The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-8

1. Why does Dorothy not go immediately to the cyclone cellar when Aunt Em calls her?

2. Who comes to Dorothy’s house after she lands in Oz?

3. What gift does the Witch of the North give to Dorothy to thank her for killing the Wicked Witch of the East?

4. How do Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion cross the two deep ditches they encounter in the land of the Khalids?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Contrast Kansas and the Land of Oz.

2. The Scarecrow mourns the fact that he has no brain. What evidence suggests that he is a thoughtful and intelligent character despite not having a literal brain?

3. Is the Woodman a heartless character?

4. Does the Lion lack courage?

Paired Resources

Movie Clip: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”

• In this 3-minute clip, Judy Garland sings the iconic song from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. Remind students that there are some differences in plot and character depictions between the novel and the film adaption.
• Describe the farm and the landscape surrounding Dorothy. How is Kansas depicted? How is the place she sings about different from her home on the Kansas prairie?

Movie Clip: Arrival in Oz

• In this 2-minute clip, Dorothy arrives in the Land of Oz.
• Contrast the Land of Oz with Kansas. How does the use of color in this film version help represent the wonder and beauty of Oz? Does Munchkinland resemble the place Dorothy imagined in “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”?

Chapters 9-16

Reading Check

1. How is the Lion saved from the red poppy field?

2. The Wizard of Oz tells the group that he will help them only if they do something for him. What does he require of them?

3. How does Dorothy kill the Wicked Witch of the West?

4. What gifts does Oz give to the Scarecrow, the Woodman, and the Lion?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How do Dorothy’s friends epitomize selflessness and love when they are attacked by the Wicked Witch of the West?

2. How is the Wicked Witch characterized as cruel and selfish?

3. When Oz fills the Scarecrow’s head with bran, pins, and needles, the Scarecrow feels and acts intelligently. What does this suggest about the importance of confidence and self-belief?

4. Do you agree that the Wizard of Oz is a “very good man but […] a very bad wizard”?

Paired Resource

“A Literary History of Witches”

• A list of witch characters from works of literature for comparison and discussion regarding the Wicked Witch of the West
• Teacher-appropriate; not student-facing

Chapters 17-24

Reading Check

1. What causes Dorothy to miss the launch of the balloon?

2. Why does the group decide to travel to the South?

3. How does the Lion become the King of the Forest?

4. How does Dorothy return to Kansas?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does the Lion’s new home suit him and satisfy his vision of who he wants to be?

2. How does the Scarecrow’s new home suit him and satisfy his vision of who he wants to be?

3. How does the Woodman’s new home suit him and satisfy his vision of who he wants to be?

4. How is Glinda characterized as a good and kind witch, unlike the witches of the East and the West?

Paired Resource

“History of Ballooning”

• A brief history of the hot-air balloon
• What role does the balloon play in the story? What might it symbolize or represent? How might the balloon connect to the theme of The Importance of Friends and Family?

Recommended Next Reads

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

• This novel describes the journey of a young girl who falls into a rabbit hole and experiences the mysteries of Wonderland.
• Shared topics include fantasy, unbelievable characters, and the journey to return home.
• Shared themes include Confidence and Self-Belief and The Importance of Friends and Family.
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland on SuperSummary

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

• This story follows the Darling children’s adventures in Neverland with Peter Pan.
• Shared topics include fantasy, new lands, and special gifts and attributes.
• Shared themes include Confidence and Self-Belief and The Importance of Friends and Family.
• Peter Pan on SuperSummary