Monday – We will conclude viewing The Wizard of Oz.  The small groups of 3-4, students will then select a character or group of characters, e.g. flying monkeys, Wicked Witch, Scarecrow, and pretend to work for a newspaper.  Each group will create a newspaper article giving a brief story about this character(s).  The article should involve an activity by the character not found in the movie, but created by the small group.  Perhaps Auntie Em could win the Pillsbury Cook-Off, or the Wicked Witch is exposed doing good deeds!  Groups will be encouraged to share their article with the class.  In the last ten minutes of class, you will write a paragraph in your journals about whether or not you would have left Oz in the balloon with the Wizard, and why or why not.

Tuesday – We will continue discussion of The Wizard of Oz.  To assess comprehension, I will give you some well-known proverbs, such as:

  1. Don’t cry over spilt milk
  2. Still waters run deep
  3. Let sleeping dogs lie
  4. Actions speak louder than words
  5. Two wrongs don’t make a right

I will then ask you how each proverb relates to one of the characters in the movie.

Wednesday – We will begin reading aloud the short story “The Goodness of Matt Kaizer”.  I will define the terms “internal” and “external” conflict, and lead a discussion about examples in the text of each.

Thursday – We will conclude reading aloud “The Goodness of Matt Kaizer” and continue discussion of Matt’s change in attitude and character, peer pressure and expectations from those around you.  You will conclude the class by writing a paragraph in your journals about why you believed Matt changed from the boy he was at the beginning of the story to the boy he was at the end.

Friday – We will discuss the thematic connection between the song, movie, book, stories and poems read by the class.  I will focus on the issues faced by the characters, how the character perceived and approached the issues, and how the character dealt with the issues, if he did so.  The class will discuss how perception changes one’s approach to a problem.  I will then present the class with three optical illusions to help student appreciate that life can be interpreted and perceived very differently by different people.  For tomorrow’s class, students will bring in family photos for the next day of several stages in their lives when they experienced change that they are willing to share with the class.

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