1. Teacher Guide
This lesson is designed to teach kids to ask a critical thinking question that you can’t just put into a search box to solve. To do that, we encourage them with smaller questions that search can help them answer. Make sure that you read the notes for each slide: they not only give you teaching tips but also provide answers and hints so you can help the kids if they are having trouble.
Remember, you can always send feedback to the Bing in the Classroom team at You can learn more about the program at bing.com/classroom and follow the daily lessons on our Partners In Learning site.
Want to extend today’s lesson? Consider using Skype in the Classroom to arrange for your class to chat with another class in today’s location. And if you are using Windows 8, you can also use the Bing apps to learn more about this location and topic; the Travel and News apps in particular make great teaching tools.
Ja'Dell Davis is a Los Angeles native who currently divides her time between New York City and Madison, Wisconsin. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, pursing a PhD in Sociology. Ja’Dell previously taught high school in Philadelphia public schools, and implemented college access and academic enrichment programming in Chester, Pennsylvania and New York City in Manhattan’s Lower East Side neighborhood. Ja’Dell received her B.A. from Swarthmore College with a special major in History and Educational Studies, and a minor in Black Studies. She completed her M.S.Ed in Secondary School Education at the University of Pennsylvania.  In addition to her studies and work in the education field, Ja’Dell is a dancer, musician, avid people watcher, and Scrabble enthusiast.
This lesson is designed to teach the Common Core State Standard: Reading: Informational Text
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.3Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.6Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints

2. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters?
© Corbis/age fotostock
Having this up as kids come in is a great settle down activity. You can start class by asking them for thoughts about the picture or about ideas on how they could solve the question of the day.

3. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters?
Anyone passing by this rainbow-graced field of lupine and poppies near Los Angeles might think they’d accidentally walked into a remake of “The Wizard of Oz.”
The most famous film version was released nationwide on this day in 1939, and despite critical acclaim and great performances, it didn’t fare well at the box office. It wasn’t until re-releases in subsequent years that the Judy Garland “Oz” cemented its status as a film classic.
In fact, the film most of us know was the fourth silver screen “Oz” adaptation. Two silent versions released in 1910 and 1925 had their own unique takes on the 1900 novel that inspired them. And a short cartoon version, rarely screened even at the time, debuted in 1933, a full six years before Garland went over the rainbow to don the ruby slippers.
Depending on time, you can either have students read this silently to themselves, have one of them read out loud, or read it out loud yourself.

4. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 1
Thinking
Have you ever seen the movie “The Wizard of Oz”? If so, what were your impressions of the movie? If not, what do you know about the movie and story? 2
Web Search/
Who is the character Dorothy and what are important aspects of her role in the story? 3
Who is the character Scarecrow and what are important aspects of his role in the story? 4
Who is the character Tim Man and what are important aspects of his role in the story? 5
Who is the character Lion and what are important aspects of his role in the story? 6
Web Search
What overall meaning of the story of The Wizard of Oz have been proposed?
There are a couple of ways to use this slide, depending on how much technology you have in your classroom. You can have students find answers on their own, divide them into teams to have them do all the questions competitively, or have each team find the answer to a different question and then come back together. If you’re doing teams, it is often wise to assign them roles (one person typing, one person who is in charge of sharing back the answer, etc.)

5. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 5
Minutes
You can adjust this based on how much time you want to give kids. If a group isn’t able to answer in 5 minutes, you can give them the opportunity to update at the end of class or extend time.

6. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 1
Thinking
Have you ever seen the movie “The Wizard of Oz”? If so, what were your impressions of the movie? If not, what do you know about the movie and story? 2
Web Search/
Who is the character Dorothy and what are important aspects of her role in the story? 3
Who is the character Scarecrow and what are important aspects of his role in the story? 4
Who is the character Tim Man and what are important aspects of his role in the story? 5
Who is the character Lion and what are important aspects of his role in the story? 6
Web Search
What overall meaning of the story of The Wizard of Oz have been proposed?
You can ask the students verbally or let one of them come up and insert the answer or show how they got it. This way, you also have a record that you can keep as a class and share with parents, others.

7. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 1
Thinking
Have you ever seen the movie “The Wizard of Oz”? If so, what were your impressions of the movie? If not, what do you know about the movie and story?
Students should discuss their experience with “The Wizard of Oz” regardless of the version with which they are familiar.

8. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 2
Web Search/
Thinking
Who is the character Dorothy and what are important aspects of her role in the story?
(Possible queries: “wizard of oz character dorothy” ,“who is dorothy wizard of oz” ,“character analysis dorothy wizard of oz” )
Students may be able to draw from their own experiences with the movie in order to summarize Dorothy’s role in the story. Another summary of this character and her role in the plot can be found at the site The Wizard of Oz Movie (
The film centers on Dorothy, a young girl from Kansas, who is transported, along with her dog Toto, to the fantasy utopia of Oz by a tornado that sweeps her farmhouse home away. The storm carries the house with Dorothy and Toto to Munchkinland, a magical place far away from anything that Dorothy has ever seen or dreamed of. She is proclaimed a national heroine by the tiny inhabitants because the luck of the house's landing has caused the house to fall on and kill the Wicked Witch of the East, who holds power over the Munchkins. Suddenly, Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, appears and explains all that has happened to Dorothy. Dorothy naturally wishes to return home. However, the sister of the now dead Wicked Witch of the East (the Wicked Witch of the West) makes a startling appearance. Dorothy receives protection from the Wicked Witch of the West by Glinda when magically the Ruby Slippers that were worn by the dead Witch of the East are now on the feet of Dorothy; as long as she wears the slippers, says Glinda, Dorothy will be safe. The Witch of the West leaves, and Dorothy is sent along the yellow brick road by Glinda, the Good Witch of the North to find the Wizard of Oz and get his help to return to Kansas. Along the way, Dorothy overcomes various obstacles and meets a talking scarecrow (played by Ray Bolger), a tin man (played by Jack Haley) and a cowardly lion (played by Bert Lahr), who also are unsatisfied and need to find the Emerald City, of which the Wizard is master, believing that he will give them each what they desire. Instead, the Wizard sends the fellowship on a quest to retrieve the broomstick of Wicked Witch of the West.

9. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 3
Web Search/
Thinking
Who is the character Scarecrow and what are important aspects of his role in the story?
(Possible queries: “wizard of oz character scarecrow” ,“who is scarecrow wizard of oz” ,“character analysis scarecrow wizard of oz” )
Students may be able to draw from their own experiences with the movie in order to summarize Scarecrow’s role in the story. Another summary of this character and his role in the plot can be found at Wikipedia ( Includes information from character’s role in the novel and its sequels:
The Scarecrow is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum and illustrator William Wallace Denslow. In his first appearance, the Scarecrow reveals that he lacks a brain and desires above all else to have one. In reality, he is only two days old and merely ignorant. Throughout the course of the novel, he demonstrates that he already has the brains he seeks and is later recognized as "the wisest man in all of Oz," although he continues to credit the Wizard for them. He is, however, wise enough to know his own limitations and all too happy to hand the rulership of Oz, passed to him by the Wizard, to Princess Ozma, to become one of her trusted advisors, though he typically spends more time playing games than advising.

10. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 4
Web Search/
Thinking
Who is the character Tim Man and what are important aspects of his role in the story?
(Possible queries: “wizard of oz character tin man” ,“who is tin man wizard of oz” ,“character analysis tin man wizard of oz” )
Students may be able to draw from their own experiences with the movie in order to summarize Tin Man’s role in the story. Another summary of this character and his role in the plot can be found at the site IMBd (
The Tin Man (properly referred to as the Tin Woodman) is a fictitious character from L. Frank Baum's timeless children's classic "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". The Tin Woodman is one of Dorothy Gale's three companions on her journey to see the mysterious wizard who lives in the City of Emeralds. Originally a Munchkin woodman named Nick Chopper, his courtship of a beautiful young girl named Nimmie Amee angered the mean old woman for whom she kept house. So the woman went to the Wicked Witch of the East, made a gift to her of livestock, and begged her help keep Nimmie from going off with Nick. The WWE put a curse on Nick's axe, and as he worked to build a wedding house for Nimmie, his axe attacked and maimed him. He was given prosthetics by his tinsmith neighbor, Ku-Klip, and resumed his work. Each time the axe attacked him, it further destroyed his body, until nothing remained of his flesh. Believing that Nimmie could not love him anymore, and that he could not be any kind of man for her without a heart beating in his chest, he ceased calling on her and lived alone in the unfurnished house he had built. One day he allowed himself to remain outside working during a rainstorm and rusted in place. He remained there for months until Dorothy and the Scarecrow discovered him. Upon learning his story, the two offered the Woodman the chance to accompany them to the City of Emeralds where he could ask the wizard for a heart.

11. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 5
Web Search/Thinking
Who is the character Lion and what are important aspects of his role in the story?
(Possible queries: “wizard of oz character lion” ,“who is lion wizard of oz” ,“character analysis lion wizard of oz” )
Students may be able to draw from their own experiences with the movie in order to summarize Lion’s role in the story. Another summary of this character and his role in the plot can be found at the site Wikia ( Includes information about the version of the Lion found in the original novel:
The cowardly Lion is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum, author and inventor of the Oz legacy. He is introduced in Baum's first Oz book titled 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', published in He is a main character who appears in the sixth chapter of the book titled The Cowardly Lion. He is a huge friendly beast who can talk and is from the enchanted jungles and rainforests in the magical Land of Oz. He also is the third and final character to join Dorothy Gale on her epic journey down the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City to see the great and powerful Wizard, in hopes he grants her wish to return home to Kansas after being swept away to Oz in a cyclone. When he encounters Dorothy, she is also accompanied by a brainless Scarecrow, a heartless Tin Woodman and her little pet dog named Toto, all of whom became loyal comrades and good friends. Thus, having many amazing, and marvelous adventures throughout all of Oz…
… The Cowardly Lion was born in the wilderness in the land of Oz. He was also born without any courage. (Or so he thinks)
The other animals expected him to be brave, so he bluffed and became a bit of a bully. He met Dorothy Gale, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and Toto in the forest while they were journeying to the Emerald City to see the Wizard of Oz and decided to accompany them to ask the Wizard for some courage. After several adventures, the humbug Wizard gave the Lion a large bowl of green liquid courage which he drank, making him full of courage.

12. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters? 6
Web Search
What overall meaning of the story of The Wizard of Oz have been proposed?
(Possible queries: “meaning behind wizard of oz” ,“meaning of wizard of oz” ,“interpretation of wizard of oz story”)
Many sites offer interpretations of the meaning of The Wizard of Oz, whether political or otherwise, and their view of symbols imbedded in the story. Wikipedia ( summarizes political interpretations of the story:
(An excerpt)
Political interpretations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz include treatments of the modern fairy tale (written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1900) as an allegory or metaphor for the political, economic and social events of America in the 1890s. Scholars have examined four quite different versions of Oz: the novel of 1900,[1] the Broadway Play of 1901,[2] the Hollywood film of 1939,[3] and the numerous follow-up Oz novels written after 1900 by Baum and others.[4]
The political interpretations focus on the first three, and emphasize the close relationship between the visual images and the story line to the political interests of the day. Biographers report that Baum had been a political activist in the 1890s with a special interest in the money question of gold and silver, and the illustrator Denslow was a full-time editorial cartoonist for a major daily newspaper. For the 1901 Broadway production Baum inserted explicit references to prominent political characters such as President Theodore Roosevelt.

13. Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations
Why has the Wizard of Oz story endured over many generations? What may draw people to the main characters?
This slide is a chance to summarize the information from the previous slides to build your final answer to the question.