My daughter came home from school upset because her friend didn’t want to be her friend anymore. She couldn’t figure out what had changed. Her world had become complicated and confusing. Things do not always go as expected in Oz either. Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, and the Wizard wrestle with relationships too.
Watch Wicked: For Good with children and use one or more of these activities to explore the movie together.
Rules. The Wizard created rules that discriminated against the animals in Oz. Ask children, “What do you think makes a rule fair or unfair?” Invite them to create a short list of rules that they think would be fair for all the citizens of Oz. Then suggest that they create another list of rules that would be fair for their family or community.
Feelings. Glinda says that being engaged to Fiyero doesn’t feel the way that she thought it would feel. Invite children to close their eyes and recall a time that they felt happy. Ask: What sensations do you notice in your body when you remember feeling happy?” Then ask them to recall a time they felt unhappy. Ask: What sensations do you notice in your body when you remember feeling unhappy? Continue naming emotions and encouraging children to notice the sensations they notice with each one.
Trust. The Wizard tells Elphaba he will free the animals if she joins him. When she tentatively agrees, he lets the flying monkeys go. Then Elphaba discovers that the Wizard still has many other animals caged. She decides he can’t be trusted. Encourage children to brainstorm ways the Wizard could regain Elphaba’s trust. (For example, the Wizard might apologize and offer to make amends or ask her to take the lead in releasing the rest of the animals) Invite them to act out their ideas, taking turns as the Wizard and Elphaba.
Encouragement. Elphaba believes that every time she tries to help someone, something bad happens to them. To save Boq, she turns him into tin. Her efforts to help Nessa feel better make their relationship worse. She wants to stop doing good deeds. Invite children to make a card or draft a social media message for Elphaba that encourages her to keep trying to help others. Ask: How do you think Elphaba feels? What could you say to encourage her?
Goodness. Elphaba tells Glinda that good can’t just be a word. In response, Glinda begins making changes in Oz. She orders the wizard to leave and has Madame Morrible jailed. She welcomes all the animals back to their old jobs. Invite children to identify problems in their community. For example, there might be kids who are being bullied or those who don’t have healthy food to eat. Encourage them to draw pictures of good things they could do to address those problems. Post the images as reminders to embody goodness so that their community becomes a place where everyone is treated fairly and able to thrive.
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