The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

I have mentioned my thesis a few times, but I think I failed to mention that I am doing my Honors research project on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Well, actually, I am focusing more on the 1939 film adaptation...but, for many, that is the only adaptation that exists.

Yes, there was a book. L. Frank Baum wrote it and it was published in 1900. I am utterly fascinated by the popularity and longevity of the film/story. The story, to me, is beautiful in its simplicity.

I intended to research the book so that I would have a knowledge base that would enable me to create a meaningful unit on it for my classes. Presently, I could talk about it all day, so I am glad that I chose the topic with that end in mind. I have coincidentally collected numerous artifacts that will be beneficial in the creation of a unit.

Because I want to be a positive adult in students' lives, I think The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a great way to start off the 6th grade year (crossing my fingers for a 6th grade position): it is a story everyone (yes, everyone) already knows; it's an easy read, but offers many insights; the theme is one that would most certainly set the tone for success, work ethic, and optimism in my classroom. Because middle school is a time when students often begin asking "Who am I?" the quest of Dorothy and her friends is all-the-more relevant.

I recently purchased a three disk DVD set that includes various adaptations of the story on film (before 1939), lengthy radio broadcasts advertising the debut of the 1939 film, documentaries, short (3 minute) segments about each actor in the 1939 film, and much more! There is so much that I can do with this resource!

There was even an oooolllld scholastic magazine replica included with the set outlining various teaching ideas for The Wizard of Oz.

As I was reading the book, the literary element that stood out most to me was irony. The Scarecrow believes he has no brain...but he is always the first to offer an intelligible solution for the problems that he and his friends face. Students could be asked to locate such instances for themselves and provide alternate outcomes that would not be ironic.

Okay. Out for now.