. True or False
10. Red was the favorite color of the Quadlings.
True or False

54
 Language Activities

A. Did You Catch the Flick?

A classic version of The Wizard of Oz was made in 1939 starring
Judy Garland as Dorothy, Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, Jack Haley
as the Tin Woodman, and Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion. This
wonderful movie remained faithful in most respects to the characters
and plot of the novel, it did take a few “liberties” as well.

If you get a chance to view the movie version, use the following
framework to make a comparison of the book and movie.

Similarities The Novel The Movie

1

Differences The Novel The Movie

1

55
B. King of the Beasts
The animals of the forest in Chapter 21 refer to the Lion as King of the
Beasts. Although the lion is a fearsome predator of the African
savannah, there are other animals that are able to kill it – elephants
and water buffalo, for instance, as well as a pack of hyenas.
Nevertheless, the lion is very high up on the food chain.

What, though, do you really know about this majestic creature? Did
you know, for instance, that a lion’s worst enemy is often the porcupine, whose sharp
quills can end up stuck in the lion’s jaw for life? And did you know that a lion’s claws are
retractable which prevents it from inflicting injury while playing with other lions. Did you
know that male and female lions greet each other with a rub (not a handshake)?

Using resources in your school library or on the Internet, investigate this intriguing animal,
and write about one-half page, documenting at least three fascinating facts about the king
of the beasts. Bonus: Draw a picture of a lion in the space below!

56
C. The Five W’s Chart
Choose a major event from the novel and then complete the following chart
with the important details.

What happened?

Who was there?

Why did it happen?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

57
 The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum

Chapters 23 - 24

Before you read the chapter:

Which event in the novel did you enjoy the most? Why?

Vocabulary:
Draw a straight line to connect the vocabulary word to its synonym (or meaning).
Remember to use a straight edge (like a ruler).

1. presentable a. awful
2. deprive b. serious
3. ringlets c. gravely
4. dreadful d. eternal
5. mourning e. fit to be seen
6. solemnly f. intensely
7. furiously g. curls
8. comrades h. grieving
9. earnest i. friends
10. evermore j. remove

58
 Questions

1 The climax of a story usually occurs at the most exciting or important point of
the plot. Where do you think the climax of The Wizard of Oz occurs?

2. Why do you think Glinda chose rubies to decorate her throne?

3. What was the one condition that Glinda placed on Dorothy before granting her
wish?

4. What three tasks did Glinda have for the Winged Monkeys?

b. How else did Glinda prove her generous nature in Chapter 23?

5. Glinda uses a clever play on words when speaking to the Tin Woodman. See
if you can find it and then explain why it is a play on words.

59
 6. Did you think the ending was effective? Why or why not?

Language & Extension Activities

A. Comparing Two Characters from the Novel

Using the Venn Diagram below compare Dorothy with one other character from the
novel. Be sure to include physical traits as well as personality traits. Remember that any
characteristics these two people share should be placed in the middle of the two circles.

Dorothy

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B. A Book Cover
Create a book cover for The Wizard of Oz. Be sure to include the title,
author, and a picture that will make other students want to read the novel.

61
C. Collage
Make a collage from magazine pictures illustrating a scene from the novel,
or events and characters from the entire novel.

62
D. A Book Review
Now is your chance to share the novel with others. Write a review of
The Wizard of Oz, describing in no more than one paragraph an
outline of the plot, and then in another paragraph how you enjoyed the
novel (or didn’t) and why. (Please don’t give away the ending!) This
review can be posted to a website like www.amazon.com.

63
E. Lights, Camera, Action!
Suppose Hollywood decided to make The Wizard of Oz into another full-length feature
movie. Who would star in this exciting project? Now suppose you were asked to be the
casting director for this movie. Who would you cast for the principal roles:

• Dorothy –
• Witch of the North -
• The Scarecrow -
• The Tin Woodman –
• The Lion –
• Oz -
• Aunt Em –
• Uncle Henry –
• Wicked Witch of the West –
• King of the Winged Monkeys –
• Mr. Joker –
• Glinda the Good -
• ______________ –
• ______________ –

You may wish to choose Hollywood actors for this task, or for some fun, limit your choices
to people in your school (teachers and students). Beside each selection write a brief
explanation for your choice.

64
F. Sequence Chart
List the main events of The Wizard of Oz in the order in which they occurred.

The Wizard of Oz
First

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Last

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