Teacher Resources

Oz Family Values 

 

How have people used symbols to preserve and represent the values of the groups in which they live and work?

"...once I had brains, and a heart also, so having tried them both, I should much rather have a heart."

In The Wizard of Ox the Tin Man uses these words to express his belief that love and compassion are the most important values. The Cowardly Lion valued courage above all and the Scarecrow valued intelligence. L. Frank Baum uses the characters in The Wizard of Oz as symbols for common human values.

Click here for some quick descriptions of the values and beliefs of the characters of Oz.

 
 

The Task

People share many values. Families and organizations use symbols to represent the values that are important to them You will do descriptive research to find out how people have used symbols to represent and preserve universal human values such as love, courage, and perseverance. The information from your research will help you to design a symbolic device, such as a flag or shield, to represent the values of your family.

 
 

 The Product

You will design a flag, shield, badge, glyph, logo, or other symbolic device to show your family values. You will use symbols to represent at least three values that your family wants to preserve. You will justify your choice of symbols by presenting information from your research in the form of a database or table.

Click here to find out about other possible products.
  

Assessment
You will be assessed on your daily work in the research process as well as on your final product and presentation.
  
 

Click here to find out how your research process will be assessed.

Click here to find out how your final product will be assessed.

 

Brainstorming Questions
 

As you look at the task above, list as many questions as you can that will help you to understand and investigate this topic.

How have people used symbols to preserve and represent the values of the groups in which they live and work?

Think about these questions:

  • What do you already know about symbols and values?
  • What do you need to know in order to select symbols to represent the values of your family?

 

Jump start your thinking! Try these questions to get you started, then add some of your own.

  • How do values differ from culture to culture?
  • How have symbols been used to represent these values in different ways?
  • How and why do values change over time?

Think of as many questions as possible to guide you in your research. Use the Divergent Questioning Model below to help you get started.

  • Information question: What are the values that are important to my family?
  • Quantity question: What are all the different ways symbols have been used to represent these values?
  • Viewpoint question: How do the values of the elder members of a family differ from those of the younger members of a family?
  • Supposition question: Which values would be most important if children were the leaders of the family group?
  • Forced Association question: How is your family like a school class?
  • Involvement question: If you were Dorothy, how would your actions show that you valued your family?
 

Creating Graphic Organizers
  Think about how you want to organize your list of questions in order to conduct your research. Put your questions into similar categories.You will use your list of questions to organize the information from your research into a database or data table. You will justify the choice of symbols for your symbolic device based on the information collected in your database or data table.  
 

Follow these steps to organize your information.

1. Think about the type of information you will be collecting.

2. Brainstorm different ways to organize this information into categories. Some possible categories are: VALUE, MEANING, SYMBOL

3. Decide on three or four fields (categories) that you will use in the database or table.

4. Make a diagram to show how your information will be arranged.

Example:

   Name of Value  Meaning  Symbols  
   Courage  bravery, fearlessness  lion  
   Honesty  truthfulness  ?  

You may use a software program such as Microsoft Access, Claris Works, or Microsoft Works to create and use your database electronically, or you may make a table on paper. Be sure to print a copy of your database for note-taking.

Click here to see examples of other graphic organizers.
  

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