Welcome to Chapter 9: “The Queen of the Field Mice!” This post in our Wonderful Wizard of Oz book study features teaching materials that highlight cause and effect, character collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
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Tips on pacing, setup, and how to use the materials across grade levels.
Includes word lists, bookmarks, word wall cards, and more – great for planning ahead.
Get vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, and organizers for this chapter.
🐭 Summary
Chapter 9: “The Queen of the Field Mice”
As the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow wait at the edge of the poppy field for Dorothy to awaken, the Tin Woodman spots a wildcat chasing a field mouse. He swings his axe and chops off the wildcat’s head. The mouse reveals herself to be the Queen of the Field Mice.
Grateful for his bravery, the Queen offers to help rescue the Lion. The Scarecrow asks the Tin Woodman to build a cart and the field mice to gather string. Together, they enter the poppy field, lift the sleeping Lion onto the cart, and pull him to safety away from the poisonous scent of the flowers.
Chapter 9: “The Queen of the Field Mice” Projects
Mentor Sentences
One way to turn classic literature into a powerful teaching tool is to pull mentor sentences straight from the text. Instead of random worksheets, students get to see grammar, punctuation, and style in action—inside a story they’re already reading.
- As it came nearer the Tin Woodman saw that running before the beast was a little gray field mouse, and although he had no heart he knew it was wrong for the Wildcat to try to kill such a pretty, harmless creature.
📌 Focus: Adjectives + Specific Details
- “little gray field,” “pretty, harmless”
- Practice: Write a sentence about an animal using at least two adjectives.
2. So the Woodman raised his axe, and as the Wildcat ran by he gave it a quick blow that cut the beast’s head clean off from its body, and it rolled over at his feet in two pieces.
📌 Focus: Parallel Structure in Series
- Three verbs linked by and.
- Practice: Students create a 3-action sentence of their own day.
3. “He says so himself,” answered the Scarecrow, “and he would never hurt anyone who is our friend.”
📌 Focus: Appositive (this little creature = our friend)
- Identify how appositives rename nouns.
- Practice: Students write: “My ___ is our ___.”
Focus Skills
Constructed Response Skill – Character Traits
Students analyze how the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman act in ways that contradict their perceived weaknesses. A foldable organizer helps students identify three key actions—such as the Tin Woodman’s brave rescue of the Field Mouse Queen and the Scarecrow’s leadership in organizing the Lion’s rescue—and reflect on how these moments reveal hidden strengths.
Standards: RL.5.3, RL.6.3, RL.7.3
Language Arts Skill – Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
This chapter offers a great opportunity to introduce or reinforce reflexive (himself, themselves) and intensive (I myself, he himself) pronouns. Students identify examples in context, revise vague or incorrect usage, and explore how these pronouns add emphasis or clarify who is performing the action. A foldable organizer supports guided practice and independent application.
Standard: L.6.1.B
Follow this link to our blog post titled “Parts of Speech ~ Pronouns.” It includes a video lesson with a student organizer and a featured set of task cards using sentences from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, along with several additional activities that focus on pronouns.
Click here to download the FREE Chapter 9 resource.
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1 comment
Never mind about the pronouns foldables! I’ve found them! Thanks for sharing this great resource for free! 🙂
Kendra